Podcasts about York Theatre Royal

Send us a textGraham looks at the re-issued Pink Floyd live in Pompeii film: When rock was classical music.Graham reports on meeting assistant manager of Notts County at final Harrogate Town Home match of season.Charles reflects on his experience seeing Gary Oldman in Krapp's Last Tape at York Theatre Royal - does Gary get it taped?The Murder Capital live in Leeds and a new age of punk and post punk.Graham reads an extract from the final chapter of his ‘magnum opus' on - Harrogate's only real claim to fame as a home for premier league bands - Magna Carta.Keep in touch with Two Big Egos in a Small Car:X@2big_egosFacebook@twobigegos

The next production from Wise Children theatre company will be a new stage adaptation of the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock Cold War thriller North by Northwest, adapted and directed by Emma Rice. The roles of Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall, played in the film by Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, will be taken by Ewan Wardrop and Patrycja Kujawska. A week before previews at York Theatre Royal, BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Patrycja about the production and about the working process of a company and a director with whom she has had a long association. North by Northwest runs at York Theatre Royal from 18 March to 5 April 2025 before touring to HOME Manchester, Liverpool Playhouse, Bath Theatre Royal, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Alexandra Palace Theatre in London. (Rehearsal photo of Patrycja Kujawska as Eve Kendall and Ewan Wardrop as Roger Thornhill, credit Steve Tanner)

In this week's episode, Lauren and Rina sit down with the accomplished theatrical duo David Thacker and Margot Leicester to discuss their experiences as parents of their youngest adult daughter, Elizabeth, who is autistic and has learning difficulties. In this warm and inspiring conversation, David and Margot reflect on their journey raising a disabled child and adult, offering heartfelt wisdom on what truly matters most.Content WarningsDiagnosis Guest BiographiesMargot was brought up in Middleton, Manchester with her younger brother. As a child, Margot always knew she wanted to be an actress and spent most of her time at the University of Leicester, where she studied English, acting in student productions. Spotted at the National Student Drama Festival in Exeter, she was invited to join the Exeter Northcott Theatre and has acted ever since, playing in regional theatres throughout the UK, at the National theatre, in several London theatres, in the West End, and on Broadway. Margot has appeared regularly on television. David was born in Higham Ferrers Northamptonshire and at six months his family moved to nearby Rushden where he was brought up with his two older sisters and his younger brother. He went to the University of York to study English and stayed to study for an MA in Shakespeare. He discovered his love for directing with the University Drama Society and directed several plays there. His first job was as an Assistant Stage Manager at York Theatre Royal, and he has worked in theatre and television since. He has been artistic director of three theatres, the Young Vic, Duke's Playhouse Lancaster, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Director-in-Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has directed over 150 productions throughout the UK and internationally. David has also directed extensively for BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and WGBH Boston (USA). He continues to work as a freelancer and combines this with his role as Professor of Theatre and Film at University of Bolton. Margot and David met in 1982 when David was Artistic Director of Duke's Playhouse Lancaster and Margot acted there. They fell in love and have been together since, often working together across theatre, film and television.In a voluntary capacity, Margot is a trustee of Haringey Shed inclusive youth theatres and David was a governor of a primary and comprehensive school in Muswell Hill. They have four children and four grandchildren and live in Crouch End, London.Useful resources:Home - icandanceHaringey Shed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textCharles and Graham revisit their best live music gigs of the year for 2024 with a competitive countdown of their Top 5.Charles celebrates the extraordinary production of Bluebeard by Wise Children as his theatre event of the year, which he saw when it played at York Theatre Royal.Graham reports on seeing comedian Maisie Adams at a small hometown gig at Roosters Taproom in Harrogate in front of her former head teacher.Keep in touch with Two Big Egos in a Small Car:X@2big_egosFacebook@twobigegos

Graham declares that Nick Cave is no god - as he assesses the opening night of the British leg of his 'Wild God' tour at Leeds Arena last night.Charles reviews The Pretenders at York Barbican: why Chrissie Hynde remains the coolest woman in rock.Alex Cox's Sid and Nancy - The 70s never stopped: Graham is reappraising Alex Cox's 1986 film Sid and Nancy nearly 40 years on.Plus, linking in with Sid And Nancy, Gary Oldman is to direct himself in Samuel Beckett's play Krapp's Last Tape at York Theatre Royal next spring.Keep in touch with Two Big Egos in a Small Car:X@2big_egosFacebook@twobigegos

Graham reports on the return of Vinyl Sessions and the, perhaps, surprising, hidden depths of The Eagles, as the band's Hotel California is played in full in front of a packed and appreciative crowd in Harrogate.Charles has a fun and fascinating evening at a PechaKucha event in York and then asks: how do you evoke a whale inside a theatre in Simple8's new adaptation of Herman Melville's Moby Dick at York Theatre Royal?Graham is enthused by a clutch of mazing new albums by bands that Charm Magazine raved about years ago and who never made it big but just kept on going to the present day. Graham looks at one fine example this week with York band, Percy.Keep in touch with Two Big Egos in a Small Car:X@2big_egosFacebook@twobigegos

Gus is an award-winning writer and composer from London and based in York, UK. His first full-length musical Pieces of String premiered in 2018 at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester. It was The Stage's Best Regional Musical of the year and was nominated for the UK Theatre Best Musical Production award. For Pieces of String, Gus won The Stage Debut Award for Best Composer/Lyricist, and was nominated for the inaugural Writer's Guild of Great Britain Award for Best Musical Theatre Bookwriting. His song cycle Lifeboats, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community was performed at the Kings Head Theatre in London as part of the MT Pride season in 2023 and his second full-length musical Mayflies premiered at York Theatre Royal in 2023, to great acclaim. Gus was commissioned to write new works for York Theatre Royal's Love Bites and Green Shoots and has written two short musicals – an audio musical short Subway which was released in 2020 - and SICK! which was performed at LOST Theatre, London. In 2021, Gus, with Craig Mather, wrote and released an EP of pop songs focused on mental health In Motion. His short play Clocks & Teapots was performed at Rada Studios & the London Transport Museum. He co-wrote and directed Barren, (special prize for merit at the LOST One Act Theatre Festival), Love Love Love (Canadian Fringe Tour) & wrote & performed in Tell Me On A Thursday at the Camden Fringe. Gus wrote two songs for Copyright Christmas, for Olivier award-winning theatre collective Duckie at the Barbican. Gus was commissioned by Hull Pride for their City of Culture celebrations and co-wrote with Alistair Brammer on the MADTrust album ‘The West End Goes MAD for Christmas'. Gus is a MGCFutures Bursary recipient and has been shortlisted for the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Award twice, the Perfect Pitch Award and The KSF Artists of Choice program. Gus's work has been presented at BEAM, the Theatre Royal Stratford East Musical Theatre Workshop and has been supported by the Peggy Ramsay Foundation. Gus is currently resident artist at York Theatre Royal. In 2014, Gus was on the UK Jury for the Eurovision Song Contest!

