Back to News & Press J'Ouvert Nominated for Best Play at the Black British Theatre Awards Wednesday, 13 October 2021 The nominees have been unveiled for this year's Black British Theatre Awards, celebrating the best in Black British Talent. Congratulations to Yasmin Joseph, Rebekah Murrell, the cast and entire creative team on their nomination for Best Play for J’Ouvert at the Harold Pinter Theatre. The BBTAs, now in their third year, will announce winners next month: returning to the elegance of the Old Finsbury Town Hall, home of its inaugural ceremony, on Sunday 21 November 2021. Up Up

Back to Productions OUR LADIES OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR This production began performances on 9th May and closed on 5th September 2017. ★★★★ A joyous moving, musical riot. One of the great theatrical experiences of the year Daily Telegraph From the creator of Billy Elliot (Lee Hall) comes the uplifting and moving story of six Catholic school girls from Oban, let loose in Edinburgh for the day. Funny, raucous and heart-breaking, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour is adapted from Alan Warner’s brilliant novel about six young friends on the cusp of change. ★★★★ Big hearted and enjoyably coarse, but with moments of real poignancy, this is a fearless portrait of adolescence, fuelled by songs and Sambuca Evening Standard Following a critically acclaimed opening at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, subsequent UK tour and sell-out run last summer at the National Theatre, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour opens in the West End in May 2017 at the Duke of York’s Theatre . Vicky Featherstone’s smash-hit production of Lee Hall’s musical adaptation of Alan Warner’s The Sopranos reunites original cast members, opening on 15 May, with previews from 9 May. Featuring, amongst others, the songs of ELO, Our Ladies is a glorious anthem to friendship, youth and growing up disgracefully. Prepare thyself for 24 hours of holy chaos. Contains singing, hilarity, sambuca and strong language. Sonia Friedman Productions , Scott M. Delman and Tulchin Bartner Productions present The National Theatre of Scotland and Live Theatre production of “OUR LADIES OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR ”. Adapted by Lee Hall from the novel THE SOPRANOS by Alan Warner. ★★★★ A high spirited, hilarious, exhilarating and poignant portrait of essentially good, naïve girls having a reckless stab at being bad, and being brave, eager to experience everything life can throw at them and discovering important stuff about themselves and their friendships in the process Mail on Sunday CAST CAROLINE DEYGA KAREN FISHWICK ISIS HAINSWORTH KIRSTY MACLAREN FRANCES MAYLI MCCANN DAWN SIEVEWRIGHT KATIE BARNETT KIRSTY FINDLAY LAURA SWEENEY AMY SHACKCLOTH LILY HOWARD BECKY BRASS EMILY LINDEN CREATIVES VICKY FEATHERSTONE – Director MARTIN LOWE – Music Sourcing, Arrangement and Supervision CHLOW LAMFORD – Design IMOGEN KNIGHT – Choreography LIZZIE POWELL – Lighting MIKE WALKER – Sound Featuring the songs of ELO

