‘Sunday Encounters at the Haymarket’
Fane Productions presents an outstanding live season of world class events at one of London’s oldest and most beautiful theatres, the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Season launches March 10th with Broadway legend Patti LuPone. Tickets on sale 12pm, Friday January 25th
Patti LuPone & Edward Seckerson | Dame Judi Dench & Gyles Brandreth| Charles Dance |Kerry Ellis & Gaby Roslin | Jason Robert Brown| Anne Reid & Sir Derek Jacobi | Dame Patricia Routledge | Michael Morpurgo | Misha Glenny | Carlos Acosta & Mike Parkinson Jr | Simon Schama | The Stephen Sondheim Society Performer of the Year | and more!
London, January 25th 2019:
“Fane Productions are thrilled to be producing a season of ‘Sunday Encounters’ at Theatre Royal Haymarket: a unique collection of one-off encounters with some of the UK’s most inspirational and discerning voices from theatre, dance, comedy, politics and literature. In general, dark night programming of West End theatres has been of a sporadic nature, so it is a fabulous opportunity, and something of a first, for a theatre of such calibre to lease Sundays to an external producer for a full season of curated work. Working with Nigel Everett and his team at TRH has been a privilege. Fane Productions’ growing reputation for live spoken word and music events, and the obvious attractions of Theatre Royal Haymarket are proving a potent mix and the first ‘Sunday Encounters’ season is packed with famous names and faces from across the entertainment landscape.” James Albrecht, Creative Producer, Fane Productions.
The programme includes many rare encounters: Dame Judi Dench interviewed by Gyles Brandreth in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital, Patti LuPone in conversation with Edward Seckerson, Sir Derek Jacobi interviewed by Anne Reid, Carlos Acosta in conversation with Mike Parkinson Jr, Kerry Ellis sings and is in conversation Gaby Roslin, and Jason Robert Brown crosses the pond for a concert with special guests. Dame Patricia Routledge talks about her life in musical theatre, whilst Charles Dance talks about his life on stage and screen, Michael Morpugo comes to Haymarket for his 75th anniversary tour and Misha Glenny, the McMafia author and journalist, delivers a somewhat terrifying masterclass on organised crime and how it impacts on us all. Simon Schama: Wordy The Tour asks if words still pack a punch in the reign of twitter? The annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year comes to the Haymarket for the first time, and for Curious Arts Curate London Curious, the creators and curators of the Curious Arts Festival, celebrate London in a series of compelling talks and workshops over one day with speakers including Iain Sinclair. With more to be announced in the coming weeks, ‘Sunday Encounters at the Haymarket’ promises an exclusive, mind expanding, diaphragm exercising, musically compelling season of one-off events from March – June 2019. Why spend your Sundays anywhere else?
Nigel Everett, General Manager TRH says: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Fane Productions and opening our doors on Sunday’s to such an exciting and diverse programme.”
Patti LuPone says: “I’m excited to launch the Fane Productions ‘Sunday Encounters at the Haymarket’ season at the stunning Theatre Royal Haymarket. To appear at a theatre with such a rich theatrical history is a very happy way to end my time in London after several wonderful months in the West End with Company.”
Gyles Brandreth and Dame Judi said: “We are excited to be part of Fane’s ground-breaking season of special Sundays at London’s most beautiful theatre and particularly happy that all the proceeds from our show are going to GOSH, the Great Ormond Street Hospital appeal, because it’s such a worthwhile cause.”
Dame Judi added: “We had a lot of fun the last time we did this, so I’m looking forward to being with Gyles again, to being back at the beautiful Theatre Royal, Haymarket, and to supporting the Great Ormond Street Hospital.”
Gyles said: “As a schoolboy I saw all the greats on the stage of the Theatre Royal – Sir John Gielgud, Sir Ralph Richardson, Dame Edith Evans… Fifty years on, it’s thrilling to be treading those boards with the legendary leading lady of our time, Dame Judi Dench. Bravo to Fane Productions for creating a season of amazing Sunday shows and bringing life (and top quality) to the West End on a Sunday.”
Full Programme:
March 10th, 7pm: Patti LuPone in conversation with Edward Seckerson
Broadway legend and two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone sits down with writer and broadcaster Edward Seckerson to talk about her rich and varied career.