The Confidently Creative Podcast series is part of the JasonWard Creative Substack, a reader supported publication. Please consider taking out a subscription by clicking the button below. A paid subscription gives you full access to an archive of over 100 articles, reviews, interviews, podcasts and playlists as well as exclusive creative insights content. Enjoy the episode and Thank You for your time.There is so much to admire about Gus Gowland and his work. He is unusual in being a musical theatre writer from a working class background who writes shows and is passionate about helping others understand the genre. He is also fascinating to speak with as I discovered during our recent interview when we talked about his own work, the challenges those without money face trying to make a career in theatre and Gus' views on how long shows should run.Gus Gowland's three produced shows all look at very different situations but they share a common humanity.Pieces of String is about same sex relationships during World War 2 seen through the lens of a family discovering that their father/grandfather/husband had been in love with another man. The music in the show is beautifully layered and melodic which helps the show look at a grand theme from a very human perspective.Check out the wonderful Standing in the Shadows from the show's run at the Colchester Mercury Theatre.Mayflies which was produced at York Theatre Royal looks at what would happen if we slowed down our online dating. Using the life of a mayfly as a metaphor the show explores a couple who only communicate online for two years before meeting. It is also constructed to have a rotating cast so that the audience sees diverse dynamics depending on the age, gender or sexuality of each character. It is a very clever piece that got some great reviews - but also a couple of puzzling critiques which Gus addresses in our interview.Gowland's latest show is Candidates which is being produced by the GSA Conservatoire directed by Julian Woolford. It is based on Much Ado About Nothing but transported to a modern day US High School. The writer describes it as a bit of an homage to High School Musical and Mean Girls and talks about how exciting it is to work with the young talent at GSA.In our interview Gus talks about what he has learnt and how he deals with the frustrations of working in theatre. By sharing his experiences (good and bad) and offering well thought through and eloquent conclusions, Gus Gowland offers an insight into what it takes to be successful in musical theatre and inspires all who want to make it their life. To find out more about Gus Gowland and his work click here:https://www.gusgowland.comMuch of Gus Gowland's work including Mayflies is available on Apple Music here: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/gus-gowland/943840989Follow Gus on Instagram @gustopherjonesAnd check out his work and online classes on You Tube HereAnd if you want something special then check out Alice Fearn singing The Girl Next DoorGus Gowland's new book Contemporary British Musicals: ‘Out of the Darkness' is available from Bloomsbury hereThank you for listening and please consider taking out a subscription to The JasonWard Creative Substack which will help support my work. Get full access to The Jason Ward Creative Substack at jasonwardcreative.substack.com/subscribe

Pilot Theatre, a York-based touring company that creates theatre for young people is to tour England in February and March 2024 with an adaptation of David Almond's book A Song for Ella Grey, written by Zoe Cooper and directed by Pilot's Artistic Director, Esther Richardson. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Esther while the production was still in rehearsal about the play, its North East setting, having a TikTok star in the title role, the process of adapting a challenging novel for the stage and the current state of theatre for young people in the UK. A Song for Ella Grey will open at Northern Stage in Newcastle 1–15 February 2024, before moving to York Theatre Royal 20–24 February, Theatre Peckham 27 February to 2 March, Hull Truck Theatre 5–9 March, Liverpool Playhouse 13–16 March and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford 19–23 March.

This festive episode visits the pantomime: that uniquely British blend of song, dance, and silliness. Explaining its appeal is the cherished comic actor, Nina Wadia, who stars in Jack and the Beanstalk at York Theatre Royal. Nina, who grew up in India and Hong Kong, is the perfect guide to anyone who is not steeped in panto. She also discusses a career that includes her trailblazing sketch show, Goodness Gracious Me, the iconic British soap opera, EastEnders, and a terrible car crash that helped her embrace the vagaries of an actor's life. She has also appeared in many other comedies (Still Open All Hours, All About Me, The Vicar of Dibley) and dramatic roles (Holby City, White Teeth, Skins).Nina's many awards include the Chairman's Award at the Asian Women Awards in 2004, Best Comedy Performance and Best Onscreen Partnership at the 2009 British Soap Awards, and the Outstanding Achievement in Television Award at the Asian Awards in 2013. She was awarded an OBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to entertainment and charity. Jack and the Beanstalk is at York Theatre Royal until 7 January 2024. Find out more about the work of the RADFollow the RAD on social media and join the conversation with host David Jays:Instagram @royalacademyofdanceFacebook @RoyalAcademyofDanceTwitter @RADheadquartersYouTube / royalacademydanceDavid Jays @mrdavidjaysSign up to our mailing list to keep in touch!RAD is an independent educational charity and does not receive regular government funding. Every penny we make goes back into the work we do. You can support us by either naming a seat as part of our Name A Seat Campaign or making a donation.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Graham eulogises about a brilliant but neglected Mexican-French film from 2020, New Order.Charles reports on the latest Told By An Idiot show, Charlie & Stan, alias Chaplin & Laurel, "the greatest double act that nearly was", at York Theatre Royal.  Graham sees red on the bias of Anthony Beevor's recent  book on the Russian Civil War, then celebrates the life of Barrie Corbett, the Harrogate man who played with The Beatles in 1963 at the Royal Hall.

Graham confounds Charles with an early interruption about musician Pete Doherty's Yorkshire days. Charles reflects on the achievements of York Theatre Royal chief exec Tom Bird as he announces his move to Sheffield Theatres. Graham reports on #MeToo film of the moment She Said, prompting fellow hack Charles to join the discussion on journalism in cinema. Graham gives an update on Manchester's Northern Quarter venue, Night & Day, fighting for its right to present live music after complaints about its club night noise levels. Finally, Graham reports on his visit to the Deer Shed festival's Christmas Party at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds.