Back to News & Press Merrily We Roll Along transfers to The Harold Pinter Theatre Friday, 22 February 2013 Due to unprecedented demand and huge critical acclaim – including winning the Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical (New or Revival) for 2012 – the Chocolate Factory’s production of the Sondheim/ Furth musical Merrily We Roll Along directed by Maria Friedman will begin previews at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 23 April. It will open 1 May for a strictly limited 12-week season. Set over three decades in the entertainment business Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between three friends Franklin, Mary and Charley. Starting in 1980 and travelling backwards in time, this powerful and moving story features some of Sondheim’s most beautiful songs including ‘Good Thing Going’, ‘Not a Day Goes By’ and ‘Old Friends’. The impressively talented cast includes Mark Umbers, Jenna Russell and Damian Humbley, as Franklin Shepard, Mary Flynn and Charles Kringas respectively. Mark Umbers has appeared in the Chocolate Factory’s production of Sweet Charity, My Fair Lady, The Browning Version and the BBC’s The Scarlet Pimpernel. Jenna Russell won an Olivier Award and a Tony nomination for her role as Dot in the Chocolate Factory’s production of Sunday in the Park with George. Her other notable credits include Guys and Dolls, Soho Cinders, Into the Woods and Season’s Greetings. Damian Humbley starred in Lend Me A Tenor – the Musical, The Woman in White and the Chocolate Factory’s production of The Last Five Years. The production co-stars Josefina Gabrielle (Olivier nominated for Sweet Charity) as Gussie Carnegie, Clare Foster (Crazy for You, Regent’s Park/West End) as Beth and Glyn Kerslake (Road Show, Chocolate Factory) as Joe Josephson. The ensemble features Matthew Barrow, Martin Callaghan, Amanda Minihan, Kirk Patterson, Amy Ellen Richardson, Ashley Robinson, Robbie Scotcher, Zizi Strallen and Joanna Woodward. Making her directorial debut, Maria Friedman’s extensive performing credits include Maria Friedman: Re-arranged, which transferred from the Chocolate Factory to Trafalgar Studios (Olivier Award nomination for Best Entertainment); Fosca in Sondheim’s Passion (Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical); Mother in Ragtime (Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical); Maria Friedman, by Special Arrangement which transferred from the Donmar Warehouse to the Whitehall Theatre (Olivier Award for Best Entertainment); Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre (Olivier Award nomination); Sunday in the Park with George (Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical) and Lady in the Dark (Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical) both at the National Theatre; West End and Broadway productions of The Woman in White (Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical/Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut). Orchestrations are by long-time Sondheim collaborator Jonathan Tunick whose credits include the Chocolate Factory’s production of Road Show and the original Broadway productions of Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along and Into the Woods. He is one of just 11 people to have won all four major American show business awards: Tony, Oscar, Emmy and Grammy. Design is by award-winning Soutra Gilmour, whose work includes the Chocolate Factory’s recent production of Torch Song Trilogy, the recent Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac and Macbeth currently playing at the Trafalgar Studios. David Hersey was Lighting Consultant for the National Theatre for ten years. He has also received Tony Awards for Best Lighting Design for Evita, Cats and Les Misérables and Olivier Awards for Burning Blue, The Glass Menagerie and Twelfth Night (RSC). He was lighting designer for the original Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along. Sound designer Gareth Owen was nominated for the Tony and Olivier for End of the Rainbow and the Tony for the Chocolate Factory’s A Little Night Music. He currently has fifteen shows running around the world, including Disney’s Little Mermaid, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar. Musical supervision and direction is by Catherine Jayes who was musical supervisor and director for the Chocolate Factory’s production of Road Show. She is an associate director of Cheek by Jowl and has worked as musical supervisor/director for many Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre productions. For this production audiences will be able to take advantage of the Menier Chocolate Factory’s dynamic pricing policy with 100 seats* at £25.00 in the stalls and dress circle on sale for every performance until Saturday 1 June. The production will be presented by Chocolate Factory Productions, Bob Bartner, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Tanya Link, Neal Street Productions and Sonia Friedman Productions. *These seats will NOT be restricted view Up Up

Back to News & Press Brand new trailer released for award-winning Dreamgirls Friday, 9 February 2018 www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcNLhv3LhdE Marisha Wallace , Moya Angela and Karen Mav share the iconic role of Effie White throughout the week with Brennyn Lark as Deena Jones and Asmeret Ghebremichael as Lorrell Robinson, making up the soulful trio ‘The Dreams’. Joe Aaron Reid plays Curtis Taylor Jr, Tosh Wanogho-Maud plays Jimmy Early, Durone Stokes plays C.C. White, Delroy Brown plays Marty and Kimmy Edwards plays Michelle Morris. The full cast of Dreamgirls includes Michael Afemaré , Callum Aylott , Georgia Bradshaw , Jabari Braham , Ashford Campbell , Sanchia Amber Clarke , Nicole Raquel Dennis , Nicole Deon , Rhiane Drummond , Ashlee Irish , Emma Louise Jones , Ashley Luke Lloyd , Samira Mighty , Jayde Nelson , Aston New , Sean Parkins , Kirk Patterson , Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton , Ryan Reid , Rohan Richards and Joshua Robinson . Let your soul sing with the dazzling multi-award winning Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre, London. With an extraordinary story and the unforgettable, spine-tingling vocals that are sending audiences wild at every single show, this spectacular musical production soars with the classic songs, ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’, ‘I Am Changing’, ‘Listen’ and ‘One Night Only’. Meet The Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit. The Original London Cast Recording of hit West End musical Dreamgirls is available via Sony Masterworks Broadway. Dreamgirls is Directed and Choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award®-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with Set Design by Tim Hatley , Costume Design by Gregg Barnes , Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone , Sound Design by Richard Brooker and Hair Design by Josh Marquette . The Musical Supervisor is Nick Finlow , the Orchestrator is Harold Wheeler, with Additional Material by Willie Reale . With Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen and Music by Henry Krieger , the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony Awards®. The original cast recording won two Grammy awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s ‘And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.’ In 2006 it was adapted into an Oscar winning motion picture starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx. Swarovski is delighted to be the Set and Costume Design partner for Dreamgirls , bringing to life the incredible visions of Tim Hatley and Gregg Barnes. Over one million Swarovski crystals have been incorporated into the production, adorning 275 costumes and 3 crystal curtains. Moya Angela, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Brennyn Lark and Marisha Wallace are appearing with the support of UK Equity, incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation, pursuant to an exchange program between American Equity and UK Equity. Up Up

