Love Sax and All That Jazz

After two SOLD OUT shows in London, Love Sax and all that Jazz continues it national tour with its sensational piece of theatre written by MOBO nominated spoken word and gospel artiste Alan Charles.

The cleverly written play, which received much critical acclaim, tells the story about something that all have and need in life – relationships! It chronicles the experiences of four female friends as they come to terms with their individual circumstance. How do they react to their situations and what do they learn? Through their stories the production touches on such topics as singleness, infidelity, divorce, abuse, fornication, hence love and all that Jazz!

Regarded as thought provoking, humorous and inspiring, not to mention an edutainment for the entire family, Love Sax and All That Jazz, which has a live band, incorporates music, comedy, spoken word, romance and plenty of drama!

The cast includes Shirley Grant, Angela Blake, Kay Corion, Selina Alexanders, Michelle Corion-Homer, Karen Satchwell-Higgins, Michelle Charles, Rohan Alexander, Owen Johnson-Smith, Jason Grant, Raymond Sutherland, Courtney Hoilet and Adjobiah Ackah.

Love Sax and All That Jazz has been around for less than a year and in that short time, has toured the UK including London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Luton and now it’s time for High Wycombe. Later this year plans are in place for Liverpool and Sheffield with the play going international to Trinidad.

The play will be showing for 2 nights only on: Sunday 20 June at Wycombe Swan Theatre, St Mary Street, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 2XE. 7pm. Adms: £13 Adv or £15 door. Info: 01494 512 000 / www.wycombeswan.co.uk and on Sunday 4th July at Broadway Theatre, Ruchey Green, Catford, SE6 4RU. 7pm. Adms: £13 Adv or £15 door. Info: 0208 690 0002 / www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk

Tales From Haunted Liverpool

Some people may recognize Tom Slemen as a popular columnist in the Liverpool Echo and Lifestyle Monthly magazine, not to mention his weekly spot on BBC Radio Merseyside. However he is also well known for nine books of 'Haunted Liverpool'; two books of 'Haunted Wirral' and the Haunted City.

All of these literary successes contain many spine tingling tales of Liverpool past and present and have regularly been number one in the Liverpool bestselling book charts, so isn't it great that they are also accessible via the stage?

Director Jen Heyes who has adapted Slemen's best-selling books to date now present Tales From Haunted Liverpool (volumes 5-6) which is described as yet another 'theatrical experience', obviously thought so.

Following the sell-out Nov 2009 and Mar 2010 runs, volumes 5 and 6 awaken in an atmospheric re-telling of his chilling tales, the third in this popular series of performances.

Lynn Francis   -   Jamie Hampson

"Each haunting tale was enhanced by atmospheric musical interludes, including Irish sea shanties, and mournful love songs which near left me in tears... Skilfully injecting moments of terror and humour in equal measure, a thoroughly enjoyable way to learn the ghostly history," says Heyes, who has built up an extensive portfolio in theatre production and direction, along with Lorca's Blood Wedding, Misery, Trapped, Much Ado about Nothing, The Little Mermaid, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Norse Myths - to name but a few.

Tales from Haunted Liverpool is performed by some of Liverpool's best-loved and multi-talented performers who take you on a journey into Liverpool's dark supernatural world bringing the characters of past and present to life. The actors cleverly deliver readings, performance, musical interludes and haunting melodies utilising every inch of the stunning concert room, making this a unique theatrical experience that leaves you wanting more.

Mother and daughter acting team Lynn Francis (The Salon and Doctors) and Jamie Hampson, formerly known as Jamie Clarke (Twopence to Cross the Mersey and The Royal), have been confirmed amongst the cast performing at the sell-out series of dramatic tales.

Tales From Haunted Liverpool, will be staged from Friday 18 -20 June at St. George's Concert Room, North Entrance, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L1 1JJ. 8pm and 4pm. Adm: £13.00 (Stalls and Curved Seating) and £11.50 (Balcony). Info: 0844 8000 400.

Desert Boy

They say your life flashes in front of you just before you die. But supposing it's not just your life... supposing it's someone else's...?

Soldier Boy's in a deep situation. Minding his own on the streets of Deptford, he collides with trouble. Suddenly the feeling of a knife being twisted in his belly, struck down, his cries are heard through the centuries by the long-dead Desert Man, from Mali 300 years ago...

This is the start of an astonishing trip, from the chaos and crime of London streets to the stench of slaveships on the open seas and the chains of cotton plantations in America's Deep South.

Man and boy share the absurdity and brutality of their history in order to shape their future. A new play by Mojisola Adebayo.

The play is written by Mojisola Adebayowho regularly collaborates with international artists from various disciplines creating accessible, inclusive, multi-sensory, and physical storytelling theatre performances and workshops, broadly African aesthetic. All of her work is concerned with power, identity, and change.

With musical direction from Felix Cross Desert boy is shot with killer voices, singing across the ages from Malito hip hop, from slave songsto rap, Desert Boy is a hilarious, fantastic and provoking new musical epic.

See Desert Boy from now until Sat 15 May at The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, London, SE8. 7.30pm. Adm: £12, concs £8. Lookout for a Post Show Talk Backs on Thursday 6 & 13 May - with the creative team and guests; an after Party with DJs on Fridays 7 & 14 May and a BSL interpreted performance on Thursday 13 May. Info: 0208 692 446 / www.thealbany.org.uk

By Zara Marie Cumberbatch

The Harder They Come

It was the 1972 movie that took reggae to the world. Following its high profile performances in Toronto and Miami, then a triumphant West End run The Harder They Come is set to take Britain by storm once again with a national seven-venue tour.