Once Charles recovers from the desperate last-gasp action for Leeds United, Graham explores the somewhat confusing world of Yes as the Steve Howe-led prog rock band play York Barbican on June 22. After a hasty reassessment of Fontaines DC's third album, Skinty Fia, he takes a look afresh at Francis Ford Coppola's hugely influential 1983 teen movie Rumble Fish. Charles reviews the touring revival of Harold Pinter's bleak 1965 comedy The Homecoming at York Theatre Royal and Graham finishes with an update on his upcoming Charm gig with Karl Culley at Harrogate Theatre.

Show notes for Episode 23 Here are the show notes for Episode 23, in which Jacky, Dan, Lisa and Matthew talk to Dr Gareth Carrol of Birmingham University about his new book, Jumping Sharks and Dropping Mics and about modern idioms - where they come from, how they work and how they spread into popular discourse. Jumping Sharks and Dropping Mics: modern idioms and where they come from website: Jumping sharks and dropping mics from Iff Books Modern Idioms on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Modern_Idioms Gareth Carrol on Twitter: https://twitter.com/garethcarrol Dan was out of practice and forgot to send Gareth our usual quickfire questions so here are his answers: Favourite book – “Through the Language Glass” by Guy Deutscher. It's a really accessible take on the Language and Thought (Sapir-Whorf) debate, with some fascinating evidence and examples. Honourable mention goes to “Is That a Fish in Your Ear? The Amazing Adventure of Translation” by David Bellos. Favourite fact / idea – that being bilingual is the norm, not the exception in the world (over half the world's population speaks more than one language). Advice to a budding linguist – be as flexible as you can in how you think about language (and anything else really). There is so much room for fuzziness/variation/ambiguity in how we think about language, and seeing it in these terms (rather than trying to be too rigid and look for clean answers) is a great help in understanding the whole picture. For anyone who hasn't heard the expression ‘as bent as a nine bob note': https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/as+bent+as+a+nine-bob+note Lang in the News Accents Customer asks for refund from York Theatre Royal because actors performed play in Yorkshire accents Child refugees in city to learn Hull accent and sayings including 'larkin out' Big piece about accents in The Times in March What does your accent say about you? | Times2 | The Times Several related stories, some featuring criticism of Amanda Cole and her Essex colleagues: Their blog here: Ask or aks? How linguistic prejudice perpetuates inequality | Blog | University of Essex University specialists say there is no such thing as 'correct' language and terminology | Daily Mail Online https://twitter.com/DrAmandaCole/status/1506182631783866368 LBC Vanessa Feltz interview with Amanda Cole: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bqyvm6 (from 02:16:30 onwards) Ann Widdecombe in the Daily Express linked here: https://twitter.com/EngLangBlog/status/1506727875134869514 "ACCORDING to academics at the University of Essex there is no such thing as correct language, pronunciation or terminology. Instead they advocate what amounts to linguistic anarchy with anything acceptable such as pronouncing "ask" as "aks" and dismiss any standardisation of usage as "prejudice". Unfortunately for the students, employers who are looking for articulate applicants with a good command of the language will be perfectly happy to exhibit such prejudice and to choose someone who does not use "like" a dozen times in almost as many words." Anti-Welsh accent prejudice here: https://twitter.com/ElunedAnderson/status/1506015005027807237 Contact us @LexisPodcast. Subscribe: Lexis Podcast | Podcast on Spotify Contributors Matthew Butler Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matthewbutlerwy Lisa Casey blog: https://livingthroughlanguage.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: Language Debates (@LanguageDebates) Dan Clayton blog: EngLangBlog & Twitter: EngLangBlog (@EngLangBlog) Jacky Glancey Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackyGlancey Music: Freenotes End music: Serge Quadrado - Cool Guys Cool Guys by Serge Quadrado is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. From the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/serge-quadrado/urban/cool-guys

Adrian Rees studied theatre design at the Wimbledon School of Art and has since designed more than 160 productions. He has worked extensively in repertory theatres around the British Isles, including Plymouth Theatre Royal, the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leicester Haymarket, the Coventry Belgrade Theatre, York Theatre Royal, Northern Broadsides, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and also the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His many touring productions include High Society, Fame, In The Midnight Hour, Return To The Forbidden Planet, Bare Necessities, The Fifteen Streets, Buddy and Singular Women. In the West End, Adrian has designed costumes for Leonardo the Musical - a Portrait of Love at the Strand and for The Return To The Forbidden Planet at the Cambridge and set and costumes for The Fifteen Streets at the Playhouse, 125th Street at the Shaftesbury and Jailhouse Rock at the Piccadilly. http://www.adrian-rees.co.uk/home.htm

Pilot Theatre is based in York in the UK, but for its latest project has collaborated with an Australian playwright on an adaptation of an Australian novel. The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon has received award nominations for both the Carnegie and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for a story about a young refugee born in an Australian permanent detention centre. The adaptation has been written by S Shakthidharan and will be directed by Pilot's Artistic Director, Esther Richardson. Esther and Shakthi spoke to BTG Editor David Chadderton about the process of adapting the novel from opposite sides of the world, how refugees are treated in Australia and the UK and creating work both for and in collaboration with young audiences. The Bone Sparrow from Pilot Theatre will open at York Theatre Royal on 25 February 2022 then tour to Theatre Royal Bury St Edmonds, Derby Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Mercury Theatre Colchester before ending at Theatre Peckham in April.

‘The Drifters Girl' is a musical which tells the story of Faye Treadwell, one of the first Black women to manage a vocal group in the US. Singer and actor Beverley Knight plays Faye. We discuss the ongoing appeal of the Cinderella story with Faye Campbell who is playing Cinderella at York Theatre Royal and Dr Nicola Darwood who recently co-edited a new book with Alexis Weedon called Re-telling Cinderella: Cultural and Creative Transformations. On Tuesday Sikh Women's Aid launched a report into domestic abuse and child sexual abuse within the Sikh community. Conducted via anonymous surveys sent out over the summer, the survey of nearly 700 respondents showed that 70% had experienced domestic violence and 35% had experienced child sexual abuse or exploitation. To tell us more about this report and what can be done to help the issue, we're joined by the co-founder of Sikh Women's Aid and co-author of the report, Sahdaish Pall. We used to have YOLO, then FOMO, now we have HOGO. Post lockdown, the fear of missing out no longer plagues us. We have become too comfortable sitting on our sofas watching TV. The effort of putting good clothes on and leaving the house is too much. This hassle of going out (HOGO) has been blamed by the hospitality industry for an increase in the number of no-shows at restaurants and paid-for live events. We talk to psychotherapist and author of Happy Relationships: At Home, Work and Play, Lucy Beresford and actor Sadie Clark whose play, Algorithms, is on at Soho Theatre in December. TV and radio presenter Melanie Sykes has just announced that she's been diagnosed with autism at the age of 51. She says it's 'truly life changing, or rather life affirming… and so many things make sense'. She tells us more. Presenter Zara McDermott's new BBC documentary explores sexual harassment, teenagers, and what impact school is having. We speak to Zara and two contributors who feature in the documentary - activist Zan Moon and 14 year old Trinity.

