Christopher Biggins, star of New Victoria Theatre’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty, will switch on Woking’s Christmas lights in Jubilee Square on Thursday, 21st November
Woking town centre is set to sparkle as the festive season officially “Biggins” with the much-loved Christmas tree lights switch-on on 21st November.
Special guest Christopher Biggins, star of New Victoria Theatre’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, has the honour of lighting up the borough’s biggest Christmas tree. Promising an evening filled with cheer and holiday magic, the festivities begin at 4.45pm, with the grand switch-on at 6pm.
Visitors can look forward to carol singing, live music, dance performances, and a traditional Christmas market offering seasonal gifts and festive refreshments.
This year’s Christmas tree has been generously donated by Woking Asian Business Forum, a gesture that unites communities and brings joy to all.
Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, Leader of Woking Borough Council, said: “Our Christmas lights switch-on brings together people of all ages to celebrate the joy of the season. I would like to thank Woking Asian Business Forum for their generous contribution. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Jubilee Square to mark the start of this festive time.”
Shahid Azeem, Chair of Woking Asian Business Forum, added: “Christmas is about community, family, celebration and togetherness. We’re proud to support the local community by donating this year’s Christmas tree. It’s a pleasure to contribute to a celebration that brings our communities together and spreads festive cheer.”
Sam Miller, Communications Manager at the New Victoria Theatre, added: “We are absolutely thrilled that the one-and-only Christopher Biggins, the star of our dazzling pantomime Sleeping Beauty, will have the honour of lighting up Woking’s Christmas tree this year. It’s the perfect way to kick off the festive season, bringing the magic of Christmas and panto together in one unforgettable moment!”
Visitors can enjoy the Christmas market, which will remain in town throughout the festive period, exploring a wide range of seasonal gifts, warming treats, and delicious refreshments.
Sleeping Beauty, starring Christopher Biggins, Faye Tozer, Richard Cadell, and Sooty, plays at New Victoria Theatre Woking, from Fri 6 Dec 2024 to Sun 5 Jan 2025.
The Windsor Theatre Guild proudly present A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story at The Old Court, Windsor from 27th to 30th November
Let’s set the scene. It’s a cold, cold Christmas Eve and miserly money-lender Ebenezer Scrooge has an unexpected visitor: the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley. Having been bound in chains for years as punishment for his lifetime of greed, Marley explains to Scrooge that he too will suffer the same fate unless he changes his behaviour.
It’s not too late, but first he must face three more ghostly encounters – the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future – who show him the error of his ways and that redemption is still possible. In turn, they show him the mistakes of his past and present, and the future implications for both himself and those around him, including his long-suffering employee Bob Cratchit, if he doesn’t change his ways. Can Ebenezer make amends? This much loved festive classic by Charles Dickens has been adapted by Mark Gatiss and promises an evening of spine-tingling suspense and joyful, musical delight.
Enjoy A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story at The Old Court, Windsor between 27th & 30th November, thanks to Windsor Theatre Guild, Windsor’s longest-established non-professional theatre company with an illustrious history with a commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and fun! Visit Windsor Theatre Guild | Community Theatre Company in Berkshire
To book your tickets please visit The Old Court | or call 01753 911333.
Originating at The Watermill Theatre last year, director Paul Hart’s The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale promises to be the theatre smash of next year
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will embark on a new journey as this timeless tale unfolds in this critically acclaimed and breathtaking theatrical production, playing Theatre Royal Plymouth from 4-11 October 2025. This is an exclusive UK presentation of this award-winning production, following its seasons in Chicago, Auckland and Australia, with tickets on sale from Tuesday 22nd October at Theatre Royal Plymouth
Originating at The Watermill Theatre in 2023, and told from the Hobbits’ perspective, director Paul Hart’s production is a unique theatrical interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy. Hart and the original creative team evolved the acclaimed production to play larger venues. The enhanced production played a highly successful season during the summer of 2024 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and will play upcoming seasons in Auckland, New Zealand and this November, then Sydney, Australia from January 2025, with additional Asia Pacific dates to follow.
