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Kraig Thornber
Kraig Thornber (born 1961) is a British actor, singer and choreographer best known for playing the handyman Riff Raff in ''The Rocky Horror Show'' and Grandpa George in the musical ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory''. He is a former member of the National Theatre. Early life Born as Craig Thornber in Leicester in 1961, the son of Terence A. Thornber and Sheila (née Baxter), Kraig 'Pix' Thornber attended Bosworth Community College in his native Leicester before training for three years at East 15 Acting School, graduating in 1987. Theatre career In the West End he has appeared in ''Guys and Dolls'', ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead'', ''Oh, What a Lovely War'' at the National Theatre, Ariel in the original production of ''Return to the Forbidden Planet'' (1989) at the Cambridge Theatre and Riff Raff in ''The Rocky Horror Show'' at the Duke of York's Theatre (1994) and on the national tour. Thornber's other theatre credits include ''The Beggar's Opera'' (Théâtre d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Rocky Horror Show
''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr Frank-N-Furter, unveiling his new creation, Rocky, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man complete "with blond hair and a tan". The show was produced and directed by Jim Sharman. The original London production of the musical was premièred at the Royal Court Theatre (Upstairs) on 19 June 1973 (after two previews on 16 and 18 June 1973). It later moved to several other locations in London and closed on 13 September 1980. The show ran for a total of 2,960 performances and won the 1973 ''Evening Standard'' Theatre Award for Best Musical. Songs in the musical include "Time Warp" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clwyd Theatr Cymru
Theatr Clwyd () is a regional arts centre and producing theatre from Mold, Flintshire, in North East Wales. It opened as Theatr Clwyd in 1976, but was known between 1998 and 2015 as Clwyd Theatr Cymru, before reverting to its original name. History Theatr Clwyd opened in 1976. It forms part of the County Civic Centre at Mold (Yr Wyddgrug), being immediately adjacent to the County Hall (the administrative offices of the former administrative county of Clwyd, now the offices of the Flintshire County Council). It was built at the instigation of the former Flintshire County Council before that was abolished in the local government reorganisation of 1974 and replaced by Clwyd County Council. The complex was opened by Queen Elizabeth II under the artistic direction of George Roman. Toby Robertson was the theatre's artistic director between 1985 and 1992. Robertson introduced several leading actors, including Vanessa Redgrave, Sir Michael Hordern and Timothy Dalton, to the theatre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular and is widely performed. Characters * Theseus—Duke of Athens * Hippolyta—Queen of the Amazons * Egeus—father of Hermia * Hermia—daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander * Lysander—in love with Hermia * Demetrius—suitor to Hermia * Helena—in love with Demetrius * Philostrate—Master of the Revels * Peter Quince—a carpenter * Nick Bottom—a weaver * Francis Flute—a bellows-mender * Tom Snout—a tinker * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Poppins (musical)
''Mary Poppins'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman (the Sherman Brothers) and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and a script by Julian Fellowes. The musical is based on the similarly titled ''Mary Poppins'' children's books by P. L. Travers and the 1964 Disney film, and is a fusion of various elements from the two, including songs from the film. Produced by Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Disney Theatrical Productions and directed by Richard Eyre with co-direction from Matthew Bourne who also acted as co-choreographer with Stephen Mear, the original West End production opened in December 2004 and won two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical to Laura Michelle Kelly who originated the role of Mary Poppins on stage, and the other for Best Theatre Choreographer. A Broadway production with a near-identical creative team opened in November 2006, with only minor changes from the West End version. I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Twelfth Night
''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (who is disguised as Cesario) falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her thinking she is a man. The play expanded on the musical interludes and riotous disorder expected of the occasion, with plot elements drawn from the short story "Of Apollonius and Silla" by Barnabe Rich, based on a story by Matteo Bandello. The first recorded public performance was on 2 February 1602, at Candlemas, the formal end of Christmastide in the year's calendar. The play was not published until its inclusion in the 1623 First Folio. Characters * Viola – a shipwrecked young woman who disguises herself a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Little Shop Of Horrors (musical)
''Little Shop of Horrors'' is a horror comedy rock musical with music by Alan Menken and lyrics and a book by Howard Ashman. The story follows a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. The musical is loosely based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film ''The Little Shop of Horrors''. The music, composed by Menken in the style of early 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown, includes several well-known tunes, including the title song, "Skid Row (Downtown)", "Somewhere That's Green", and "Suddenly, Seymour". The musical premiered Off-Off-Broadway in 1982 before moving to the Orpheum Theatre Off-Broadway, where it had a five-year run. It later received numerous productions in the U.S. and abroad, and a subsequent Broadway production. Because of its small cast, it has become popular with community theatre, school and other amateur groups. The musical was also made into a 1986 film of the same name, directed by Frank Oz. Syn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Mad World, My Masters