Do women make better leaders? If so, what can they teach us? Strong Female Lead - Lessons From Women in Power, a new book by the journalist Arwa Mahdawi, argues that a rigid and masculine model of leadership is not up to tackling the complex problems we are facing in the world today. Arwa says ‘If we want to save the world, it's time we stopped telling women to act like men and started telling everyone to lead like women.' She draws on the pandemic and beyond, to showcase the leadership skills women are displaying that she believes everyone can learn from. This week MPs have backed a ban on virginity testing in England, after the government called it "indefensible". Anyone helping girls or women get the tests, which includes an intrusive vaginal examination, could face up to five years in prison. But campaigners have also said they want a ban on hymenoplasty, a practice involving cosmetic surgery to reconstruct the hymen. Natasha Rattu, CEO of Karma Nirvana, an organisation that supports victims of honour-based abuse and forced marriage, tells us why this further step needs to be taken. Presenter Zara McDermott's new BBC documentary explores sexual harassment, teenagers, and what impact school is having. We speak to Zara and two contributors who feature in the documentary - activist Zan Moon and 14 year old Trinity. This week the Home Affairs Select Committee released a report revealing that only one in five of an estimated 15,000 eligible claimants had applied to the Windrush Compensation Scheme, and only 5% of victims have been compensated. They've called for the scheme to be transferred from the Home Office to an independent organisation. We're joined by lawyer Jacqueline McKenzie to discuss the findings. We discuss the ongoing appeal of the Cinderella story with Faye Campbell who is playing Cinderella at York Theatre Royal and Dr Nicola Darwood who recently co-edited a new book with Alexis Weedon called Re-telling Cinderella: Cultural and Creative Transformations.

Charles reports back on a busy week in York theatres as the Grand Opera House re-opens with The Woman in Black, York Theatre Royal presents a new play, Mugabe, My Dad and Me. Graham reflects on the potential confusion for venues with the latest government climbdown as it decides to not go ahead with Covid Passports and the duo reflect on the appointment of Nadine Dorries as the new Culture Secretary. Graham also reports back on seeing Ripon's young folk talent, Billie Marten in concert following the release of her new album. Somehow, Charles takes Graham's connection between Bladerunner and billionaires in space and turns it into a discussion about the future of album cover artwork, before giving his verdict on an intriguing new exhibition at York Minster, People We Love.

Graham introduces this episode with a quick report on a special first edition of the first Harry Potter book and Charles reflects on his first full-capacity performance for a long time, at York Theatre Royal, of Ralph Fiennes' solo performance of T S Eliot's surprisingly topical poem Four Quartets. Graham has had a busy week hosting the legendary music documentary film director, Tony Palmer as a new film about him, All We Got Was Love was premiered at the Everyman in Harrogate. Inevitably this leads on to discussion about other great music documentary film makers and the importance of striving for the truth.

In a special bonus episode, co-host Miles Salter chats to Paul Moss from the theatre troupe The HandleBards and reviews their comic performance of Romeo Juliet and York Theatre Royal.

In a special bonus episode, co-host Miles Salter chats to Paul Moss from the theatre troupe The HandleBards and reviews their comic performance of Romeo Juliet and York Theatre Royal.

We caught up with star of stage and screen, Julie Hesmondhalgh, as she embarks on her one-woman tour in The Greatest Play in the History of the World … calling at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre, York Theatre Royal and Hull Truck Theatre. There's also the difficult decision to deal with … of choosing her favourite places to visit in the county “that's really, really hard because it's all so beautiful and so vast!”. Think North York Moors, train trips to Sheffield and visiting family and friends in West Yorkshire. It's fun … she's fantastic … it's the new Welcome to Yorkshire ‘Talkshire' podcast.

In the latest episode of Going Underground, new podcast co-host Miles Salter chats to York Theatre Royal's Creative Director Juliet Forster about their reopening festival, Love Bites.

In the latest episode of Going Underground, new podcast co-host Miles Salter chats to York Theatre Royal's Creative Director Juliet Forster about their reopening festival, Love Bites.

Mojisola Elufowoju is a British Born Nigerian, Award-Winning Director, and the CEO/Artistic Director and Founder of Utopia Theatre. She creates work extensively with under-represented voices. The next Utopia Theatre production 'Here’s What She Said To Me' opens 30 October on the main stage of the Crucible Theatre Sheffield, and is also available to stream live.Mojisola began her Directing career at York Theatre Royal. She is passionate about the growth and development of ethnic minorities in the theatre industry. You’ll hear in this episode about the work she does and her thoughts on the future of the theatre industry.Also in this episode Mojisola shares stories of reclaiming her name and what it means, how being brought up perhaps not traditionally how a girl of her generation and heritage might have been, gave her more voice and a sense of capability to express herself in the world. Plus seeing people as equals, asking for what you want, and choosing to be committed to see your dreams come true.Here’s a bit more about Mojisola Elufowoju – A Guest Director At The London Academy Of Dramatic Arts And London South Bank University. Was Staff Director At The National Theatre On Three Sisters By Inua Ellams. Was A Recipient Of The 2017 Opera Awards Foundation Bursary, A Founding Member Of Mosaic Opera Collective.And other Credits Include: Far Gone (Sheffield Crucible Theatre And Theatre Deli Sheffield) The Bogus Woman (Camden People’s Theatre 2019), On Missing (The Cockpit Theatre 2018), Shadows In Different Shades (Work In Progress - Sheffield Theatre 2018), The Pied Piper Of Chibok Opera (Opera North Residency And Arcola Theatre 2018), I Am David Oluwale (Work In Progress- Leeds Playhouse 2018), Iyalode Of Eti (Leeds Playhouse, Sheffield Crucible, Cast - Doncaster And Ake Festival Nigeria 2016/2017) London Tales (Rich Mix And Lost Theatre 2015)This Is Our Chance (Cultural Centre Calabar, Nigeria 2013)The Shepherd’s Chameleon (CLF Art Cafe 2013) House Of Corrections (Riverside Studios (2012) Wake Me When It's Time (York Theatre Royal 2012). Links:Website - https://utopiatheatre.co.ukUtopia Theatre Compilation - https://youtu.be/um5zpZpBH2MThe Creative Hub - https://utopiatheatre.co.uk/thecreativehub When Women SpeakWebsite ~ https://www.wwsgn.comFacebook page ~ https://www.facebook.com/whenwomenspeakglobalnetwork/Facebook group ~ https://www.facebook.com/groups/whenwomenspeakEmail ~ hello@wwsgn.comSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=hello%40wwsgn.com¤cy_code=GBP&source=url)