With a UK cast, the show will return to British audiences at Theatre Royal Plymouth before embarking on a European tour presented by People Entertainment Group, with details to be announced soon. The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is performed live by a 32-strong ensemble of actors and actor-musicians.
The production features a score by international composers A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire), Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical), with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day).
As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging – a gold ring. This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship.
As producer Kevin Wallace said, “Paul’s wonderful production, invites us all to become Hobbits in the company of Hobbits, celebrating Bilbo Baggins’ birthday as this incredible journey begins.”
The original 2023 production, which sold out its 12-week run at The Watermill Theatre, won a WhatsOnStage Award for ‘Best Regional Production’, and scooped eight Broadway World Awards, garnered 4- and 5-star reviews, with critics praising its innovative use of projections, puppetry, and live music. The production has been described as ‘exhilarating’ and ‘rewarding’ for both long-time fans of The Lord of the Rings and newcomers to the story. The following year, having evolved to include an ensemble of 30, The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale had its U.S. premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where it was described as ‘a must see’ and ‘a visual marvel’.
The show will make its New Zealand premiere at The Civic Theatre in Auckland, running from 5 November to 1 December 2024, and will then, with an Australian cast, head to Australia for a limited season at the State Theatre in Sydney from January 7, 2025, with further dates to be announced soon.
Kevin Wallace continues, “This production began its journey at The Watermill, realised by an exceptional creative team led by Paul Hart and, in collaboration with our colleagues at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, they went on to thrill US audiences with the US Premiere at The Yard Theatre in Chicago. Together with Middle-earth Enterprises and GWB Entertainment, we are thrilled to bring it back to the UK, where it will play exclusively at Theatre Royal Plymouth before heading to Europe. It’s been an incredible experience seeing performers from each production make these roles their own, and we look forward to this new chapter, once again with a British company.”
Fredrica Drotos, Steward Brand & Licensing at Middle-earth Enterprises adds that “bringing this production to audiences across the globe has been a privilege and a delight, and now, A Musical Tale embarks on another adventure, touching home in the UK briefly before setting off again with an immensely talented cast and crew, poised to infuse each and every performance across the continent, with a palpable purity of spirit.”
James Mackenzie-Blackman, CEO of Theatre Royal Plymouth said, “We are incredibly proud to be hosting The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale as the exclusive UK venue in 2025. This production has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, and we are excited to bring it to Plymouth. It’s a truly unique theatrical experience, combining music, storytelling, and a multi-skilled ensemble of performers. We can’t wait to share this production with our audiences before it embarks on its European tour.”
Director Paul Hart says, “To tell this most epic and beloved story onstage, we had to start small and think big. Very much like a Hobbit! What began as an intimate production at The Watermill has grown into something larger than we ever imagined, traveling across continents and captivating audiences with its music and storytelling. It’s been an exhilarating journey, and I am thrilled to bring the show back to the UK before we embark on the European tour. Each night, we create this world anew, and I hope audiences leave feeling a little more like the Hobbits we all have within us—hopeful, wide-eyed, and daring to do the impossible.”
For more information on all worldwide productions, visit www.lotrmusical.com.
John Nichol, the former RAF Navigator who was taken hostage during the Gulf War who is now a successful author, shares his thoughts with us ahead of his theatre tour including the Elgiva in Chesham
“It’s rare to find a tale so strange, intimate and human yet at the same time so enormous, so global in its importance.” These are the words from historian Dan Snow upon reading John Nichol’s book, The Unknown Warrior – A Personal Journey of Discovery and Remembrance.
