Manchester Arena - A barbaric attack on the Manchester Arena last night has left 22 dead, including children, with approximately 59 people injured. Initial reports suggest a lone male detonated a homemade bomb after last night's Ariana Grande concert. Our hearts go out to all affected by this truly horrific and sickening attack.
Here We Go Again - Abba musical Mamma Mia is getting a sequel, with many of the original cast members returning for the new film. Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Amanda Seyfried are among the stars who will reprise their roles in the new movie, which will be called Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again. It is expected to be released in July 2018 - a decade after the original.
Producers say the new film will feature a number of Abba tracks which were not in the original. Mamma Mia is the ninth most successful film of all time at UK cinemas, having taken more than £68m at the box office. It was adapted from the hit West End show of the same name, which is one of the longest running musicals ever.
Closing Time - After 146 years, America's most celebrated circus Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus has staged its final performance in New York. Owners of the company said the decision had been made due to falling ticket sales and high operating costs.
"As far as this great American institution, it is a sad moment," ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson said. For the performers, it also means the end of a tight-knit community that lived on a train in between shows. The final performance of what the company described as "the greatest show on earth" was streamed live online. Just before the show, David Vassallo, a clown at the travelling circus, told Reuters: "For every artist it's a dream to be part of this show, the greatest show on earth.”
Opening Time - The Theatres Trust has welcomed a new planning law it hopes will protect pub theatres from being redeveloped. The measure is part of several new rules brought in under the Neighbourhood Planning Act, and removes the permitted development rights that enable the change of use of pubs to retail, restaurant or office use without the need for planning permission.
The new rules, which apply in England and come into effect on May 23, mean that applicants will now have to seek full planning permission if they want to change the use of a pub theatre. The trust said this move would afford a greater level of protection for pub theatres, adding in another stage in the development process for the venue and the community to have their say.
Musical Development - Andrew Lloyd Webber has launched a new programme to develop the next generation of musicals. Lloyd Webber and Paul Taylor-Mills, artistic director at the Other Palace in London, aim to “discover, develop and reimagine” musicals through the scheme. The Other Palace’s Development Programme will offer creatives rehearsal space, time and resources to enable them to explore and test their work both privately and with an audience. It will include a mix of networking events, opportunities to experiment and workshops to assist artists in bringing their vision to life.
Audiences at the venue, which was formerly called St James Theatre, will be able to see shows in their infancy and be part of the development process by providing feedback. Lloyd Webber said: “I want the Other Palace to become the London space where writers and producers can try out and perfect new work, offering audiences the opportunity to see and contribute to musicals in development.”
(Jim Evans)23 May 2017