Pilot Theatre is to tour the UK with Crongton Knights by Alex Wheatle in an adaptation by Emteaz Hussain co-directed by Pilot’s Artistic Director, Esther Richardson, and Corey Campbell, Artistic Director of Strictly Arts Theatre Company, with music by beatbox champion Conrad Murray. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Esther and Corey during rehearsals for the production at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry about the play’s story and themes, and also about the financial implications of producing new work, creating work for young audiences and getting them to come and see it when schools are struggling for funds, the challenges of touring and about getting actors to beatbox. Crongton Knights will run at the Belgrade Theatre from 8 to 22 February 2020 before touring to York Theatre Royal, Brighton Theatre Royal, The Lowry in Salford, Derby Theatre, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and ending at Theatre Peckham in May. (Image of Esther Richardson and Corey Campbell: Sharron Wallace Photography)

SLAP Festival is back for another year at York Theatre Royal, so Jessy and Henry went to speak to Co-Director of the festival Lydia Cottrell and upcoming artist Aisling Lally whose play Messy Eaters is being performed at the festival. Have a listen to what you can expect at SLAP this year and what it takes to put together. SLAP takes place on the 15th February 2020 and tickets can be bough via the York Theatre Royal Box Office.

Recorded live as part of TakeOver 2019. Henry hosts a panel including Rachel Flannagan, Artistic Director of TakeOver, Adam Foley, Head of Production for Silent Uproar and Alex Mitchel, Artistic Director of Silent Uproar. The panel discuss how TakeOver with the support of York Theatre Royal, implemented a greener approach to the festival and how Silent Uproar approach new work and touring whilst creating a minimal environmental impact.

How you getting on TSP listeners? I hope you're all well and good this week. We've got a recording of a live show for you this week. A couple of weeks back, we went down to the York Theatre Royal and had a wonderful evening with a bunch of lovely people. The night was opened by Salfordian wordsmith JB Barrington and we've picked a few of his poems to open this episode as well (Listener discretion is advised). If you haven't heard JB's two shot podcast episode go back and search out #TSP059 and hear us have a longer chat with JB in his dining room. It's a belter. After JB had the crowd suitably warm, we welcomed the legendary Art Malik to the stage. You might know Art from The Jewel In The Crown, True Lies, The Living Daylights and loads of other stuff. In this episode he talked us through the highs and lows of his career, he told us how straw boaters went down on his walks to school, he told us about Arnold, about dyslexia, about his Father and Mother and about so much more. He's a wonderful man and a wonderful raconteur, and we're sure you'll enjoy listening in to this live episode of the Two Shot Podcast with the majestic Art Malik.Get in touch...Facebook- search 'Two Shot Podcast' Twitter- @twoshotpod Instagram- @twoshotpod If you've enjoyed listening then please click through to https://www.patreon.com/twoshotpod to make a donation to the running costs of the show. You'll get bonus pictures, video and audio in return. Nice one. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recorded in the dressing rooms of the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Jessy and Henry are joined by Mike and Chris from the cast of Reasons to Stay Alive, a play based on the renowned, bestselling book by Matt Haig. Hear how the play came together and how it was led by the contents of the book from the very beginning. This important and powerful play is currently touring and will play at York Theatre Royal between the 5th and 9th of November with tickets available from the York Theatre Royal Box Office.

Up and coming musical theatre group Colla Voce join Henry on the show to talk about their latest piece, You and I, a brand new musical. Hear how the musical was developed and maybe why rehearsing in an Airbnb in Chesterfield is not the best idea... Colla Voce are bringing their show to York as part of the TakeOver Festival on the 28th of October and tickets are available now from the York Theatre Royal box office.

The latest production from Manchester-based new writing theatre company Box of Tricks is Under Three Moons by Daniel Kanaber, a play about a close male friendship across three decades, described to us by the director as a “platonic love story”. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Danny and director Adam Quayle during the early stages of rehearsals about the play, the development process and how this relationship fits into the current debate about masculinity. Under Three Moons will open at The Lowry in Salford from 24 to 28 September 2019 before touring to Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, Unity Theatre in Liverpool, Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Hull Truck Theatre, Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds, The Arts Centre at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, York Theatre Royal, Live Theatre in Newcastle, Theatr Clwyd in Mold, finishing at Rosehill Theatre in Whitehaven on 2 November.

