Rambert presents the UK tour of Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, a dance theatre show written and adapted for the stage by Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight and choreographed and directed by Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, inspired by the TV series produced and owned by Caryn Mandabach Productions.

The production is at The Lowry, Salford, from Tuesday 14^th to Saturday 18^th March.

Exhilarating and athletic dance from the full Rambert dance company combine with an electrifying and eclectic Peaky soundtrack from live on-stage musicians, to present the story of the Peaky Blinders at the end of World War One following Tommy Shelby and Grace Burgess through their passionate love affair.

Guillaume Quéau and Prince Lyons will alternate the role of Thomas Shelby, with Aishwarya Raut, Naya Lovell and Seren Williams alternating the role of Grace, in a performance that sees the permanent Rambert dance company take to the stage.

Birmingham-born writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah, who played street preacher Jeremiah Jesu in the TV series, will provide pre-recorded narration for the production. This coincides with a band of live musicians led by Musical Director Yaron Engler and a score written by Roman GianArthur, as well as a new track by Laura Mvula.

Having written and adapted the production for the stage, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight said: “Peaky Blinders has always had music and movement at its heart and now the beating heart of the show will be transferred to the stage, an interpretation of Tommy’s story performed by Rambert, one of the leading dance companies in the world. 

“This is dance for people who don’t usually watch dance and what I’ve written has been transformed into something startling by consummate dancers and choreographers. If the concept of a Peaky Blinders dance seems strange, reserve judgement and reserve a ticket.”

Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, who choreographed and directed the production said: “Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby is something on a scale we’ve never done before, and I couldn’t be more ready for the challenge – it’s such an exciting opportunity as a choreographer to tell these stories and recreate these characters through dance.

“It is also a great collaborative opportunity to have been working closely with Steven Knight on this original production. What you’re going to get as a result will be an inspiring and uplifting dance show, but so much more than a dance show.”

Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby opened at Birmingham Hippodrome on 27  September-2 October 2022, where it followed with a London Premiere at Troubadour Wembley Park  Theatre from 12 October – 6 November 2022. 

Author Simon Sinek and Robin Saunders  work as Executive Producers on Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of  Thomas Shelby, alongside a creative team which includes Moi Tran (set design), Richard Gellar (costume design) and Natasha Chivers (lighting design), with dramaturgy by  Kaite O’Reilly. Also working with the cast is acting director Kim Pearce, illusions director Filipe J.  Carvalho, fight director Adrian Palmer, props supervisor Lily Mollgaard, and intimacy director Yarit  Dor, with sound design by Moshik Kop.

Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, is a Rambert production in association with  Birmingham Hippodrome, co-produced with The Lowry, Executive Producers Rambert, Robin  Saunders and Simon Sinek, inspired by the television series Peaky Blinders created by Steven Knight in association with official brand owners and series producer Caryn Mandabach Productions. Peaky  Blinders TM © Caryn Mandabach Productions 2022. Licensed by Caryn Mandabach Productions. Rambert is supported by Arts Council England. 

The post Peaky Blinders – The Redemption of Thomas Shelby first appeared on Asian Leader.

After a five-year casting search and multiple auditions across the UK, three sets of talented identical twins are about to become Britain’s latest musical theatre stars. The trio of twins will be starring in Identical, the new musical adaptation of Erich Kästner’s novel ‘The Parent Trap’ directed by Olivier & Tony award-winning director Sir Trevor Nunn and produced by Kenny Wax whose current hits include ‘SIX the musical’ and ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’. Identical tours to The Lowry from Fri 19 August until Sat 3 September.

They say you should never work with children or animals but this summer Olivier and Tony award-winning director Sir Trevor Nunn will be doing both, with three sets of identical twins! Kyla and Nicole Fox, aged 12, from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, Emme and Eden Patrick, 12 from Waltham Abbey and Sienna and Savannah Robinson, 12 from Bromley, are the youngsters playing Lottie and Lisa in the world premiere of Identical, a new musical destined for the West End.

Identical is based on the novel ‘The Parent Trap’ by Erich Kästner, which inspired hugely successful Disney films featuring Hayley Mills in 1961 and Lindsay Lohan in 1998.

It will open at Nottingham Playhouse from 26 July – 14 August, then transfers to The Lowry from Fri 19 August – Sat 3 September 2022. Future dates will be announced.

Identical tells the story of Lottie and Lisa, twin girls separated at birth, reunited by chance at a summer camp 10 years later. In an attempt to re-join their divorced parents, they decide to swap identities.

It has Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, (the multi award-winning writers of the Olivier award-winning National Theatre hit ‘Honk!’, who also created a new score for the international smash-hit Cameron Mackintosh/Disney production of ‘Mary Poppins’) with a Book by Stuart Paterson.

Identical is co-produced by Nottingham Playhouse and Kenny Wax Ltd (producer of the new global musical phenomenon ‘SIX’ and the ‘Goes Wrong’ shows) and directed by Olivier and Tony award-winning Sir Trevor Nunn (responsible for some of the greatest hits in the world, including ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Starlight Express’, ‘Cats’ and ‘Sunset Boulevard’).