John, the former RAF Tornado Navigator, and Sunday Times best-selling author, is embarking on his first theatre tour. He hit the headlines in 1991 when his plane was shot down during the Iraq war. John and his pilot John Peters were taken captive, tortured, and paraded on TV. Since that fateful moment, John has established himself as a bestselling author with 17 books to his credit, including Tornado Down, written with Peters, describing their ordeal.
Of joining the RAF John says: “We were a family of six living in a council house. I was lucky to go to a grammar school, and I got eight O Levels. I was expected to stay on and do A Levels and go to uni. I would have been the first in the family, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to get out and experience the world. I’d always been interested in electronics – batteries, bulbs, magnets. I was building burglar alarms when I was 12 years old. I loved it. I had Meccano sets, electrical sets, chemistry sets. I applied for 40 or 50 apprenticeships and got an interview in Newcastle for the Central Electricity Generating Board. As I was waiting for the bus home, I was standing outside the RAF careers office. and I noticed they had glossy brochures. Now, my brother was in the Air Force, so I knew a little bit about it, but I’d never thought about joining myself. But I got a glossy brochure, took it home, read it and more or less on the spot thought, ‘this might be for me’.
“I joined as an electronics technician and loved every minute. For somebody like me, who’d been in the Scouts and was happy under canvas and having adventures, the RAF was great. Four years later, I applied for a commission to be an officer as I wanted to be a pilot, but I wasn’t good enough for that. So, I trained as a Tornado navigator, and the rest, as they say, is history.”
So how did John deal with the trauma of captured, and how was he dealt with the PTSD? “What choice did I have? What else could I have done when I was being beaten with rubber hoses or when they were stubbing cigarettes out on my ears or stuffing burning paper down the back of my neck? Being a Geordie who enjoyed a few pints, my concept of recovering was going straight back to my mates and having one quiet beer followed by 15 extremely loud ones. I just wanted to get on with my life.”
During the First World War (1914-1918) more than 9.7 million military personnel and about 10 million civilians were killed. More than 1 million soldiers from the then British Empire lost their lives. Over a century later, around half of them still have no known grave.
John’s emotive show retraces the Unknown Warrior’s journey home from the battlefields of Northern France to Westminster Abbey to be buried “Among the Kings”. The grand state occasion culminated with a funeral at Westminster Abbey on Armistice Day, the 11 November 1920. An estimated 1,250,000 people visited the Abbey to see the grave.
“It was important at the time, and it continues to be important now because it is still a focal point,” adds John. “At Westminster, there are many, many hundreds of graves. The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is the only one nobody ever steps on. Even the Royal Family, as they walk past it when they come in, never step on it. It’s surrounded by a rampart of poppy crosses. It’s always the one with the biggest crowd around it. It’s still so significant because it represents loss.
“I hope the audiences on this tour with be enthralled, I hope they will be entertained, and I hope that they will be enlightened in the same way that I was when I discovered the story. It’s an astonishing story. My hope is that people go away at the end and say, ‘wow, that was amazing story. I really learned something, and I was really entertained for two hours.”
The Unkown Warrior A Personal Journey of Discovery and Remembrance will be brought to life with haunting visuals and a sound scape. You can book tickets for The Elgiva in Chesham on Saturday, 5th October, St Albans on 16th October, the Royal & Derngate in Northampton & more.
Book your tickets to enjoy As You Like It & Treasure Island thanks to Creation Theatre’s touring productions that stop at Heath Farm near Chipping Norton, Hughenden Manor, The Earth Trust Centre in Little Wittenham and Oxford’s Wycliffe Hall
“The rain, it raineth every day.” It feels that way this summer, doesn’t it?! But the show must go on, at Creation Theatre’s upcoming productions.
They will bring you Treasure Island (from 23rd July to 17th August) and As You Like It (24th July to 17th August) on the South Lawn at Wycliffe Hall in Banbury Road, Oxford.