Back to News & Press Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Danielle Brooks Starring in Broadway Revival of ‘The Piano Lesson’ Monday, 28 March 2022 The revival of August Wilson’s play will be directed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who will be the first woman to direct a Wilson play on Broadway. The revival is scheduled to begin performances on 19 Sept at the St. James Theater; the run is expected to last 16 weeks. Brian Moreland (“Thoughts of a Colored Man”), Sonia Friedman Productions and Tom Kirdahy (“Hadestown”) are the producers. Up Up

Back to News & Press Farinelli and the King opens to rave reviews in the West End Wednesday, 30 September 2015 Claire van Kampen’s critically-acclaimed new play Farinelli and the King , starring Mark Rylance, opened to rave reviews this week. ★★★★★ ‘Mark Rylance leads a pitch-perfect production’ The Independent ★★★★★ ‘An evening that no theatre or music lover can afford to miss’ Sunday Express ★★★★★ ‘Spellbinding, superbly staged production’ Mail on Sunday ★★★★ ‘The combination of glorious music and the chance to see Rylance in his element really make this production sing.’ The Stage ★★★★ ‘Long Live Rylance! A magical evening’ The Times ★★★★ ‘[Rylance is] a magnificent performer at the height of his powers’ Evening Standard ★★★★ ‘A beguiling gem of a play’ Financial Times ‘A pleasure that verges on the sublime.’ The Guardian ‘If music be the food of love then ‘Farinelli and the King’ is a delicatessen of exquisite delights’ Time Out Up Up

Back to News & Press The Economist asks Sonia Friedman: Will the covid-19 vaccine mean theatre curtains can rise again? Thursday, 19 November 2020 T he West End and Broadway producer says visiting closed theatres during the lockdown brought her to tears. Now that an effective vaccine is on the horizon, Anne McElvoy asks Friedman what it will take for theatre curtains to rise again. And, after the pandemic how much does it cost to restart a hit show like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ? Read the full article here. Up Up

Back to News & Press Sunny Afternoon announces UK Tour beginning in 2020 Monday, 9 December 2019 Sunny Afternoon tells the story of the early life of Ray Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks , who exploded on to the 60s music scene with a raw, energetic new sound that rocked a nation. Recipient of four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies , Sunny Aftrernoon features some of The Kinks’ best-loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset, All Day and All of the Night and Lola . Producer Sonia Friedman said today, “I’ve loved this musical from the moment Ray Davies , Joe Penhall , Ed Hall and I started to develop it several years ago and am incredibly excited and proud that we are bringing back our joyous and celebratory Olivier Award-winning Best New Musical. For those who missed it the first-time round, UK audiences will have the treat of experiencing it for the very first time or, if you’ve seen it before, you’ll be able to see it again and again! The Kinks helped shape a generation and Ray’s beautifully truthful lyrics and music are as exhilarating and relevant today as the day he wrote them. I’m so happy we will all get a chance to see Sunny Afternoon soon - I’ve missed it in my life.” Ray Davies added, “In these times of political uncertainties, it is a relief to know that Sunny Afternoon is on the horizon to lift our spirits”. Set against the backdrop of a Britain caught mid-swing between the conservative 50s and riotous 60s, this production explores the euphoric highs and agonising lows of one of Britain’s most celebrated bands and the irresistible music that influenced generations. Following a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, Sunny Afternoon opened to critical acclaim at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End in October 2014 where it ran for two years ahead of its critically-acclaimed, five-star tour of the UK and Ireland throughout 2016/17. Sunny Afternoon has music and lyrics by Ray Davies with a book by Joe Penhall and original story by Ray Davies . It is directed by Edward Hall and designed by Miriam Buether with choreography by Adam Cooper . Lighting design is by Rick Fisher with sound design by Matt McKenzie . Musical and vocal adaptations are by Ray Davies and Elliott Ware based on original Kinks’ recordings. Producers of the Sunny Afternoon UK tour include Sonia Friedman Productions , Ambassador Theatre Group Productions with Adam Blanshay Productions , Rupert Gavin . Tour schedule and further dates to be announced: www.sunnyafternoonthemusical.com Up Up