Producer Kenny Wax says:

“Identical is a story about the reuniting of twins separated shortly after birth and the healing of a family which has been fractured. The narrative offers a powerful message for the world right now and under the directorial genius of Sir Trevor Nunn, I have no doubt that Identical will be regarded as one of the great musicals of its generation…..providing that we can consistently cast incredibly talented identical twins!”

Nottingham Playhouse’s Executive Director Stephanie Sirr commented:

“We can’t wait to create this show. It’s particularly exciting to give kids from our community the chance to work alongside world class professionals and to take part in the premiere of a newly commissioned musical.”

Stiles and Drewe said: “It’s been a delight to adapt Erich Kästner’s hauntingly beautiful and timeless tale of two identical twins separated as babies, and their wily determination to stitch their family back together. It’s a story packed with wonderful humour and characters which makes it a great canvas to become a musical and retell for a 21st-century audience.”

The post Meet the West End stars of tomorrow! first appeared on Asian Leader.

The NHS and Royal Voluntary Service are calling for more NHS Volunteer Responders to support their community with essential tasks. The volunteers help people who are continuing to keep contact with others to a minimum because they have other health conditions which make them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
NHS Volunteer Responders provide support with lifts to medical appointments, collecting shopping, medication, or other essentials, and by making ‘check-in and chat’ calls to people who would enjoy regular phone contact and friendly conversation.
Despite lockdown easing, those with underlying health conditions such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma will continue to minimize their exposure to COVID-19 and each volunteer who steps forward is helping to keep people in the community safe.
The GoodSAM app puts volunteers in touch with people needing help. NHS Volunteer Responders now encourages volunteers to add all the languages they speak to their GoodSAM profile so they can be matched with people who would prefer to talk to a volunteer in one of those languages. The program currently has volunteers who speak English, Urdu, and Punjabi.
Mark Wilson, Co-founder at GoodSAM said “It’s fantastic that the GoodSAM app enables people to input the languages they speak. It means that we can connect with people from all communities across the country and ensure that everyone who needs help can access it.”
To apply to become an NHS Volunteer Responder, visit the NHS Volunteer Responders website. If you need support from the volunteers you can register by calling 0808 196 3646 (open 8 am – 8 pm, 7 days a week). Volunteer support is also available to people who are self-isolating because they or a member of their household have COVID-19 (excluding patient transport).
Nasir Jamil, 51, is an NHS Volunteer Responder from Tunbridge Wells and wanted to support his community. Nasir said:
“As soon as I heard about the NHS Volunteer Responders program, I knew it was something I wanted to be part of, and I really felt that it was my moral duty to help those in need. There are so many people whose lives have been made difficult by this pandemic, and if I can do something to help, then I absolutely feel that I must.”
Rebecca Kennelly MBE, Director of Volunteering for Royal Voluntary Service said “The way that volunteers have stepped forward during the pandemic has been nothing short of amazing. Volunteering has brought people together over the last year in amazing ways, I would like to thank everyone who has stepped up to support the NHS and their community this year.”
Since the program’s launch in March 2020, around 400,000 on-duty NHS Volunteer Responders have played a vital role in keeping people safe and have now completed more than 1.7 million tasks.
Those who apply will have the opportunity to support their community with six roles:
• Community Response volunteer: to collect and deliver shopping, medication, or other essential supplies.
• Community Response Plus volunteer: to collect and deliver shopping, medication, or other essential supplies for people with learning disabilities and other conditions
• Patient Transport volunteer: to give lifts by car to patients who are medically fit to attend routine medical appointments.
• NHS Transport volunteer: to transport supplies between NHS sites, and make medication deliveries.
• Check-in and Chat volunteer: to provide telephone support to people who would enjoy regular phone contact and friendly conversation.
• Check-In and Chat Plus volunteer: this is a peer-support role, provided by responders who are at risk from COV~ID-19 themselves. Regular telephone support and a ‘listening ear’ are offered to people who are also at risk or experiencing challenges as a result of COVID-19.
• Steward Volunteer volunteers help on-site by guiding people to make sure the vaccination process runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. They help ensure social distancing and identify people who need additional support. Recruitment to this role has been paused but you can register your interest for future vacancies.

The post Volunteers Needed To Support Their Communities first appeared on Asian Leader.

An exclusive look at the bridal looks straight from Pakistan. If you are getting married, this is the inspiration you need. Hair & Makeup artist, Fatima Nasir’s latest shoot, showcasing four distinctive bridal makeup looks including Engagement, Mehndi, Baraat & Valima shot by MHM Official showcases the latest bridal styles. Florals are a key trend and less is more this season. The makeup is understated with minimal colourful jewellery.

Credits Hair & Makeup: Fatima Nasir,

Shot by: MHM

The post Bridal Beauty Inspiration first appeared on Asian Leader.