The iconic reggae musical originates from author Perry Henzell's quintessential tale of 70s Jamaica to life and was made into a groundbreaking film starring Jimmy Cliff.

The stage feature his classic songs such as You Can Get It If You Really Want It, Rivers of Babylon, and the hit title track, The Harder They Come. An all time classic film soundtrack and one of reggae's best ever selling recordings, Cliff's songs remain as inspirational and relevant as when they were first written in the aftermath of Jamaica's early years of Independence.

"Although the songs were all written in the early seventies they're still as fresh today - not just with an audience that remembers them from their youth, but with a young audience - black and white - that identifies with these timeless popular classics," says show producer Jan Ryan.

The story of a Jamaican rebel with a cause is spectacularly staged with an acclaimed cast and full reggae band, the music comes alive in a powerful and life-affirming drama of broken dreams, wasted youth and redemption. With 1970s authenticity and the resonance of a modern fable of gangs, guns and disaffected youth, The Harder They Come is not only a successful show in its own right, but also a potent cultural expression of contemporary Britain's ongoing issues of social exclusion, poverty and inner-city breakdown.

"What's really special is the total integrity with which the show has been mounted," adds Ryan. "It is the first genuine black Caribbean musical to be staged in the UK. Through Henzell's creative vision and supported by a top production team, the live show has an authenticity and truthfulness which energises audiences as much as the performers."

Since its first opening the show has continued to attract enthusiastic audiences through its vivid characterisation, timeless music and dramatic bite.

The Harder They Come, presented by UK Arts International, takes place from May to July 2010. (May 14 - 22) at Nottingham Playhouse - www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk; ( May 25 - 29)Birmingham Hippodrome - www.birminghamhippodrome.com ((June 1- 5) West Yorkshire Playhouse - www.wyp.org.uk; (June 8-12) Northampton Derngate - www.royalandderngate.co.uk; (Jun 15 - 19) Wimbledon theatre - www.ambassadortickets.com/New-Wimbledon-Theatre; (Jun 22 - 26) The Lowry, Salford - www.thelowry.com; (Jun 29 - July 3) Oxford Playhouse - www.oxfordplayhouse.com; (Jul 6-10) Cardiff New Theatre. Info: www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

Thurs 3 - 5 June
THE BOOK OF DISQUIET
In the 75th anniversary year of his death, Fernando Pessoa's Book of Disquiet is still making an impact after its discovery following his death in 1935. Since then it has been listed in the Guardian's top 100 books of all time because of its part novel, part memoir philosophical meditation on the futility of living. Newly translated and re-imagined across three cities in three moments in time by Mark O'Thomas this work-in-progress marks the beginning of an investigative process which explores the legacy and continuing relevance of this masterpiece by Portugal's greatest writer of the Twentieth Century. Venue: Blue Elephant Theatre, 59a Bethwin Rd, Camberwell, London SE5 0XT. 8pm. Adm: £6, conc £5.50 FREE 4 under 26 years Info: 0207 701 0100/ www.bookofdisquiet.wordpress.com / www.markothomas.com

Mon 7 - 11 June
SPARK: LONDON
Everyone has a story in them. The Blue Elephant will be putting that to the test in a week dedicated to storytelling. Based on the sell-out shows at the Canal Cafe Theatre, a specially selected group of Londoners will tell their extraordinary stories of life in this fine city, based on a different theme each night. With live music, and a change of line-up every night: "Britain's first true-storytelling club night" The Guardian. Venue: Blue Elephant Theatre, 59a Bethwin Rd, Camberwell, London SE5 0XT. 8pm. Adm: Mon-Thurs £8, Fri. £5 conc £6 FREE 4 under 26 years. SPECIAL OFFER: see one show, get the rest half price!!! Info: 0207 701 0100 www.blueelephanttheatre.co.uk / info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk. Those with a story to tell - and happy to share it - should contact blueelephant@sparklondon.com with stories that fall under the following umbrellas; 'Animal Magnetism (Mon 7th)', 'Guts' (Tues 8th), 'Home' (Wed 9th), 'Special Delivery' (Thurs 10th) and 'Close Calls' (Fri 11th).

Tues 15 Jun - 10 Jul
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
Set in the Cheops Pyramid, Egypt circa 2,700 B.C. Steve Hennessey's play captures the period when hundred thousand men would haul two and a half million limestone weighing a total of six million tons up a building the size of a skyscraper using nothing but human muscle. Hennessey centres the story on Makhthon; a young man who has to adapt quickly to a new life in a work gang where intense friendships and hatreds are forged in a feverish furnace of desert heat, brutal humour, backbreaking work, horrific accidents, drink, sex & death. So as the ghosts of dead workmates and visions of Amun Ra the Sun God elbow their way into Makhthon's dreams, something strange is happening just out of sight, on the higher ledges of the pyramid, where the workers are never allowed. Where does the stairway really lead? Venue: Blue Elephant Theatre, 59a Bethwin Rd, Camberwell, London SE5 0XT. 8pm. Adm: £10, conc £8 FREE 4 under 26 years Previews: Tues 15 & Wed 16 June £7. Info: 0207 701 0100/ www.blueelephanttheatre.co.uk / info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk / www.steppingouttheatre.co.uk / www.fallenangeltc.com