Back to Productions DREAMGIRLS – UK TOUR This production started and ended its tour at Liverpool Empire, opening on 14th December 2021 and closing on 7th January 2023. ★★★★★ Dazzling. A lavish musical that's at all times exhilarating. Evening Standard Meet The Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. ★★★★ Dreamgirls has soul in all the right places. Sunday Times Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit. ★★★★★ A glittering tour de force of disco and soul. Daily Express CAST NICOLE RAQUEL DENNIS – Effie White NATALIE KASSANGA – Deena Jones PAIGE PEDDIE – Lorrell Robinson SHARLENE HECTOR – Effie White Alternate MATT MILLS – Curtis Taylor Jr. BRANDON LEE SEARS – Jimmy Early SHEM OMARI JAMES – C.C White JO SERVI – Marty BRIANNA OGUNBAWO – Michelle Morris/Ensemble SHONA BUWU HARVEY EBBAGE ROLA ELLIOT OLIVIA FOSTER-BROWNE CHRISTOPHER GOPAUL WINNY HERBERT LUKAS HUNT KELLIANNA JAY MARLEE JAY RYAN KAYODE NICOLE LOUISE LEWIS HOLLY LIBURD DAVID MAIRS-MCKENZIE ROSS MEAGROW SAMUEL NICHOLAS ILANA RICHARDSON JOSH SINGLETON CREATIVES CASEY NICHOLAW – Director and Choreographer TIM HATLEY – Set and Costume Designer HUGH VANSTONE – Lighting Designer RICHARD BROOKER – Sound Designer JOSH MARQUETTE – Hair Designer NICK FINLOW – Music Supervisor TOM EYEN – Book and Lyrics HENRY KRIEGER – Music WILLIE REALE – Additional Material ALISON POLLARD – Associate Director SEAN PARKINS – Associate Choreographer

Back to News & Press Sonia Friedman: Everyone was looking to me, so I took the decision Tuesday, 16 March 2021 Sonia Friedman said, ‘In March 2020, I had 19 productions either running or about to go into rehearsals around the world. On March 6, I wrote in a notebook: “Prepare for a shutdown of six, eight or 12 weeks. Discuss ramifications of a 12-week shutdown with theatre owners and mitigating actions.” That’s what the thinking was. At 5pm on the 16th, the public was told not to go to the theatre, but there was no mandate to shut us down. There was about 10 minutes of “What am I meant to do?” Everyone was looking to me, so I took the decision. I sent each of my associate producers to the theatres and said ‘Tell them we can’t continue’. I then had to start dismantling dozens of productions. It was a while before the enormity of it hit me. It was very distressing and I don’t quite know why I didn’t have a breakdown but I was close to it. It took me about 15 weeks to go back to the West End. I stood outside Leopoldstadt at the Wyndham’s, having passed Harry Potter on the way. The scale of the loss was so immense, I thought: ‘How do we come back from this?’” I’m still asking that question.’ Full article can be read here . Up Up

