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Thursday 26 September 2013

Andrew Lawrence comes to town tomorrow night with show "THERE IS NO ESCAPE".

The Sundial Theatre is back with some great comedy! Touring all over the UK and Dublin Ireland, Andrew Lawrence is known from BBC1's Live at the Apollo show. Tickets being only £15, what better way to start your night out than seeing a national comedian! The show starts at 8pm and if you go into town afterwards there will still be plenty of time to let all your friends know what they missed out on!

Tickets and more information can be found here: http://sundial-theatre.co.uk/
To keep up with the Sundial why not follow their social media here?
Twitter: @Sundial_Theatre
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sundial-Theatre/197565506927594?fref=ts

Tuesday 24 September 2013

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Sundial Theatre


As the new school year gets back in swing, we take a retrospective look back at what happened at the close of last term...

From 3-6 July at the Sundial Theatre Cirencester, local dance school, Cirencester Creative Dance Academy (CCDA), staged their annual dance show.  CCDA's summer show is always a highlight in the local calendar and, despite the performers ranging from just 3 years old to 18; the quality of their performances is surprisingly professional.  This year CCDA surpassed all previous shows and included a truly amazing, one-act, balletic version of the C.S Lewis children’s fantasy novel, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Principal, Katherine- Lucy Bates, choreographed and directed a contemporary ballet that, although has been staged in the US, has never been performed professionally in this country. 

The ballet, which mirrored the original story throughout in terms of style and period, was set in wartime England with the 4 leading characters Lucy, Susan, Peter and Edmund portrayed by Amy Williamson, Georgia Bew, Emma Clifford and Sota Ondera.  Each of these young dancers performed throughout with grace, conviction and an authenticity beyond their young years.  The wardrobe, which plays such a central role in the storyline, was cleverly staged by dancers inside what can only be described as giant brown bean-bags – each dancer, with arms and legs stretched out, formed a panel of the wardrobe.  This imaginative staging allowed the ballet to flow from scene to scene with great continuity.

The casting for this production was superb.  The talented Kathryn King played Tumnus in brilliant character, the White Witch by the very poised Caley Merchant and the immensely gifted and graceful Molly Beebee played a truly regal and stunning Aslan. One of the great skills of CCDA’s shows is the way that Katherine integrates the older more experienced dancers with the very youngest – this production was no exception.  The audience was delighted by the irregular appearances of the very youngest dancers and, on one occasion, dressed as the most adorable little owls. Their costumes, like all of those in the show, were absolutely stunning and so cleverly put together.

The second part of the evenings’ entertainment was a patchwork of dance styles that included tap, modern, jazz and street.  Here one could see the children let their hair down, so to speak, and really express themselves in their own way through both song and dance. The evening was truly entertaining and is definitely not just for the friends and relatives of the dancers.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in terms of choreography and staging, was worthy of a far greater audience than the Sundial can produce and suggestions have already been made that Katherine should discuss this production with a professional dance company…watch this space!

Michelle Folt-Holt July 2013 

Sunday 15 September 2013

Sundial Theatre Review: Alistair McGowan "Not Just a Pretty Voice" 14th September 2013

Photo by Clare Park
Evan Burgess visited the Sundial theatre to see Alistair McGowan, recently the subject of a "Who do You Think You Are?" episode...

Impressionist Alistair McGowan, well known from his show “Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression” came to Cirencester on the second date of his tour “Not Just a Pretty Voice”. Without sketches, Alistair was facing the audience head on at all times. He worked the room with a masterful tradecraft, acting as his own compeer as well as trying new material.

Any holes in learning his new routine were covered seamlessly. It was like a unicyclist regaining their balance after going over some rough ground. With a career over many years, he has enough experience and material to fall back on to paper over any cracks. However, the most rewarding aspect was seeing fresh lines delivered successfully, some for the first time in Cirencester.

Covering politics, sport and society at large, the show was a diverse tapestry. The first hour, a “getting to know you” kind of affair warmed the audience up and finished just as the craving for another beverage arrived.

After the break, the main show began with tight lines and plenty of call backs from the first half. Intelligent and engaging, there wasn’t a lull and by the end of the show the applause demanded a quick encore, finishing on a high note so that no one would be going home disappointed!


Next big comedy shows at the Sundial are Andrew Lawrence September 27th and Phil Jupitus on October 18th. For tickets visit: http://sundial-theatre.co.uk/

Saturday 7 September 2013

Alistair McGowan-'Not Just a Pretty Voice" comes to Cirencester 14th September...

Photo by Clare Park
Another Bountiful Night for the Sundial...
Cirencester's top venue for live entertainment, the Sundial is revving up again for the on season of indoor entertainment. Kicking off the Autumn period is Alistair McGowan with his show "Not Just A Pretty Voice".

Alistair, well known for his spot on impressions from the well loved series 'Alistair McGowan's Big Impression' is returning to his stand up roots. Ditching sketches, Alistair is still potent without a supporting cast.

If you're interested, get in touch with the Sundial whilst a few tickets still remain!
boxoffice@cirencester.ac.uk
http://www.sundial-theatre.co.uk/
01285 654228