Their fabulous production of Treasure Island brings Robert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling 1883 tale to life with theatrical magic. Whilst retaining the narrative of Stevenson’s classic, with depth, integrity, a dash of thriller and a large amount of silliness, Gari Jones’ adaptation zips along like a wacky race brimming with pirate speak, off-the-wall characters and a whole heap of original sea shanties.
You can also catch it at Heath Farm, near Chipping Norton at 7pm on 18th July, Hughenden Manor, High Wycombe in Bucks at 7pm on 30th July & The Earth Trust Centre, Little Wittenham on 6th August at 6pm.
As You Like It (on tour 12th to 19th July in Oxfordshire and beyond, offers an unforgettable evening as Lucy Pitman-Wallace, the award-winning director of productions for the RSC, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Nottingham Playhouse, and Salisbury Playhouse, brings a fresh twist to Shakespeare’s beloved comedy.
Transport yourself back to the 1970s, the era of peace, love, and endless summer nights, in an enchanting outdoor setting, a perfect backdrop for this tale of love and laughter.
Take your friends, pack a picnic, and get ready to be transported to a world where romance and revelry reign supreme. As You Like It will be performed on the beautiful lawn in front of Wycliffe Hall, as well as on tour in Oxfordshire and beyond.
Abingdon Passion Play takes place in Abbey Gardens on Saturday, 22nd June with two performances, noon & 5pm, John Clare invites you to take your seat
Bring a chair and a picnic, sit back and enjoy a unique theatrical experience, as actors and singers bring the story of Jesus of Nazareth to life.
The last three Abingdon Passion Plays were performed around Easter time, which is the traditional time for Christians to reflect on the story of Jesus of Nazareth. The 2013 and 2019 plays took place in the Abbey Gardens, in 2016 the action took place in Abingdon’s iconic market square. The Abingdon Passion Play 2024 returns yet again to the Abbey Gardens and is using a modern script which brings the story into the 21st century. This time it is being performed in June.
The cast come from different walks of life in and around Abingdon, and over the past few weeks and months we have been able to get to know one another, and the communities where we come from, more closely, united in our enthusiasm for the play. Whilst times may well have changed, what motivates us as humans, our ambitions, our dreams and our flaws are not so very different from 2,000 years ago, which is why the story can still be relevant to people today.
Excited about the event and want to get involved? We are still looking for people happy to help as stage crew, front of house, and stewards. If you would like to help, please contact our Director, Ralph Westby, by email: [email protected], or by phone on 07790 498718.
50 years on and Wargrave Festival is still serving up family favourites with more than 40 events making up 19 days of entertainment from June 12th to 30th as Ally Holloway tells us
Fifty years ago in 1974, many villagers thought he was crazy. The idea of uniting the village from the High Street to Highfield Park. They said it wouldn’t work.
The then Vicar, the late Reverend John Ratings, mused in 1974 that a village festival “would be a useful exercise to do something for village unity…” And from that, the first Wargrave Festival was held in 1975. Now it has grown into one of the biggest village festivals in the country. The festival is not-for-profit event, where proceeds go to local community organisations to improve the quality of life in the village through education, sport and culture.
This year’s 50th celebration Gold Fever, starting on Wednesday, 12th June, will feature a host of fun-filled family delights, dazzling formal events, spirited theatre and musical performances, roving culinary delights, a sporting extravaganza, a wonderfully riotous talent show, as well as the traditional Wargrave Festival Parade through the historic village down to the Village Fete opened by Wargrave resident Debbie McGee, celebrating all that makes up this splendid community. The festival will draw to a close on Sunday, 30th June with the popular family BBQ on Mill Green.
For families looking for a variety of entertainment this summer, there is a lot to look forward to. On Saturday 22nd, the Wargrave Bike Fest and Family Sports Day is more than just a bike ride. The 20km family ride will see parents and children cycling through Wargrave and neighbouring villages in search of checkpoints. Back on Mill Green, kids can pick up their Olympic Passport to collect stamps as they complete the 10 Olympic challenges including rock climbing, golf, cricket, rugby, martial arts, wrestling, tennis, rowing and more. There will be soft play for under 5s, an art & craft area to make your own gold medal and a BBQ and bar. The family sports day is free for adults and only £5 for the Olympic Passport for children 13 and under.