Back to Productions ARCADIA – BROADWAY This production began performances on 26th February and closed on 19th June 2011. See it you should. ‘Arcadia’ is propelled by genuine, panting passion. A terrific play. The New York Times ARCADIA is set in April 1809 in a stately home in Derbyshire. Thomasina, a gifted pupil, proposes a startling theory, beyond her comprehension. All around her, the adults, including her tutor Septimus, are preoccupied with secret desires, illicit passions and professional rivalries. Two hundred years later, academic adversaries Hannah and Bernard (Lia Williams and Billy Crudup) are piecing together puzzling clues, curiously recalling those events of 1809, in their quest for an increasingly elusive truth. A ravishing revival. Variety ARCADIA , Tom Stoppard ’s “dazzling masterpiece, a piece of theatrical heaven” (The Daily Telegraph), returns to New York this spring for a limited engagement in an acclaimed new production directed by five-time Tony Award nominee David Leveaux. One of the best plays of my theatergoing life. The New Yorker CAST MARGARET COLIN – Lady Croom BILLY CRUDUP – Bernard Nightingale RAÚL ESPARZA – Valentine Coverly GLENN FLESHLER – Captain Brice GRACE GUMMER – Chloë Coverly EDWARD JAMES HYLAND – Jellaby BYRON JENNINGS – Richard Noakes BEL POWLEY – Thomasina Coverly TOM RILEY – Septimus Hodge NOAH ROBBINS – Gus Coverly/Augustus Coverly DAVID TURNER – Ezra Chater LIA WILLIAMS – Hannah Jarvis CREATIVES TOM STOPPARD – Playwright CORIN BUCKERIDGE – Music DAVID LEVEAUX – Director JODI MOCCIA – Choreographer HILDEGARD BECHTLER – Set Designer GREGORY GALE – Costume Designer DONALD HOLDER – Lighting Designer DAVID VAN TIEGHEM – Sound Designer NAOMI DONNE – Make-Up Designer DAVID BRIAN BROWN – Hair Designer

Back to News & Press Sonia Friedman: Everyone in British theatre will need to work together to overcome this crisis Thursday, 26 March 2020 It’s a week since we shut down the West End in the most shocking way, and the world has changed beyond all estimation. We are waking up to a nationwide lockdown. It feels like an extended and terrifying episode of Black Mirror. None of this feels real. But it is. Our industry is coming to terms with a prolonged closure. That’s not in our nature. It is human nature to socialise, to come together, to commune – particularly in times of crisis. Some theatres stayed open throughout most of the Second World War, Broadway bounced back after 9/11. This time around, we had no option. Shutting our shows was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. Our industry has done the unimaginable this month. My company alone shut down or suspended 11 shows worldwide over the course of just five days, with more to come. All other organisations have had to do the same. Hundreds of thousands of shows, big and small, have come down in no time at all. The inconceivable quickly became inevitable. Of course, shows don’t just stop. They have to be shuttered safely. That took a herculean collective effort right across the board – from casts, stage management, crews and ushers to stage management teams overseeing depleted and confused companies. From venue staff welcoming anxious audiences to box-office workers issuing exchanges and refunds en masse. And then there’s the producing and admin teams who are having to go through the unbelievably complex and emotional process of closing down or suspending their productions against a backdrop of huge uncertainty and lockdown. Everyone has played a part in something truly historic, and the professionalism and dedication on show has been utterly inspiring to watch. We will need more. We know that many freelance and self-employed workers in the theatre will be in desperate need if further government measures are not put in place very soon to support them financially. British theatre will bounce back from this, but it will take time and it will need support. British theatre is facing a challenge like never before. In the commercial sector, our margins are very tight even in the best of times and we survive by the box office; with our productions shut, we are not only in limbo but in crisis. None of us know how long these closures will last. As an industry, we’re working this out in real-time and we are, frankly, facing only the first of many, many challenges to come. We will rise to them, but to do so, we will need to work together. British theatre will bounce back from this, but it will take time and it will need support. Ours is a resourceful and resilient art form, but just as shows don’t simply stop, they can’t simply start up again on the other side either. Our world has changed and it will not simply change back. Because, for theatre, an extended closure is not just a pause or a period of hibernation. We won’t be in a position to pick up where we left off. Normal service won’t resume straight away. The nature of our business means we can’t store stock to sell next summer or fire up production lines once this is over. Shows will need re-rehearsing and companies reforming. Audiences will need encouraging back into theatres and advances will have to be rebuilt. Tourism will take a long time to recover. All this as investors are being hit by a global slowdown. Theatre is not alone in facing challenges, but it is among this country’s greatest assets. The West End remains a major economic driver, contributing almost £800 million in revenue annually and generating more than £133 million in VAT alone. We are worth the support we will need to bring back in – not just from government, but from our audiences too, and from each other. We will all have to work together – producers and theatre owners, artists and agents, backstage and front-of-house staff – with the single objective to get our beloved industry back on its feet as soon as possible. In the wider social context, British theatre will have a huge part to play once this is all over. It will be a time to come together again, to celebrate our existence, to reflect, to entertain and escape. It will do its bit for a wider recovery. We are in the business of bringing people together. That is the very reason we’ve had to shut our doors temporarily and, in due course, we will need and value that all the more. The world may have changed, but people have not. Up Up