Season preview: Curve Theatre Leicester
Photo credit: Mark Johnson
There's much to be excited for in the coming months as Curve launched their forthcoming season with a season preview last night, hosted by The Stage's deputy editor Matt Hemley and BBC Radio Leicester's Aminata Kamara.
With just over a month to go, the evening began by focusing on their forthcoming production of Billy Elliot. Opening with a performance by the four Billy’s (Leo Hollingsworth, Alfie Napolitano, Samuel Newby and Jaden Shentall-Lee) of 'Electricity', accompanied by musical director George Dyer on the piano.
As the hosts were joined by Curve's chief executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, the early discussion focused on delving further into the new production of Billy Elliot. Foster explained how immersed he, set designer Michael Taylor and choreographer Lucy Hind had been on a trip to Easington and meeting the locals. Foster further explained that Curve's metal shutters and automation lends themselves well to the metaphor of industry and that has helped in designing the production. With what is set to be Curve's biggest production to date, Foster hopes that they do justice to the lives of people whose stories they heard. Billy Elliot runs from 7 July to 14 August.
Championing Leicester stories came into focus as the community-led production Finding Home, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Ugandan Asian exodus comes to Curve's studio in July. Playwrights Ashok Patel (Ninety Days), Dilan Raithatha (Call Me By My Name) and Chandhi Mistry (Ruka) explained the process of research they'd all undertaken by setting up sessions in local community libraries where they welcomed in stories. Raithatha explained how people felt their stories didn't feel relevant anymore but this enhanced the importance of making sure these stories are celebrated. Stafford and Foster both expressed the importance of community to the Curve and how they want to people of the city and county to feel ownership, to feel welcome and for it to feel like a home from home. Finding Home runs from 29 July to 6 August.
The long-awaited co-production of Maggie May arrives at Curve in June. Leeds Playhouse Theatre and Dementia Research Associate Dr. Nicky Taylor discussed the production in more depth. Taylor detailed the research that went into developing the production and how she hopes it redresses the balance of dementia stories by offering the possibility of hope. At it's heart, Maggie May is a family story about love, communication and overcoming challenges. All performances of the production are dementia-friendly, and Taylor said this has been achieved by techniques including using a specific colour palette with Foster, lauding Taylor for her revolutionary work in creating the first dementia-friendly performance 10+ years ago. Maggie May runs at Curve from 7 to 11 June.
It's been a long yellow brick road but Curve's production of The Wizard of Oz finally opens in November and Billy Elliot company member Jessica Daley gave a rousing performance of 'Red Shoes Blues' from the show. Set designer Colin Richmond and costume and puppetry designer Rachael Canning, alongside director Foster, discussed the Americana setting with a couple of vibrant rough cards and some initial costume sketches being shown. It certainly looks like Curve will be the place to be once again this Christmas. The Wizard of Oz runs from 19 November 2022 to 8 January 2023.
Curve's co-production with Frantic Assembly of Shakespeare's Othello was the next production to be featured. Kerry Whelan and Scott Graham from the Frantic Assembly explained that the longevity of the production has been enhanced by a large student audience but how important it was to not dumb down to the piece. The pair discussed how relevant the story remains to today with racism and how misinformation can become poison. Othello runs from 19 September to 1 October.
Curve has achieved a nationwide reputation for the work it stages and much of that work has gone on to play both on tour and in the West End. There's the current tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Story, the recently opened West End run of Grease at the Dominion Theatre, a forthcoming tour of The Color Purple, an international tour of Akram Khan's Jungle Book Reimagined and the forthcoming London and touring production Sister Act. From Sister Act, Sandra Marvin who will play Deloris Van Cartier in the tour gave a storming rendition of 'Fabulous, Baby!'.
With so much work being created, it is almost hard to believe that Curve are finding time to refurbish the seating within the studio. Stafford explained how they'll create one big fixed block of seating removing the circle and creating better sightlines. The front row which can house two wheelchair spaces can be removed to create more spaces as required.
The Season Preview ended with an audience Q & A which included a beautiful moment as a lady on the front row thanked the theatre for its outreach work during the past couple of years and how it gave her family something to look forward to each week. Undoubtedly, this was the moment of the evening and touched home the importance and impact the arts can have.
The preview closed with a performance by Sally Ann Triplett who will play Mrs. Wilkinson in Billy Elliot with a powerful rendition of 'Shine' from the show. Triplett has such power and ability, she is brilliant casting for the part. This wrapped up the evening perfectly leaving the audience excited for what's to come for the rest of the year and beyond.
Full details of Curve's production and booking details can be found here.