In the evening, there will be an enchanting night of dance, fun and family entertainment at Saturday Night Dance Fever. Witness inspiring demonstrations from talented local dancers including salsa, contemporary, ballroom, jazz, Latin and more – join in the fun group classes to learn some moves of your own and show off your fancy footwork. Tickets from £6.
It doesn’t stop there with a kids comedy event, Morris Dancing, a tennis day, the family BBQ and the Wargrave Village Parade and Fete and much more. The big finale is the Wargrave’s Got Talent night that promises to serve up some quality free entertainment, delicious food and a DJ to dance into the evening.
Alfie Boe will star with Carly Paoli at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre on Friday, 7th June.
When Pope Francis heard Carly Paoli, the British/Italian soprano sing her Ave Maria as the official song for his Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016, he declared that she had, ‘the voice of an angel.’ A classical Brit nominee, lyricist and star of the classical and crossover worlds, Carly Paoli toured the UK with Aled Jones 2022.
Carly has been confirmed as a special guest on Alfie Boe’s forthcoming tour Alfie Boe – Encore at theatres around the UK this summer.
Carly and the Tony Award winning tenor, Alfie Boe first met when Alfie worked with Carly on her second TV special that is set to air later this year. With a broad repertoire to choose from, Carly’s set will include interpretations of Bridge Over Troubled Water, Time To Say Goodbye, Never Enough and O Mio Babbino Caro amongst others.
“One of the greatest joys for a performer is to work with artist they admire,” says Carly. “Aflie Boe is one of those people and I am thrilled to be appearing as his special guest on his Encore Tour.”
“One of the greatest joys for a performer is to work with artists they admire”
Carly’s star continues to shine and since bursting onto the music scene she has sung for members of the Royal Family at Windsor Castle and St James’ Palace, at the Royal Albert Hall for the Royal Variety Performance and at Carnegie Hall in New York. Following her concert at London’s Cadogan Hall, the critic David Mellor called her a ‘special talent’ under the headline “Nobody Does It Better.”
In 2016 Carly’s version of Ave Maria was heard by Pope Francis who commented that she had “the voice of an angel” and was chosen as theme for his Jubilee Year Mercy. That same year Carly hosted a very special concert Music for Mercy in Rome’s historic Roman Forum featuring Andrea Bocelli, Elaine Paige and David Foster amongst others. In 2023 Carly could be seen opening and closing Pope Francis’ concert for Humanitarian Efforts at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican which was broadcast globally to more than 55 million people.
A performer at many major sporting fixtures, in 2023, Carly was invited to sing the Italian National Anthem at the opening ceremony of the very first Ryder Cup in Rome.
With five chart topping albums to her credit Carly has performed live and recorded with some of the world’s greatest artists including Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bolton, José Carreras, David Foster, and Elaine Paige and will soon be adding Alfie Boe to that list of names!
Enjoy The Comedy Of Errors thanks to the Chiltern Shakespeare Company this month at Hall Barn in Beaconsfield
Chiltern Shakespeare Company was founded in 1986 by Michael and Aviva Wiseman, residents of Beaconsfield who were prominently involved in local theatrical activities.
Their mission, to the this day, is to deliver the Bard’s plays featuring some of the finest amateur local actors, and to encourage children to participate in plays, bringing the sometimes dry study of the text at school to life.
From its early productions in a Beaconsfield school hall the company graduated in 1989 to the lovely open air setting of Hall Barn, a stately home on the outskirts of Beaconsfield, by kind permission of the Burnham family.