We had an absolute ball chatting with Rachael Abbey, Jess Morley and Sarah Penney - the Roaring Girls and hilarious cast of Beach Body Ready. ABOUT BEACH BODY READY t's the season of cutting carbs, hitting it hard at the gym, and shaving everything from the chin down. Summer has rocked up and the media has us thinking about how our bodies aren't up to scratch and there are companies ready to capitalise on that. We've been shamed, dehumanised, and humiliated for how we look and we've had enough. Join The Roaring Girls for a defiantly feel-good show which sticks two fingers up at how the media says you should look. The Roaring Girls are getting Beach Body Ready. Are you? Catch the show until 25-Aug (ex 12th) at 1.10pm in Pleasance Above at the Pleasance Courtyard. Book your tickets here - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/beach-body-ready Beach Body Ready is supported by Pleasance Futures as part of the Regional Theatre Partnership Programme with York Theatre Royal and in association with Hull Truck Theatre. Developed with support from ARC, CAST, Sheffield Theatres, and Square Chapel. Beach Body Ready is part of the Hull Takeover 2019, produced by Absolutely Cultured through their Hull Independent Producer Initiative, in partnership with Middle Child, supported by Hull Truck Theatre, and Back To Ours. CAST Rachael Abbey Jess Morley Sarah Penney Written and devised by the cast, with DRAMATURG Lydia Marchant DIRECTOR Lizi Perry PRODUCER Shaunagh McClean CHOREOGRAPHER Jo Ashbridge VIDEOGRAPHER Fly Girl Films COSTUME & SET DESIGN Nat Young LIGHTING DESIGN Jess Addinall STAGE MANAGER - EDINBURGH Jay Hirst WHO ARE THE ROARING GIRLS? The Roaring Girls are a Hull-based theatre company creating work that is fierce, feminist, and fun. They use autobiographical narratives to create their work - they want to talk about things they can relate to, that their audience can relate to. They believe that approaching big, sometimes taboo, subjects on a personal level, allows them to talk about these topics with their audiences. Their work is the first part of a conversation- their audiences leave laughing, crying, and most importantly , talking. ​Their work is often devised, but even when working with writers, collaboration is at the core of their practice - the voices and experiences of the people in the room shape the work. They aim to foster a supportive, creative environment where everyone is heard and valued equally. Follow them... on Twitter @TheRoaringGirls on IG @TheRoaringGirls W: https://www.theroaringgirls.co.uk

The latest production from Manchester-based new writing theatre company Box of Tricks is SparkPlug, written and performed by David Judge based on his own experiences being brought up as a mixed race child by a white stepfather in 1980s Manchester. The production is directed by Box of Tricks Joint Artistic Director and co-founder Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder and begins its 9-week tour at HOME in Manchester, where BTG editor David Chadderton spoke to David and Hannah in a dressing room during a break from technical rehearsals. SparkPlug runs at HOME in Manchester from 13 to 23 February 2019 before touring to Unity Theatre in Liverpool, Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, Cheltenham Everyman Studio, Harrogate Theatre Studio, Live Theatre in Newcastle, York Theatre Royal, Hull Truck Theatre, Theatr Clwyd in Mold, Crewe Lyceum Studio, Spring Arts Centre in Havant, The Lighthouse in Poole, Marlowe Studio in Canterbury, Old Town Hall in Hemel Hempstead, The North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford, Square Chapel in Halifax, The Met in Bury and Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, before finishing at Birmingham Rep from 10 to 13 April.

John is a producer at York Theatre Royal and company director at Stand and Be Counted. For more information on working in the Theatre sector see: https://ccskills.org.uk/careers/advice/any/theatre/ https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/browse-sector/creative-arts-and-design For more information about York Theatre Royal , Stand and Be Counted and John: https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/page/about_us.php http://www.sbctheatre.co.uk/about http://www.sbctheatre.co.uk/the-team Find the transcript for this episode here (http://bit.ly/WDYAD4)

Conrad Nelson’s production of Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing for Northern Broadsides Theatre Company had a cast change on the first day of rehearsals when Reece Dinsdale had to drop out of the key role of Benedick due to a family illness and Robin Simpson took over the role. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Robin during the second week of rehearsals about the additional pressure that may have put on him and also about the production as a whole, playing Shakespeare, performing comedy and even a bit of panto. The Northern Broadsides production of Much Ado About Nothing runs at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire from 8 February to 2 March 2019, before embarking on a national tour until the end of May to The Dukes Lancaster, Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, Salisbury Playhouse, Derby Theatre, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, Viaduct Theatre in Halifax, The Lowry in Salford, York Theatre Royal and Harrogate Theatre.

Adlib is the new podcast from York Theatre Royal, launching on February 1st 2019.

A new consortium has been formed to produce new theatre for young audiences, including Pilot Theatre, Derby Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Mercury Theatre Colchester and York Theatre Royal. The first production to come out of this collaboration will be a new adaptation of former Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman's hard-hitting YA novel Noughts and Crosses, which raised issues or racism and forbidden love in an alternative version of our own world. For this episode, director Esther Richardson of Pilot Theatre spoke to BTG Midlands Editor Steve Orme on the process of adapting this popular novel to the stage, and then actors Billy Harris and Heather Agyepong, who play the two leading roles, discussed their parts in the play.

Mark Smith talks to Conrad Nelson and Deborah McAndrew about their brand new version of Dario Fo's classic They Don't Pay? We Won't Pay! (also known as Can't Pay? Won't Pay!). The show is a co-production between York Theatre Royal and Halifax-based company Northern Broadsides, where Conrad Nelson is the Artistic Director. They discuss the company's past and future, the process of adapting and translating theatrical language "from Milan to Middlesborough", and the careful precision required when staging farce - or any play. "This is so much about being a theatre animal. This play was made by a theatre animal, and we're theatre animals, we're playhouse creatures." They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! will run at York Theatre Royal from 5 to 13 October 2018 before embarking on a national tour from 16 October to 2 December 2018. (Photo of Conrad Nelson and Deborah McAndrew in rehearsal, credit: Nobby Clark)

Legacy is a new play written by Paul Birch for the York Theatre Royal as an intergenerational collaboration: its cast is made up of Youth Theatre members as well as actors aged 65-plus from the local community. Exploring themes of corruption and the uses—and misuses—of individuals' online identities, the play uses a sci-fi thriller lens to examine some extremely timely questions. Mark Smith talks to director Kate Veysey and performers Hannah Brown and Shirley Williams about the development of the play, as well as the different attitudes to technology brought into stark contrast by the intergenerational nature of the cast. "It's not an anti-technology play, but it does start you thinking about how much can be changed of what you've said, and how it can be taken out of context." "It's a very topical issue but for us it's become very personal."