March 17th, 3pm: ‘Gosh, it’s Judi Dench in conversation with Gyles Brandreth’
Judi joins Gyles as they take us on a roller-coaster ride through her career, recalling some of the stars she’s known and worked with and ending with her performing a Shakespeare sonnet.
March 17, 7pm: An Evening with Charles Dance
In a very rare public appearance, Charles Dance discusses his remarkable 50-year career in theatre, film and television.
March 24th, 7pm: Kerry Ellis: An Evening of Music and Memories
West End and Broadway star talks to Gaby Roslin about 20 years in show business and performs songs from throughout her career.
March 31st, 7pm: An Evening with Jason Robert Brown and Special Guests
An informal, intimate concert with the renowned Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist, conductor, and director, Jason Robert Brown. Special guest to be announced in due course.
April 7th, 7pm: Anne Reid Interviews Sir Derek Jacobi
Two of the most celebrated British icons of stage and screen, Sir Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid meet on stage in conversation for the first time.
May 5th 2pm: Dame Patricia Routledge: Facing the Music – A Life in Musical Theatre
In this fascinating encounter with the writer, presenter and broadcaster Edward Seckerson she recalls this very special part of her career with access to some rare and treasured recordings.
May 5th, 7pm Michael Morpugo: 75th Anniversary Tour
Michael began writing stories in the early ‘70s, inspired by the children he taught in his primary school class in Kent. He has written over 130 books, including The Butterfly Lion, Kensuke’s Kingdom, Private Peaceful and War Horse.
May 12th, 2.30pm: Misha Glenny: McMafia
Misha Glenny is an award-winning journalist and author; his international bestselling book, McMafia, was recently turned into the hit BBC TV series of the same name.
Described by The Guardian as ‘a world authority on global organised crime.’
May 12th, 7pm: Carlos Acosta in conversation with Mike Parkinson
For one night only, Carlos Acosta, the greatest male ballet dancer of our generation is in conversation with Mike Parkinson, youngest son of Sir Michael Parkinson. His story is as improbable and enthralling as his dancing, so expect captivating dialogue and Carlos might even be persuaded to dance.
May 19th, All day from 12pm – 6.30pm: Curious Arts Curates London Curious
Join us for the day at the Theatre Royal Haymarket for ‘London Curious’ on Sunday 19th May where a series of a curious adventures with leading cultural and social historians, among them that godfather of London psychogeography Iain Sinclair, will take you into the heart of our great and teeming metropolis.
June 2nd, 7pm: Simon Schama: Wordy The Tour
Simon Schama asks if can words still pack a punch in the reign of Twitter?
Have the carriers of thought, the deliverers of argument, the elements of poetry, the sounds that make us human lost their force in the age of short attention span?
June 9th, 3pm: Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year
Mercury Musical Developments and The Stephen Sondheim Society presents the 13th annual STEPHEN SONDHEIM SOCIETY STUDENT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR competition and STILES + DREWE PRIZE.
Tickets on sale from midday Friday January 25th here: www.trh.co.uk
Or via the TRH box office number: 0207 930 8800.
About Fane Productions Ltd:
Founded by Alex Fane in February 2017, Fane Productions specialises in the production of bespoke live events for leading talent. Over 100,000 tickets were sold in its first year through events with the likes of John le Carré, Margaret Atwood, Nigella Lawson, Dolly Alderton, Stacey Dooley and Grayson Perry. Fane Productions also runs the programming at Live at Zédel putting on 700 shows a year and recently announced its own book festival – Words Weekend.
About Theatre Royal Haymarket:
The Theatre Royal Haymarket, which is owned by the Access Entertainment Group, was known originally as ‘The Little Theatre in the Hay’, is a Grade I listed building situated in the heart of the West End. Designed and constructed by John Potter in 1720 it is one of Britain’s most treasured theatres.
Circa 1820, all the buildings on the east of the Haymarket from the theatre southward were rebuilt in connection with John Nash‘s schemes for the improvement of the neighbourhood. Nash persuaded the proprietors of the theatre to rebuild on a site a little south of the old one so that the portico should close the vista from Charles Street. The theatre seats 893 patrons and is the third oldest London Playhouse still in use.
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