Seabright Productions brings three popular shows back to London for socially distanced audiences
‘Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope’ – a glorious, truthful and uplifting celebration of a genuinely unique human being, multi award-winning cabaret-musical ‘A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad)’ and acclaimed play ‘Black Is The Color of My Voice’ starring Fringe First award winner Apphia Campbell, are to be presented together in a short season at Wilton’s Music Hall curated by Olivier Award-winning producer, James Seabright.
QUENTIN CRISP: NAKED HOPE
Tuesday 1 June, 2021 at 7.30pm
‘Naked Hope’ is a glorious, truthful and uplifting celebration of a genuinely unique human being, and of the urgent necessity to be yourself. Written and performed by Mark Farrelly, and directed by the legendary Linda Marlowe, who also directed Farrelly’s show ‘The Silence of Snow’.
“It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile, Be yourself no matter what they say.” – Lyric from ‘An Englishman In New York’, written by Sting about Quentin Crisp.
‘Naked Hope’ depicts the legendary Quentin Crisp at two distinct phases of his extraordinary life. Firstly, in the late 1960s in his filthy Chelsea flat.
“Don’t lose your nerve: after the first four years the dust won’t get any worse”
The second part of the play transitions the audience to New York in the 1990s. Here a much older Quentin, finally embraced by society, regales the audience with his sharply observed, hard-earned philosophy on how to have a lifestyle.
“Life will be more difficult if you try to become yourself. But avoiding this difficulty renders life meaningless. So discover who you are. And be it. Like mad!”
A SUPER SAD STORY (ABOUT FEELING SUPER SAD)
Thursday 3 & Friday 4 June 2021, at 7.30pm
Following award-winning, sell-out London and Edinburgh seasons, and prior to appearing off-Broadway, the acclaimed cabaret musical that explores how it’s OK to not be OK comes to Wilton’s for two nights only. Written by double Olivier award winner Jon Brittain (‘Baby Reindeer’; ‘Rotterdam’; ‘Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho’) with music by Matthew Floyd Jones (Frisky and Mannish).
Sally’s a happy person. She doesn’t let little things get her down and almost never cries. But she’s got an illness. It makes her feel like she isn’t the person she wants to be, but she doesn’t want anyone to know about it.
Winner: Scotsman Fringe First Award and Best Musical Award at Edinburgh Fringe, nominated: Best Musical Off West End Awards (Offies) 2020, Best Director (Musicals) Off West End Awards (Offies) 2020, BeBest Mental Health Fringe Award and Holden Street Theatre Award.
‘A Super Happy Story’ has been created with, and commissioned by, award-winning Hull company, Silent Uproar, who champion writers to create daring and fun nights out to make the world a little bit better.
BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY VOICE
Saturday 5 June, 2021 at 7.30pm
Following sell-out seasons in Shanghai, New York, Edinburgh and at London’s Trafalgar Studios, Wilton’s Music Hall and Crazy Coqs, the Fringe First award winner Apphia Campbell brings her acclaimed play with back to Wilton’s for one night only.
Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, Apphia Campbell’s stunning solo performance ‘Black Is The Color Of My Voice’ follows a successful jazz singer and civil rights activist seeking redemption after the untimely death of her father. She reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy destined for a life in the service of the church, to a renowned jazz vocalist at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement.
Little Angel Theatre reopens from 28 May with Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s The Smartest Giant in Town
Little Angel Theatre will open its doors again to socially distanced audiences with a brand-new production based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved story The Smartest Giant in Town, published by Macmillan Children’s Books. Co-produced with Fierylight, the new show is a highlight of Little Angel’s 60th anniversary season and will run from 28 May – 8 August at Little Angel Studios. Tickets will go on-sale on 12 May (subject to government guidelines) at littleangeltheatre.com.
The Smartest Giant in Town is adapted for the stage by Little Angel artistic director Samantha Lane, who also directs, and award-winning musician Barb Jungr, who has also composed new music for the production. Their previous collaborations for Little Angel including The Singing Mermaid, Mother Christmas and The Pixie & the Pudding.
This heart-warming tale about kindness and helping those in need will be brought to life in a musical, puppet-filled adventure, following on from Little Angel’s bestselling adaptations of Julia Donaldson’s picture books including The Paper Dolls, The Flying Bath, The Further Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat, The Everywhere Bear and The Singing Mermaid.
George wishes he wasn’t the scruffiest giant in town. So when he sees a new shop selling giant-sized clothes, he decides it’s time for a new look: smart trousers, smart shirt, stripy tie, shiny shoes. Now he’s the smartest giant in town . . . until he bumps into some animals who desperately need his help – and his clothes!
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are the UK’s leading picture book partnership. Their books together, which include modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, are popular globally and have sold over 75 million copies worldwide. The Smartest Giant in Town was first published by Macmillan Children’s Books in 2002.
Be sure to check out our Family Theatre Fun page for lots of fun activities, games and online theatre for the whole family to enjoy.