Mark Smith talks to Esther Richardson, Bryony Lavery and Hannah Peel in a busy York Theatre Royal café about Pilot Theatre’s new adaptation of Brighton Rock. They discuss the appeal of Brighton Rock’s morally complex underworld, getting younger people into regional theatres, creating a musical and choreographic world for the play, and how the company set out to look at Graham Greene’s classic story through a lens which is both contemporary and of the time. Director Esther Richardson has been the Artistic Director of Pilot since February 2016. Her previous theatre work has included productions at theatres throughout the UK, including Soho Theatre, Cast in Doncaster, Tamasha Theatre, Royal and Derngate, Nottingham Playhouse, Bolton Octagon, and many more. Adapter Bryony Lavery is a renowned playwright whose work is regularly performed internationally. She is a prolific writer and adapter, whose plays include Stockholm, Beautiful Burnout and The Believers for Frantic Assembly, Queen Coal for Sheffield Crucible and Treasure Island at the National Theatre. She has also written numerous adaptations which have premièred at York Theatre Royal, including most recently the adaptation of Brideshead Revisited for the York Theatre Royal and English Touring Theatre’s 2016 production. Hannah Peel is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, composer and arranger, who has recorded as a solo artist as well as with band The Magnetic North and various other high-profile collaborators. She has created scores and co-composed for dance theatre performances at Sadler's Wells and for television. Brighton Rock runs at York Theatre Royal until 3 March 2018 and then tours to Brighton, Colchester, Hull, Cheltenham, Winchester, Watford, Birmingham, Newcastle, Mold, Derby and finally The Lowry Salford Quays. (Photo of Esther Richardson, Bryony Lavery and Hannah Peel by John Saunders.)

Mark Smith talks to producer John Tomlinson about SBC Theatre, the company he co-created and which has recently become the UK’s first "Theatre Company of Sanctuary". This status recognises the company's work with, about and for those seeking sanctuary in the UK. John is also Associate Producer at York Theatre Royal, working on in-house shows such as the massive community production Everything Is Possible as well as helping with the programming of other events at the theatre. John discusses the evolution of SBC into a politically engaged company seeking to raise awareness of the often shocking hardships and issues faced by asylum seekers and refugees. Starting with 2016's Tanja, tackling the stories of women held at Yarl's Wood detention centre, John and his collaborators have aimed to reach beyond conventional theatre spaces in raising awareness and starting conversations with a diverse range of people. "It felt like when we had Emily as part of this piece that we had really unlocked what Yarl's Wood is and what it stands for as part of our society. [...] Ultimately this is a story that we had to tell, and she had to be part of it."

Mark Smith talks to emerging director Julia Levai and York Theatre Royal Associate Director Juliet Forster about the theatre's TakeOver Festival. The festival pairs Theatre Royal staff with emerging artists aged between 12 and 26 in a mentoring relationship which enables the younger artists to curate and run a week-long festival. As the Artistic Director of this year's festival, Julia Levai has curated a selection of works around the theme of "Walls", as well as devising a show of her own. The pair discuss the state of UK theatre for a director at the beginning of their career, and Julia provides comparisons between British theatre and the scene in her native Budapest. They also consider what the York Theatre Royal does for emerging artists, as well as what TakeOver has done for the York Theatre Royal in effecting tangible organisational change. TakeOver is about "opening the door and giving opportunity and giving a platform for different voices... and really letting people make their own work and do their own thing as a result of it." It runs from 22 to 28 October 2017 at the York Theatre Royal

Director Max Stafford-Clarke has revived for his theatre company Out of Joint Andrea Dunbar’s play Rita, Sue and Bob Too, which he directed originally while Artistic Director of the Royal Court in London in 1982, working closely with the 19-year-old playwright. BTG editor David Chadderton spoke to lead actors Taj Atwal (Rita), Gemma Dobson (Sue) and James Atherton (Bob) during the production's initial run at the Octagon Theatre Bolton about the play and the issues it raises, the politics of the council estate in the 1980s, Max Stafford-Clark's rehearsal methods, the unsexiness of a sex scene and a call for a Royal Court of the north. Rita, Sue and Bob Too is produced by Out of Joint, Royal Court Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton and co-directed by Max Stafford-Clark & Kate Wasserberg. It opened at Octagon Theatre Bolton on 6 September 2017 before moving on to Harrogate Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Playhouse, Warwick Arts Centre, Oxford Playhouse, Royal Theatre Northampton, Cast Doncaster, York Theatre Royal, Derby Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and Theatr Clwyd in Mold, where it will end its run on 10 February 2018. (Production photo of Gemma Dobson, James Atherton and Taj Atwal by Richard Davenport)

Northern Broadsides theatre company's For Love or Money, directed by and featuring company founder Barrie Rutter, has been adapted from a French play, Turcaret by Alain-Rene Lesage, by regular Broadsides collaborator Blake Morrison. Blake speaks to us about the play, about play translation and about 21 years of collaborations with Rutter and Broadsides. For Love or Money opened at The Viaduct Theatre in Halifax on 15 September 2017. After that, it will tour to West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Rose Theatre Kingston, New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, Liverpool Playhouse and finally York Theatre Royal, where it will close on 2 December.

Mark Smith talks to Juliet Forster, Associate Director of York Theatre Royal, and Katie Posner, Associate Director of Pilot Theatre, about their latest large-scale community production, Everything Is Possible: The York Suffragettes. This new play is written by Bridget Foreman and based on the true stories of militant suffragettes in York, centring on the real-life figure of Annie Seymour Pearson. The role is to be played by award-winning actress Barbara Marten, who also unearthed the stories and presented the project to the theatre. Forster and Posner talk about their work together on a number of large-scale productions, the research behind this latest collaboration, and the links they've been finding between the century-old story of the Suffrage movement and present-day political contexts. A co-production between York Theatre Royal and Pilot Theatre, Everything is Possible runs from 20 June to 1 July at York Theatre Royal. "There's a real feeling of dissatisfaction with political systems, and one response to that is to go 'what's the point in voting then?'... but another is to exercise our voice and to make some noise."

Liverpool playwright Lizzy Nunnery's new play Narvik directed by Hannah Tyrell-Pinder for Box of Tricks will open its national tour at the end of January 2017 following a successful run at Liverpool Playhouse in September 2015. Lizzy spoke to BTG editor David Chadderton a couple of weeks before the tour opened about the process of creating the play from stories from her grandfather and other World War II sailors stationed in the Arctic and about her career writing for stage and radio over the last ten years. Narvik opens at HOME Manchester from 31 January to 4 February 2017 before touring to Stahl Theatre in Oundle, Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, Mumford Theatre at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, Mac in Birmingham, Clwyd Theatre Cymru in Mold, York Theatre Royal, The Unity at the Bluecoat in Liverpool, The Met in Bury, The Carriageworks in Leeds and Harrogate Theatre before ending at New Diorama Theatre in London from 21 to 25 March.

