Rehearsals have started today for the Christmas show at Theatre by the Lake. This year’s production is THE EMPEROR AND THE NIGHTINGALE – Neil Duffield‘s reworking of the tale by Hans Anderson, set in ancient China. The piece will be performed by 8 talented actor musicians, and features a score written by myself, and which is heavily influenced by traditional Chinese music. Day 1 has consisted of introducing the cast to some of the new instruments they will be tackling, including the Guzheng and the Dizi, and starting to learn some of the songs. We also had a fabulous read through of the script, and got to see the amazing set and costume designs by Martin Johns. Tomorrow will see the start of getting the show on it’s feet with Director Ian Forrest and movement director Bronya Deutsch. If you’re up near the Lakes this Christmas then please feel free to come and catch the show, which previews on Nov 25th, and opens on the 26th: https://www.theatrebythelake.com/production/14733/The-Emperor-The-Nightingale
keswick
THE RIVALS gets 4**** review from The Stage
Many thanks to Stephen Longstaffe for a lovely mention in THE STAGE review for THE RIVALS at Theatre by the Lake: “The mood is kept upbeat by composer Richard Atkinson’s delightfully sparky 18th-century score..”
You can read the whole review here: https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2016/the-rivals-review-at-theatre-by-the-lake-keswick/
Congratulations to everyone involved in making this fabulous production.
Photo by Keith Pattison.
THE RIVALS at Theatre by the Lake
I’m happy to announce that my next project as a composer will be back at Theatre by the lake with THE RIVALS by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
The play is part of the summer rep season at the theatre and will run from 29th July to 4th November, alongside five other plays.
Full details of the production can be found here:
Last day of THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE
Today sees the final two (sold out) performances of THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE. Huge thanks to all at Theatre by the Lake, and beyond, that have contributed to making the show such a success.
I am incredibly proud to have been a small part of the project. Chris Monks has done an amazing job in adapting James Rebanks’s remarkable book for the stage, and the puppet designs, and puppetry by Jimmy Grimes have helped bring the show to life in a truly magical fashion. Here’s hoping that there is a further life for the play, and that all the people who couldn’t get to Keswick, or indeed couldn’t get tickets, get the chance to see the show for themselves in the future.
In the meantime, you can follow James on Twitter @herdyshepherd1 or, if you haven’t yet done so, read the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shepherds-Life-Tale-Lake-District/dp/0141979364/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461397224&sr=8-1&keywords=rebanks+shepherd%27s
THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE is sold out!
THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE at Theatre by the lake in Keswick still has a week to run, but all performances are already sold out. If you contact the box office, you can still get on the waiting list for returns:
http://www.theatrebythelake.com/production/14224/The-Shepherd-s-Life
Another lovely review for THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE
David Upton, for The British Theatre Guide, has joined the list of reviewers keen to praise THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.
Read his review here:
http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/the-shepherd-s-theatre-by-the-12764
“THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE is perfect piece of Theatre”
The latest review for THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE at Theatre by the Lake is a rave from Karen Morley-Chesworth in the Westmorland Gazette. In it she says “This is the most perfect piece of theatre I’ve ever had the honour to watch”.
You can read the whole review here:
Amazing Twitter reactions to THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE
THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE at Theatre by the lake, Keswick, has been receiving loads of positive comments on Twitter. You can find most of them by searching for @tbtlake, @herdyshepherd1, #theshepherdslife or #shepherdslife.
Alternatively, you can follow me on Twitter: @RichAtkinsonMD, as I’ve been doing my best to retweet them all – in amongst tweets about Frank Zappa, Terry Pratchett, and Kettering Town!
THE OBSERVER reviews THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE
Clare Brennan from The Observer has added another 3 stars to the collection for THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE at Theatre by the Lake. The review is slightly less effusive than others have been, but is positive on the whole, and there is a nice mention for my score:
Another thumbs up for THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE
The local reviews have started to come in for THE SHEPHERD’S LIFE, and it’s another thumbs up – this time from Ken Powell in Egremont2day:
http://egremont2day.co.uk/theatre-review-the-shepherds-life-at-theatre-by-the-lake
Richard Atkinson 