''A Mad World, My Masters'' is a Jacobean stage play written by Thomas Middleton, a comedy first performed around 1605 and first published in 1608. The title had been used by a pamphleteer, Nicholas Breton, in 1603, and was later the origin for the title of Stanley Kramer's 1963 film, ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World''. The play was entered into the Stationers' Register on 4 October 1608, and first published in quarto later that year by the bookseller Walter Burre. In the play's final two Acts in the 1608 text, some characters have different names than in the prior three Acts (Penitent Brothel is Penitent Once-Ill; Harebrain is Hargrave, or Shortrod)—which suggests that the extant text is a revised version. A second quarto appeared in 1640, issued by the bookseller James Becket; the title page of Q2 states that the play had been "often acted" by Queen Henrietta's Men at the Salisbury Court Theatre. The play was revived at least twice in the Restoration era (1661–2), and was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Family Affair (musical)
''A Family Affair'' is a musical with a book by James Goldman and William Goldman, lyrics by James Goldman and John Kander, and music by Kander. This was Kander's first show and his only one written without Fred Ebb in Ebb's lifetime. Synopsis In Chicago, Gerry Siegal and Sally Nathan, a young suburban Chicago couple, decide to marry. The bride's Uncle Alfie (her guardian) wants an intimate wedding and wages a war of words with the groom's entire family. The groom's brassy Jewish mother Tillie commandeers the planning, steering it towards a large country club wedding (despite her husband's scolding her for taking over). Caterers, dressmakers, band leaders, rabbis, florists, photographers and a bossy wedding planner are pushed to the limit by the madcap preparations. The bride and groom, who have retained their sanity, realize that their families have almost destroyed the wedding. They announce their intention to have a quiet family affair. Song list ;Act I *Anything for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Happy End (musical)
''Happy End'' is a three-act musical comedy by Kurt Weill, Elisabeth Hauptmann, and Bertolt Brecht which first opened in Berlin at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm on September 2, 1929. It closed after seven performances. In 1977 it premiered on Broadway, where it ran for 75 performances. Production history After the success of Weill and Brecht's previous collaboration, ''The Threepenny Opera'', the duo devised this musical, written by Hauptmann under the pseudonym of Dorothy Lane. Hauptmann's sources included, among others, ''Major Barbara.'' The première took place in Berlin on 2 September 1929. The story is reminiscent of, but not the source of, the better-known musical ''Guys and Dolls'', which is based on Damon Runyon's short story, "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown". Brecht tried to take credit for the whole work but Hauptmann ensured that the truth was known. The original production was not well received. There were reports that cast member Helene Weigel (Brecht's wife) read fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Threepenny Opera
''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a "play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, ''The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with music by Kurt Weill. Although there is debate as to how much, if any, Hauptmann might have contributed to the text, Brecht is usually listed as sole author. The work offers a socialist critique of the capitalist world. It opened on 31 August 1928 at Berlin's Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. Songs from ''The Threepenny Opera'' have been widely covered and become standards, most notably "" ("The Ballad of Mack the Knife") and "" ("Pirate Jenny"). Background Origins In the winter of 1927–28, Elizabeth Hauptmann, Brecht's lover at the time, received a copy of Gay's play from friends in England and, fascinated by the female characters and its critique of the condition of the London poor, began translating it into German. Brecht at first took lit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Broadsides
Northern Broadsides is a theatre company formed in 1992 and based at Dean Clough Mill in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. It was founded by Barrie Rutter, who was its Artistic Director until resigning in 2018, followed by Conrad Nelson who was interim for one year and then Laurie Sansom. The company performs in Halifax and on tour, a mix of Shakespeare, new writing and classic works all performed in a characteristic Northern Voice. Barrie Rutter described the company's style as "Northern voices, doing classical work in non-velvet spaces". In 2012 the ‘Northern Broadsides – 20 years' exhibition opened, celebrating the work of the company through the production photography of Nobby Clark who has worked with Northern Broadsides since its beginnings in 1992. The exhibition ran in Dean Clough's Crossley gallery from 26 May till 16 September. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Government Inspector
''The Government Inspector'', also known as ''The Inspector General'' ( rus, links=no, Ревизор, Revizor, literally: "Inspector"), is a satirical play by Russian dramatist and novelist, Nikolai Gogol. Originally published in 1836, the play was revised for an 1842 edition. Based upon an anecdote allegedly recounted to Gogol by Pushkin, the play is a comedy of errors, satirizing human greed, stupidity, and the extensive political corruption of Imperial Russia. The dream-like scenes of the play, often mirroring each other, whirl in the endless vertigo of self-deception around the main character, Khlestakov, who personifies irresponsibility, light-mindedness, and absence of measure. "He is full of meaningless movement and meaningless fermentation incarnate, on a foundation of placidly ambitious inferiority" (D. S. Mirsky). The publication of the play led to a great outcry in the reactionary press. It took the personal intervention of Tsar Nicholas I to have the play staged, wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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