Halifax-based Northern Broadsides has paired up with York Theatre Royal for a revival of J B Priestley's When We Are Married, directed by Northern Broadsides artistic director Barrie Rutter. Playing the role of Clara Soppitt, actress Kate Anthony, best-known for playing Pam Hobsworth in Coronation Street, spoke to BTG editor David Chadderton during rehearsals about the production and her part in it as well as some of the differences between acting in theatre and TV and the importance of getting on with your fellow actors while touring. When We Are Married is at York Theatre Royal until 24 September 2016 before touring to Hull Truck Theatre, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Rose Theatre Kingston, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre, New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Liverpool Playhouse and Northern Broadsides’ own Viaduct Theatre in Halifax, where it closes on 4 December. (Rehearsal photo of Kate Anthony by Nobby Clark)

Mark Gatiss, the writer, actor and Doctor Who fan, gives his response to the re-issue of seven Doctor Who novelisations from the original range by Target Books, and visits the Cartoon Museum's display of original artwork for the books' covers.Evelyn Waugh's classic novel Brideshead Revisited has previously been made for television and the cinema, and has now been adapted for the stage. Playwright Bryony Lavery discusses her new version for the York Theatre Royal.Composer Mark Simpson talks about his new opera set in a gay nightclub. Pleasure stars Lesley Garrett as a toilet attendant, and is premiered tonight by Opera North in Leeds.In Demolition, actor Jake Gyllenhaal plays an investment banker who responds to his wife's death by writing bizarre letters of complaint to a vending company. These lead to an unlikely friendship with a customer service employee, played by Naomi Watts. Larushka Ivan-Zadeh reviews.Presenter Samira Ahmed Producer Angie Nehring.

York-based Pilot Theatre has collaborated with York Theatre Royal on a new adaptation of a dystopian science fiction story, The Machine Stops by E M Forster. The adaptation is by Bolton-based playwright Neil Duffield, who speaks to us about adapting science fiction for the stage, the remarkable resonances that this 1909 story has with our world of social media and the world-wide web and making a living as a playwright for more than thirty years. The Machine Stops by Neil Duffield with music by John Foxx and Benge, directed by Juliet Forster, will be performed at York Theatre Royal from 13 May to 4 June 2016 followed by a short tour to The Point in Eastleigh on 8 and 9 June and New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth on 10 and 11 June before appearing at Platform Shift + festival in Budapest from 15 to 19 June. (Image of Neil Duffield by Anthony Robling)

A celebration of Evelyn Waugh to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. Matthew Sweet is joined by two writers who are long term admirers - Adam Mars-Jones and Bryony Lavery and by Waugh's latest biographer, Philip Eade and his grandson and editor, Alexander Waugh. Brideshead Revisited - adapted by Bryony Lavery - runs at York Theatre Royal from Fri 22 Apr - Sat 30 Apr and then goes on tour to Bath, Southampton, Cambridge, Malvern, Brighton, Oxford, Richmond.Evelyn Waugh - A Life Revisited by Philip Eade will be published in JulyProducer: Zahid Warley.

Leeds-based children’s theatre company tutti frutti has teamed up with York Theatre Royal and playwright Emma Reeves, Olivier-nominated for her adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather, on a new adaptation of the children’s folk tale Snow Child, inspired by Arthur Ransome’s adaptation of this traditional tale entitled The Little Daughter of the Snow. Emma spoke to BTG editor David Chadderton early in the rehearsal period about the play, tutti frutti's collaborative production methods and her career writing adaptations of children's classic literature for stage and TV. Snow Child by Emma Reeves, directed by Wendy Harris for tutti frutti, opens on 3 October 2015 at The Arc in Stockton on Tees and tours the UK and Ireland, with a brief visit to Hong Kong and Singapore, until March 2016, ending at York Theatre Royal. For more information, see tutti-frutti-org.uk. Snow Child illustration by Jessica Knight

York-based Pilot Theatre’s latest project is an adaptation by British playwright Roy Williams of the Greek classic play Antigone by Sophocles. In this episode, Pilot artistic director Marcus Romer, who is directing this production, talks about how the project came about, how they have approached this ancient Greek play, working with Roy Williams and about the work and philosophy of Pilot Theatre Company. Antigone from Pilot Theatre opens at Derby Theatre on 19 September 2014, then goes to Northern Stage in Newcastle, Nottingham Lakeside Arts, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, York Theatre Royal, Watford Palace Theatre, Gulbenkian in Canterbury, Theatre Royal Winchester, Exeter Northcott Theatre, finishing at Theatre Royal Stratford East on 14 March 2015. For more information, see www.pilot-theatre.com.

Halifax-based Northern Broadsides will soon tour a new production of Oliver Goldsmith’s 1773 comedy She Stoops to Conquer, directed by director, actor and composer Conrad Nelson, a regular member of the Broadsides production team. In this episode, Conrad talks about his production and about how it fits with the general philosophy of the company. She Stoops to Conquer will open on 29 August 2014 at the company’s own Viaduct Theatre in Halifax before touring to The Dukes in Lancaster, Rose Theatre Kingston, Oxford Playhouse, Harrogate Theatre, Everyman Cheltenham, Theatre Royal Winchester, Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough, West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Liverpool Playhouse, York Theatre Royal, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and finally The Lowry in Salford, where it will close on 13 December. For more information about Northern Broadsides, see www.northern-broadsides.co.uk.

Alex Brown finds out about York Theatre Royal's production of Birdsong.

Alex Brown meets the cast of York Theatre Royal's new production of Brassed Off, running from 14th February to 1st March 2014

Actor Martin Barrass on playing the fool in his 28th panto at York Theatre Royal, the art and the craft of slapstick, having the part of Alfie written for him by Richard Bean in One Man, Two Guvnors and his home town of Hull becoming City of Culture. Martin will appear in Aladdin and the Twankeys by Berwick Kaler at York Theatre Royal from 12 December 2013 to 1 February 2014. See www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk for details.

Alex Brown speaks to Events Co-Ordinator, Lindsay Whitwell, all about the York Theatre Royal's stunning venue, available for weddings and a variety of events and activities.

The Arts Award Youth Network Leadership Team get a unique opportunity to talk to the associate director of the York Theatre Royal, Juliet Forster. The interview came immediately after the opening night of a three week run of 'See How They Run' - a theatre farse classic.