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Kids in dream land - S4K Dream in Middlesbrough

YOUNG performers at a Middlesbrough primary school have brought one of Shakespeare's best loved comedies to life.

Pupils at Lingfield Primary School in Marton wowed audiences with their version of A Midsummer Night�s Dream - getting a standing ovation on the opening night.

More than 70 children aged from eight to 11 were involved in the Shakespeare 4 Kidz production which ran over three nights.

The school�s deputy head Darren Gamble, who was one of the producers, told the Gazette he had been overwhelmed by the talent and commitment of the Lingfield pupils.

He said: �We started the auditions back in October of last year and the journey the children have been on to create this amazing performance has been a long and yet prosperous one. We are so proud of what they have achieved and the audience enjoyed some big surprises when they saw the incredible show on display.

�This is the first time the children have attempted a Shakespeare play and they have risen to the challenge, producing a play that has surpassed all expectations.�

Along with the Friends of Lingfield charity, the school was also supported by local businesses and Middlesbrough Council to assist in the purchase of specialist lighting and sound equipment.

Mr Gamble added: �We wanted to create a production that was worthy of the children's talents, but through the smoke, lights and enchanting soundtrack the stunning performances of the children stand out.�

The show tops off an excellent year for the school who received an outstanding Ofsted report back in March.

Click here to see the original article and subsequent comments at the MIDDLESBROUGH EVENING GAZETTE website

by Karen Faughey, Evening Gazette

Dirty Den to star in Hastings Aladdin

S4K's sister company JC Theatre Productions, which is co-producing ALADDIN this year's Hastings Panto, has announced EastEnders' favourite Leslie Grantham as Abanazar

DIRTY DEN TO STAR AS PANTO BADDIE

Get ready to boo one of the greatest panto villains ever: former EastEnders star Leslie �Dirty Den� Grantham will play baddie Abanazar in Aladdin at the White Rock Theatre in Hastings this Christmas.

Grantham is a panto legend who has previously wowed sell-out audiences with his dastardly Captain Hook in Peter Pan and Dirty Rat in Dick Whittington.

He will head an all-star cast in Aladdin, which opens at the White Rock on Friday December 11 and runs to Sunday January 3.

Grantham created the role of Den Watts, landlord of the Queen Vic in EastEnders, in 1985 and he quickly became an icon.

On Christmas Day the following year Grantham's character served his on-screen wife (Anita Dobson) with divorce papers, with the famous line "Happy Christmas Angie" and the episode was watched by a record 30 million viewers - over half the British population.

In 2003 over 17 million people watched one of the most anticipated TV events of the year when Den �returned from the dead� and spoke the famous words, "Hello, princess" to his screen daughter Sharon (Letitia Dean).

And that�s a line he�s sure to repeat when he meets the beautiful Princess Jasmine on stage in Aladdin.

The panto is produced by the same creative team behind last year�s Peter Pan at the venue, which broke all box office records.

There will be gorgeous sets and costumes and joining in the fun will be a large chorus of local young singers and dancers.

Audiences are being invited on the magic carpet ride of a lifetime, with Leslie Grantham leading the way from the East End to the excitement of the mystic East where Aladdin will discover a magic lamp, have his wishes granted and find fame, fortune and beautiful royal bride Princess Jasmine.

Julian Chenery, who is producing the show with HQ Theatres, said: �We are delighted to have Leslie Grantham on board this year and promise the panto will be full of all the traditional fun plus a few surprises. It will be pure genie-us!�

Tickets are on sale now from the box office at 01424 462288 or via the online box office at www.whiterocktheatre.org.uk

TO BE A MAN to encore in London

Proof of life after death in showbiz

A ballad which was axed from Shakespeare 4 Kidz� musical Hamlet is now enjoying a kiss-of-life revival.

The number had to be cut because it made the show too long for its young target audience so To Be a Man ended up on the proverbial cutting room floor.