The company celebrated their 20th summer season at Hall Barn in 2008 with their third production or A Midsummer’s Night Dream, followed in 2009 by Romeo & Juliet. In total CSC has now staged 28 productions, including the majority in the open air at Hall Barn.
A further key objective of the company was – and remains – the raising of funds for selected charities from any surplus funds generated by their productions. This is made by the efforts of the company’s members who give so much of their free time (no one is paid at all) and the generosity of Hall Barn’s owners who continue to host the events on such favourable terms. A performance at Hall Barn is made complete by booking a delicious picnic (with or without prosecco) to enjoy before the play in the glorious grounds.
The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins separated at birth. Antipholus and Dromio (both from Syracuse), arrive in Ephesus, unknowingly the home of their identical twin brothers (also named Antipholus and Dromio). Hilarity ensues as mistaken identities lead to confusion, accusations, and romantic entanglements. Through a series of misunderstandings, the twins and their servants create chaos until a final reunion brings everything to a happy end.
There will be 10 performances on the evenings of Wednesday 5th, Thursday 6th, Friday 7th and Saturday 8th June plus a matinee on Saturday 8th, the Wednesday 12th, Thursday 13th, Friday 14th, Saturday 15th and again a matinee on Saturday 15th. Evening performances start at 7.45pm with the matinees at 1.45pm.
There are a range of tickets from £15-£25 depending on your chosen performance and age. Concessions are available for over-65s and students in full-time education on Wednesday performances and on both matinees.
All proceeds will go to The Ducklings Trust, a charity set up to raise money for equipment and help improve the environment in the maternity units at Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe. This fundraising continues to help ensure the units are the best birth environment they can be for families and staff.
As well as organising fundraising events, contributions from the public are very welcome. To find out about The Ducklings Trust please visit The Ducklings Trust
An Officer and A Gentlemen will soar into New Theatre Oxford from Monday 27th May until Saturday 1st June. Director Nikolai Foster shares his thoughts.
An Officier and A Gentlemen: The Musical follows the hot-headed and determined naval candidate Zack Mayo (played by Richard Gere in the movie) who has a fiery, passionate relationship with factory worker Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger on screen) before sweeping her off her feet in the soaringly romantic finale.
The film’s writer Douglas Day Stewart co-wrote the book with Sharleen Cooper Cohen for a musical which had a short run in Sydney in 2012, with original songs by Ken Hirsch and Robin Lerner. Now, Oxford audiences can look forward to a brand new, perhaps surprising, outing, directed by Nikolai Foster.
“I think a lot of people associate it with being cheesy ’80s romcom,” says Nikolai when asked about the stage version of the film… “There’s nothing wrong with a cheesy 80s romcom – and we offer some tasteful cheesy choices in our production – but audiences will be surprised by the depth of this story and how moving the show is. It is genuinely uplifting because we invest in the lives of these characters and care about them.
“Audiences will be surprised by the depth of this story”
“It delicately charts the lives and experiences of working class people in Pensacola, Florida. In some ways these appear to be ordinary and unremarkable lives but the characters created by writer Douglas Day Stewart (based on his own experiences) have remarkable stories to tell. When you throw a load of ’80s pop hits into this world, it truly is uplifting and sings in the way only a musical can. The songs in our show don’t propel the narrative forward but express something of the characters’ inner lives and emotions that they are unable to speak in their everyday lives. The music heightens the emotions.
“All of these characters are seeking some kind of escape, including from a factory which doesn’t allow women to move up the hierarchy. In our play Casey Seeger is the first woman in history to ‘get jets’ and Lynette believes her only escape from an abusive, alcohol-soaked home life is literally on the wings of a naval aviator.
“This is a completely new production, created by our incredible team at Curve. Alongside original screenwriter Douglas Day Stewart we have worked with his writing partner Sharleen Cooper Cohen and the team at Jamie Wilson Productions to take the film from screen to stage. It’s been an exhilarating ride for all of us – almost as exciting in taking off in a fighter jet!”
