Powerful, gut-wrenching, brutally honest, funny, engaged, delivered with honesty and compassion… What else do critics say about sisters Stacey and Nicola Bland’s playwriting debut Call Me Vicky, based on the true-life story of their transgender godmother. Time to get booking!
Call Me Vicky Q&A video: Celebrating transgender progress & working-class voices onstage
It was a great big family affair for my post-show Q&A at Call Me Vicky at the Pleasance Theatre this past weekend. The new one-act comedy-drama marks the playwriting debut for sisters Stacey and Nicola Bland, who also perform in the cast, and their mum, dad and nan were in proud attendance.
‘Powerful, eye-opening debut’: CALL ME VICKY – Pleasance Theatre
Based on a true story, Call Me Vicky is the debut play from sisters Nicola and Stacey Bland, following Vicky (Matt Greenwood) – born Martin – in her fight to transition and become the woman she’s always known herself to be.
FIRST-LOOK PHOTOS: True-life transition tale Call Me Vicky gets its world premiere
True-life transition tale Call Me Vicky, officially received its world premiere last night (21 February 2019) at London’s Pleasance Theatre. We’re looking forward to Terri Paddock’s post-show Q&A with the company and other Mates’ reviews. In the meantime, here are some first-look photos of the production. Time to get booking!
‘We laugh & cry together, I couldn’t do this without her’: Sisters Stacey & Nicola Bland on co-writing, producing & performing in Call Me Vicky
Sibling rivalry isn’t nearly as fun as sibling collaboration. We caught up with sisters Nicola and Stacey Bland about their debut play Call Me Vicky, which they’ve co-written, co-produced and also star in, playing versions of themselves to tell the remarkable true-life story of their trans godmother. Time to get booking!
New post-show Q&A: Join Terri for the premiere of trans tale Call Me Vicky
As part of her ongoing post-show Q&A series, on Sunday 24 February 2019, Mates co-founder Terri Paddock will be at the world premiere of Call Me Vicky, a transition tale inspired by two sisters’ own family experience. Got any questions?
PHOTOS: Sneak a peek inside Call Me Vicky rehearsals with Wendi Peters
We’re counting down to the world premiere of Call Me Vicky, sisters Nicola and Stacey Bland’s debut play which charts the true life story of a transwoman’s challenges in 1980s London. Sneak a peek inside rehearsals, with Wendi Peters playing mum – and then get booking!
NEWS: Sisters’ debut play Call Me Vicky charts true-life transition story, Wendi Peters stars
Call Me Vicky, charting a transwoman’s challenges in 1980s London, is written by sisters and debut playwrights Nicola and Stacey Victoria Bland, inspired by their true-life godmother’s experience. Wendi Peters stars in the world premiere production. Time to get booking!
NEWS: Richard Eyre will receive the Gielgud Award at the UK Theatre Awards, now hosted by Tyrone Huntley
Director Richard Eyre is to be this year’s recipient of the Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts. The award will be presented by Ian McKellen at the UK Theatre Awards on Sunday 14 October 2018.
NEWS: Paul Nicholas & Wendi Peters star in Ronald Harwood’s Quartet on tour
Producer Mark Goucher follow The Dresser with another Ronald Harwood play, The Dresser, starring Paul Nicholas, Wendi Peters, Sue Holderness and Jeff Rawle at Cheltenham and on tour.
WONDERLAND – Touring
Alice in Wonderland has been incarnated on more occasions than I care to remember, but one thing’s for sure, the story never gets old (in my humble opinion) and the magic, craziness and wonder remains as curious as it did when I first read the book by Lewis Carroll.
WONDERLAND – Touring
Frank Wildhorn, Jack Murphy and Gregory Boyd have created a whole new take on this classic story bringing bang up to date with the musical Wonderland. In this version Alice is a 40-year-old single mum having the worst birthday of her life.
WONDERLAND – Touring
When you first sit down and take in this bizarre but wonderfully performed musical you might think that you literally have gone mad in your own mind with the number of characters passing through and yet by the end you realise it actually made perfect sense. So maybe we are all a bit mad after all.
WONDERLAND – Edinburgh
Alice is having the Worst Day. The controlling ex she’d have back in a second is getting remarried, her car’s been stolen, she’s got the sack…
STATE FAIR – London Musical Theatre Orchestra, Cadogan Hall
The London Musical Theatre Orchestra made the Rodgers and Hammerstein score fly with the help of a strong leading cast on Sunday night (6 November 2016) at Cadogan Hall.
State Fair c/o LMTO & other news, treats & interesting titbits
On Sunday 6 November 2016, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s State Fair will be performed for the first time on the London stage as a symphonic concert by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra under director Thom Southerland at Cadogan Hall.
NEWS: Kerry Ellis, Dave Willetts & Wendi Peters star in Wonderland tour
Casting for the 2017 UK tour of Frank Wildhorn’s Wonderland has been confirmed, including Kerry Ellis, Wendi Peters and Dave Willetts.
Weekly Theatre Podcast: Kinky Boots, Dusty, Dispatched, Luck and Nightjars
On this week’s bumper podcast, the London theatre bloggers discuss West End musicals Kinky Boots and Dusty, as well as Off-West End plays Hatched ‘n’ Dispatched, The Man Who Had All the Luck and And Then Come the Nightjars.
HATCHED ‘N’ DISPATCHED – Park Theatre
‘Write what you know’ remains the best advice to any author and the story of how Michael Kirk picked up the plot of Hatched ‘n Dispatched from his 9-year-old observations of sexual shenanigans round the back of the Railway Institute in Derby is priceless. But years of exposure to sitcoms and pantomime mean his script, particularly in the larkier first half, can sound derived: the moment when Wendi Peters as grotesque matriarch Dorothy sends her daughters into the kitchen to cut sandwiches for a funeral with “you slice, I’ll butter” is lifted directly from an early Victoria Wood standup routine.
HATCHED ‘N’ DISPATCHED – Park Theatre
It is 1959, Arthur is dead and as his family gather for the wake, there are drunken giggles to be had and secrets to be spilled. They don’t write ‘em like this any more and more’s the bloody pity, for in his debut full length play Michael Kirk together with Gemma Page has captured a slice of British social history, hinting at the incisiveness that once hallmarked the BBC’s Play For Today and which latterly Mike Leigh can occasionally capture on screen.
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