But luckily that wasn�t the final resting place for the song. Writers Julian Chenery and Matt Gimblett entered it for the Stephen Sondheim/Stiles & Drewe song competition (to recognise the best student performer and the best song in a new British musical) which took place recently at London�s Playhouse where it was sung by RADA student Michael Peavoy.

Judges and audience alike loved it: and the song was announced as runner-up.

Now the song is going on to even greater things and will feature during a charity event called Snappy Title on September 20 to launch a new website (New Musicals Network).

The evening is to raise money for Mercury Musical Developments and the Actors� Benevolent Fund and will include a number of songs from new musicals performed by cast members from West End shows.
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Organiser Peter Auker saw Michael Peavoy perform To Be a Man at the Sondheim Society competition, and was greatly impressed.

He invited Michael to sing the song again at Snappy Title and Julian Chenery and Matt Gimblett were delighted to give consent for To Be a Man to be part of the event.

JC said: �When Michael sang To Be a Man at the Playhouse he absolutely brought the house down. We can�t wait to hear him perform it again � and for such a brilliant cause. Of course we will be there to cheer him on.�

Primary schools bring Shakespeare to life

From the Stoke Sentinel

PRIMARY school pupils have staged their own outdoor Shakespeare festival after tackling some of the Bard's most famous tales of star-crossed lovers, murder, and fantasy.

Around 120 children from three Stoke-on-Trent schools performed abridged versions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth to an audience of parents and school staff yesterday.

They ranged from traditional approaches, with youngsters memorising Shakespearean prose, to modern interpretations featuring songs and dances.

The festival was hosted by Belgrave Primary, in Longton, and brought together nine to 11-year-olds from Belgrave and two Fenton schools, Clarice Cliff Primary and Glebe Primary.

Each school chose a different play and Belgrave's adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream even included a cameo by William Shakespeare himself.

Imaan Parvez, aged 11, who played the famous playwright, said: "I had to open the play and say the opening lines. Then I came on again at the end."

He got involved through his school's drama club and the children also picked up tips from a professional company called Shakespeare 4 Kidz. Imaan said: "I thought it was going to be quite hard doing a Shakespeare play, but it's been really good."

Eleven-year-old Jessica Wrench, who was also part of the cast from Belgrave, added: "The best bit was getting to perform and to be seen by other schools."

Clarice Cliff pupils tackled Romeo and Juliet, which they turned into a rock musical, and pupils from Glebe Primary staged Macbeth. The festival was organised on the back of a Royal Shakespeare Company manifesto, aimed at getting more young people involved in performances.

John Collier, deputy head of Belgrave Primary School, said: "It's helped them explore and understand the text. It's been brilliant."

Ten-year-old Clarice Cliff pupil Matthew Wood, who played Romeo, said: "We had to audition for the roles. I hadn't done any Shakespeare before, but once I learnt the lines, it was quite easy."

Gill Latos, headteacher of Clarice Cliff Primary School, said: "It has been such a wonderful opportunity for the children."

Click here to read the original article on The This is Staffordshire/Stoke Sentinel website

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What they say about us:
S4K HAMLET: "We took our Year 5s, all 197 of them, to see S4K Hamlet at the Journal Tyne Theatre in Newcastle. It was the most amazing spectacle I think I have ever seen. The kids were transfixed from start to finish. I would even say it was better than the RSC production I saw a couple of years ago! All the kids talked about on the way back to school was how great it was and when were we going to see another one. I cannot praise the actors and other people involved in putting on this production highly enough. I loved it so much and can't wait or the next one. Congratulations and well done to everyone." Middle School, Newcastle

What they say about us:

S4K HAMLET: "We took our Year 5s, all 197 of them, to see S4K Hamlet at the Journal Tyne Theatre in Newcastle. It was the most amazing spectacle I think I have ever seen. The kids were transfixed from start to finish. I would even say it was better than the RSC production I saw a couple of years ago! All the kids talked about on the way back to school was how great it was and when were we going to see another one. I cannot praise the actors and other people involved in putting on this production highly enough. I loved it so much and can't wait or the next one. Congratulations and well done to everyone." Middle School, Newcastle