Coming in April - Strictly Musicals 3

Rehearsals are hotting up for theatre show

Cast members of Strictly Musicals 3 - the latest offering from Darlington Operatic Society (DarlingtonOS) - are being put thorough their paces as musical numbers within the show start to take shape.

Strictly Musicals 3 is the third offering of a series of 'songs from the shows' style productions by DarlingtonOS, the first being back in 2013.

In this third edition audiences will be entertained with songs from classic shows such as The King and I, Mack & Mabel and Chicago alongside extracts from modern-day favourites such as Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton and The Bodyguard. There will also be examples from some lesser-known shows such as Something Rotten, Bonnie & Clyde and Songs for a New World.

Julian Cound from DarlingtonOS said "This is one of the most exciting stages of the rehearsal period when we see the imagination of our director / choreographer Joanne Hand come to life as she pieces together her amazing, original choreography to go with the stunning vocals the company have been learning under the musical direction of Steven Hood."

"Putting a concert style production together is so much more difficult than working on a book show. From a blank piece of paper the production team have to create 2 hours of musical magic that offers something for everyone and with Strictly Musicals 3 I can guarantee audiences will not be disappointed."

Strictly Musicals 3 has a cast of 52 local, talented amateur performers who will be working flat out over the next 9 weeks to ensure the show is ready for opening night on Wednesday 22 April at Darlington Hippodrome.

Julian concluded "there is a massive appetite for musical theatre here in the North East and Strictly Musicals brings the best of the best together for two hours of magic. If you are a fan of musicals then you will simply love Strictly Musicals 3."

Strictly Musicals 3 runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Wednesday 22 April to Saturday 2 May. Thursday 30 April is a BSL Interpreted performance and both Friday performances will be audio described.

Tickets are available from the ticket hotline 01325 244659 or book online at www.darlingtonos.org.uk

The Croft at Darlington Hippodrome

The Croft by Ali Milles

A tale set across 3 time periods but very much of today.

Set solely in a small crofters cottage in the Scottish Highlands, and with minimal props, the immersive and at times claustrophobic feelings are testament to the small but brilliant cast and the tight direction by Philip Franks.

The opening scene presents the viewer with Suzanne and Laura, two modern urbanites who have escaped to the croft for a break away and to discover each other.  Laura (Lucy Doyle) is an early twenties modern woman, brash, confident and desperate to take life for what she wants.  The croft is actually her father’s and so this return after many years is a chance for her to reconnect with her past and hopefully bring in her future.

Suzanne is a mum of 2 teenage boys, her marriage on the rocks, who has found herself in the midst of an exciting and new relationship, both with Laura and more importantly, with herself.

Interspersed with the here and now story are two other timelines both of which also play out in the croft.  One is of Laura’s mum, Ruth, who loved to visit the croft and chose it as her final place to live while she succumbed to terminal cancer. She and Laura were as best friends during Laura's early childhood, swimming, hiking and spending time at the croft but sadly she became estranged with Laura’s vicar father, Tom (Simon Roberts) and found a friendship in the local gamekeeper David (Drew Cain).  Clearly Laura has some unresolved issues with how her mum finally died and was hoping that her visit to the croft would help her to understand and maybe make peace.

The other tale is set in the mid 19^th century of an old crofter, Enid (Gwen Taylor) who takes in a young village girl, Eilene (again played by Lucy Doyle) and the challenges of not only fighting the clearances, but also of the suspicion and fear that a single, old woman could breed in the small minded community.  Hounded as a witch and with aspersions cast on the nature of their relationship, Enid refuses to leave the croft despite the all pleading and threats.

Whilst this is billed as a thriller, I found it more to be a piece on social attitudes.  It may be set across 3 time periods but the underlying themes are very much of today, very ‘woke’, very #metoo.

All the female roles encounter some degree of prejudice from male counterparts and are forced to seek solace with other women which only seems to provoke more misogyny.  Suzanne with her estranged husband and teenage boys, Laura with her religious father whom she blames for her mother’s death, Ruth, whose once strong relationship with Laura is torn apart by her falling in love with David, Enid who is hounded by the ‘big house’ landowners for being different and Eilene who falls foul of a local boy and is left to seek help from the crofter.

Whether the intent by Milles was to write a social commentary on how some attitudes don’t seem to change, despite the passing of time, whether it was meant to be a play about the intertwining of 3 storylines, or whether it is a clever piece of veiled misandry, one thing is for sure, The Croft is a solid piece of theatre which will leave audiences contemplating their own moral compass.

Come What May - Moulin Rouge spectacular coming to Darlington

For any fan of modern musicals there is one production that stands out from the past 20 years and that is Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge.  A ground breaking approach to musicals, Moulin Rouge took modern pop culture, timeless classics and a story grounded in 19th century Paris and created a stand out piece of entertainment that you only need to hum the opening bars to one of the musical numbers and anyone near by will join in.

Now, as the full Broadway musical hits the West End, you have the chance to revel in the Spectacular, Spectacular right here in Darlington and immerse yourself in the bohemian decadence (Green faerie not provided, sorry) 

Sweeney Entertainments and Sisco Productions proudly presents Come What May, The Ultimate Tribute to Moulin Rouge! Enjoy this all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza as you enter the secret world of one of the greatest movie-musicals of all time.

Bursting at the seams with timeless classics including Come What May, Your Song, Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend, Roxanne and Lady Marmalade plus hit songs from The Greatest Showman and other iconic movie musicals.

Travel back in time as the children of the revolution take you on a thrilling non-stop journey into the sexy, disreputable and glamorous underworld of Paris.

A perfect evening to grab your girlfriends, boyfriends, new friends, old friends (and most of all lovers) and come and drown yourself in LOVE.  

Tickets are selling fast so don't delay, visit

https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk/whats-on/come-what-may-a-tribute-to-moulin-rouge/ 

and book today.

One Night Only (because with this much fun, song, sex and love most people can only last one night) Wednesday 4th March