The shows must go on
SHOWBIZ STARS HOPE TO BE SHINING AGAIN IN 2021. MARION McMULLEN LOOKS AT THE RETURN OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
PERFORMERS are hoping to hear the sound of applause again as new shows are planned for the year ahead.
Comedian Frank Skinner says: “I haven’t heard any proper applause since they stopped the NHS Thursdays. I’m desperate. Roll on June 3.”
He has new rescheduled dates for his Showbiz tour extension (frankskinnerlive.com) while comic John Bishop will be touring the world with Right Here, Right Now (JohnBishopOnline.com) with UK dates from September.
John says: “It feels like a lifetime since I last performed in front of live audience. There’s nothing like stand-up comedy to put a smile back on your face so I can’t wait to get back on the road.”
Jenny Eclair embarks on a 60-date stand up tour called Sixty! (FFS!) to mark her 60th year. She says: “I’m carrying quite a lot of excess lockdown weight, which you can feel free to discuss behind my back during the interval.” Tour details from jennyeclair.com.
There’s also the chance to enter a world of magic and fantasy with the world stage premiere of Disney’s classic movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks (bedknobs onstage. com). It tours from August with original songs by the legendary Sherman Brothers who wrote for Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Disney’s award-winning stage musical Beauty And The Beast (beautyandthebeastmusical.co.uk) is also to be re-imagined and re-designed in a completely new production touring from May.
Eight-time Oscar winning composer Alan Menken says: “It’s clear audiences the world over want to return to the world of Beauty, which continues to amaze and humble those of us who created it.”
Will & Grace comedy star Megan Mullally will make her West End musical debut in May starring opposite Robert Lindsay in a new revival of the all-time classic Anything Goes (AnythingGoesMusical.co.uk). “Something tells me I’ll get a kick out of spending my summer in London,” she says. Robert Lindsay describes the production as “the perfect remedy to shake off the blues of 2020”.
Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical (strictlyballroomtour.co.uk) will tour the UK from October with former Strictly Come Dancing professional Kevin Clifton as Scott Hastings. Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood directs and says audiences should expect “sexy dance moves, scintillating costumes and a simply FAB-U-LOUS show for all to enjoy”.
Rock musical Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show (rockyhorror.co.uk) is back by huge public demand and will tour the UK from March to October. Richard says: “We all need a bit of cheering up lately so. Please, break out the fishnets and join us for the fun.”
Jason Manford’s Like Me UK tour (jasonmanford.com) is now running from September. “We should be able to have a big old laugh together,” he says.
Rob Brydon – A Night Of Songs & Laughter (robbrydonlive) also tours from March and the Gavin & Stacey star says: “I’ve been looking forward to getting around the country to bring some much needed music and laughter.”
BAFTA-winning comedian Iain Stirling, the voice of Love Island, has rescheduled the autumn leg of his Failing Upwards stand-up tour to run from this October (iaindoesjokes.com) and says: “I can’t wait to get back on tour.”
Britain’s Got Talent winner Jon Courtney (joncourtenay.com) is offering a perfect mix of self-penned songs and classics interspersed with hilarious tales from his life on the road as he embarks on his debut comedy tour What’s It All About? from September.
Fellow Britain’s Got Talent comic Nabil Abdulrashid (nabilabdulrashid.com) is also going on tour with new show N.A.B.I.L. (Nobody Actually Believed I’d Last). The comedian was Alesha Dixon’s golden buzzer act on the ITV talent show and he will be touring from March until the end of October.
Steve Royle (steveroyle.com) is also offering a crazy mix of stand-up, slapstick and comical routines for all ages following his appearance on Britain’s Got Talent. The (Steve) Royle Variety Performance tour will see him on the road from September.
If you are already missing Strictly Come Dancing, Strictly Presents: The Power Of Dance (Strictlypresents.com) will see pros Janette Manrara, Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden and Neil Jones cha-cha-cha across the country from June.
Penn & Teller will also be bringing their unique brand of magic to the UK in June for the First Final UK tour (pennandteller.com). Penn says: “We’ve been working together for 45 years and are now coming out of the longest break we’ve ever had.”