UK

Concord Theatricals UK started 2023 with some buzz. These highlights from the past three months include significant anniversaries, exciting acquisitions and the scoop from the Olivier Awards.

Join our sleepover with author Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini to discuss her new play Sleepova; a frank, funny coming-of-age ode to black women. Get comfy and read Matilda’s thoughts on the play, its characters and her advice for young queer Black women.

A delicious treat for theatre lovers! Here are some tasty, theatrically-themed pancake topping ideas, inspired by great shows from The Sound of Music to SIX.

We chatted with playwright Mahad Ali about the inspirations and the characters of his debut play, My Brother’s Keeper, about two refugee brothers who arrive in a small British seaside town and discover love, pain and commmunity.

Meet the four students from Birds and Bees, the latest play by Charlie Josephine. After causing a disruption during a school assembly, four students are forced together to work on an apology statement. Facing their differences, they realise their power to create change.

Playwright Joel Horwood discusses his stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane, describing the challenges and rewards of transferring the fantasy/sci-fi myth from page to stage.

Since its 1945 premiere in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” has continued to inspire. We explore the song’s cultural impact through the world of football and charity singles.

We spoke to playwright Guy Unsworth about his adaptation of the hit 1970s British sitcom Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em — the adaptation’s inspirations, the original show’s continued appeal and the experiences of working with the original show’s creator late Raymond Allen.

We chatted with the creators of the West End hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie about the new Teen Edition: advices on putting on and performing in the show for the teachers and students. Put on your heels and step into the world of Jamie New.

Celebrated Virgins creators Katie Elin-Salt and Eleri B. Jones discuss their creative process in adapting the true story of Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby, lifetime partners who were cast off by society in late 18th-century Ireland.

Nick Newman, co-author of Spike, writes about the legacy of comedian and writer Spike Milligan, celebrating his influence on the British satirical news magazine Private Eye and the BBC’s The Goon Show.

The Bard’s classic and timeless characters have been reimagined by author Andrew Shepherd in his epic, romantic, tragic, sci-fi comedy, The Shakespeare Conspiracy. In this conversation, Shepherd shares his love of Shakespeare and explains the creative process behind his ‘real’ and ‘theatre’ worlds.

We interviewed playwright Charlie Josephine for their latest works – the critically acclaimed I, Joan and Monologues for ‘Others’. Find out more their inspirations and creative process behind these titles.

Here’s our hand-picked selection of titles from the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival — GirlPlay, MUSTARD and SHEWOLVES. Join the Festival’s 75th anniversary celebration by attending the performances in person or buying a script from Concord Theatricals’ website.

David Tristram is one of the UK’s most popular playwrights – his comedies have been performed more than 10,000 times by professional and amateur companies worldwide. We caught up with the man behind the mask to learn more.

Playwright Frankie Meredith, author of May Queen, discusses her play, her inspirations and her relationship to Coventry.

Playwright Archie Maddocks, author of the bittersweet comedy A Place For We, discusses the play, his artistic influences, and his dual roles as playwright and stand-up comedian.

An interview with the playwright Margaret Perry, whose play Porcelain premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in 2018.

Pravin Wilkins discusses his play Moreno, which won the 2020 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award.

An interview with the playwright Una McKevitt, whose comic play One Good Turn premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in 2021.

Hear from a range of amateur theatre companies about their experiences of staging Calendar Girls The Musical.

Get to know the eight Finalists of the 2021 Women’s Prize for Playwriting, of which Concord Theatricals is a proud sponsor.

To celebrate the extraordinary work that that has been championed by the Alfred Fagon Award over the years, we caught up with some of our authors to hear about what being affiliated with the Award means to them and why it matters in the industry today.

Lisa Carroll discusses how she approached exploring themes of teenage identity and cruelty in her play Cuckoo.

Playwright and author Esther Freud discusses the creative inspiration behind her play Stitchers, which follows the story of Lady Anne Tree as she introduces needlecraft classes to prisoners.

Rachel Wagstaff and Richard Taylor discuss adapting Paul Gallico’s novel for the stage.

Tarek ‘Taz’ Skylar and Ross Berkeley Simpson discuss working together on Warheads, a striking show based on the lasting impact of war on those who return from it and try to assimilate back into the day-to-day.

With Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ now available to license, we caught up with the authors about the new musical and its timeless appeal.

Discover the inspiration behind writer James McDermott’s Time and Tide and Rubber Ring and what he hopes audiences gain from experiencing his work.

We talk to Kill The Beast about their adaptation of Tom Barker’s The Boy Who Kicked Pigs – a brilliantly dark and funny story of a very naughty kid whose tricks quickly spiral out of control and lead to his comeuppance.

From a best-selling novel to Hollywood, and then to the theatre, The Girl on the Train has lived many lives. Discover how Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel adapted this fantastic drama for the stage.

Get to know the eight finalists for the 2020 Women’s Prize for Playwriting, proudly sponsored by Concord Theatricals.