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The New Theatre Cardiff

A gloriously funny tribute to the “tall one with glasses”

West End hit show ‘Morecambe’ at the New Theatre

One of the biggest theatrical hits of the year is coming to Cardiff. Morecambe was the runaway success of the Edinburgh Fringe 2009 which was followed by a hugely successful West End run where it scooped up the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. The production toured the UK to sell-out houses and Morecambe now takes to the road for one final tour beginning at the New Theatre from Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 September

Leaving no stone unturned, this gloriously funny portrait goes on a journey through the life of half of one of Britain’s best-loved double acts. This one man tour-de-force performance covers Eric Morecambe’s entire life from a childhood standing on tables, singing and telling jokes, through to his first professional engagement. The evening documents how as a teenager a chance meeting with Ernie Wise sowed the seeds of a partnership that was to blossom for 40 years and make them a national institution. Not shying away from the tough stuff either, the show touches also on the health problems which led to his untimely death.

Since he took on this extraordinary role, audiences have been bowled over by Bob Golding’s uncanny likeness to the man himself. With this performance he proves himself not only as a great actor and mimic but also a comic with superb timing, becoming the reincarnation of one of the most universally admired comedians.

This stunning portrayal fittingly marks the 25th anniversary of Eric Morecambe’s final curtain by doing exactly what Morecambe did, entertaining right to the end and putting a smile on everyone’s face.

A master class in Shakespeare from the master of the stage

Shakespeare: The Man from Stratford at the New Theatre

Friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears! Actor Simon Callow invites audiences to join him as he explores the personal life and unforgettable characters of Britain’s most famous playwright in Shakespeare: The Man from Stratford at the New Theatre from Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 September.

Straight from a hugely successful run in this years Edinburgh festival, this charismatic one man show is structured around Shakespeare’s own description of the seven ages of man. Callow expertly guides audiences through the life and times of the Bard, from starting work in his father’s glove making business before marrying an older woman and moving London where he found fame and fortune.

Simon Callow expertly skips from Welsh schoolmaster to nursemaid, from Julius Caesar to Hamlet, effortlessly shape-shifting from a cockney Bottom to a stricken Lear. A stage presence nothing short of mesmerizing conjures up the sights and sounds of London showing audiences what it was really like to live in 16th Century Britain.

Shakespeare: The Man From Stratford follows Simon Callow’s huge international success with The Mystery of Charles Dickens and his recent sell-out hit Dr Marigold & Mr Chops. Simon’s extensive film and television work includes Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, playing Charles Dickens in an episode of Doctor Who and Tom Chance in the series Chance in a Million. Last year, he appeared on stage as Pozzo in “Waiting for Godot” with Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Ronald Pickup. He has written biographies of Oscar Wilde, Charles Laughton and Orson Welles.

The show is penned by Jonathan Bate, the pre-eminent Shakespeare biographer and editor of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Shakespeare: The Complete Works. His book, The Genius of Shakespeare (1997), is widely held as the best modern book on Shakespeare.

Rumours are scotched and urban myths allayed, this tour-de-force performance leaves audiences entertained, educated and wanting more. A master class in Shakespeare from the master of the stage.

Shakespeare: The Man from Stratford is at the New Theatre, Cardiff from Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 September. Tickets range from £8.50 - £25.50

Morecambe is at the New Theatre, Cardiff from Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 September. Tickets range from £7.50 - £21.00 and can booked via the Box Office on 029 2087 8889 or online* at www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

Box Office 029 2087 8889

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