Olivier Award-winning Playwright John Hodge supports Next Stage's upcoming production of his black-comedy: Collaborators

Image < John Hodge on the Collaborators set.

Artistic Director, Ann Ellison, and Collaborators Director, Bob Constantine, were delighted to receive an email this Christmas from Scottish screenwriter and dramatist, John Hodge. As a local playwright, living in Bath for the last 10 years, John had spotted that Next Stage was producing his award-winning play and got in touch to offer help and consultation if it was going to be useful. Known for his cutting-edge adaptations of Trainspotting and The Beach, John's email was an extra special Christmas treat for the company. Bob was delighted at John's offers of support and assistance for this large cast, modern classic, black-comedy.

Following a meeting with John on Monday 6th January, Bob brought the playwright to The Mission. Ann Ellison gave John a tour of the theatre and he was very impressed with all the conversion work and vision that had turned a 200 year-old Chapel into a vibrant arts venue. John chatted to Ann and Bob about his work and the history of the play. He will be coming to see the show when it opens on January 21st and the cast will eagerly await his comments and feedback. Thank you John for your support and interest.

Image > Artistic Director Ann Ellison, Collaborators Director Bob Constantine and Playwright John Hodge

A triumphant 25th Birthday year!

As 2019 draws to a close and the air is full of festive cheer, we are delighted to reflect on what has been yet another wonderful year for Next Stage.

The company kicked off it's 25th Birthday celebratory year with a sterling production of W.Somerset Maughan’s For Services Rendered under the artistic eye of Bob Constantine - his second directing role for the company. In March the talented members of Next Stage Youth entered the Mid-Somerset Drama Festival with 5 extracts across 2 categories. The Youth Company were delighted to win 1st place in the Under 19 class, as well as achieving second place in the Year 9 and Under class, with all remaining groups scoring a creditable 'highly-commended'. April saw the return of director Alison Paine, who took on the ambitious play Plenty by Next Stage’s Patron, Sir David Hare. A highly successful production, Plenty saw new members tread the boards with Next Stage as the company staged one of the most challenging productions of the year.

May marked the beginning of an extra-special month for Next Stage, as it commemorated 25 years of existence, since its inception in May 1994. Celebrating in style, the company's production of Here We Go Again, which involved 10-12 extracts from some of Next Stage's favourite past productions over the last 25 years, was acclaimed by all. The final performance on May 18th was an invitation-only event, at which The Mayor and Mayoress of Bath were in attendance. An audience of over 100 past and present Next Stagers, as well as important Patrons, Friends and supporters joined Ann and Andrew Ellison to mark this milestone achievement. Cake, nibbles and bubbly where enjoyed by all after the performance, with a final congratulatory message from Next Stage's Patron Sir Alan Ayckbourn signing off the evening. 

In June a cast of 25 members of Next Stage and Next Stage Youth produced the Charles Dickens classic: Great Expectations. The first run in Bath played to full houses and received rave reviews. The company then toured to the Minack Theatre, in Cornwall at the end of July and played to sold-out audiences all week. Rowena Cade's glorious stage lit up as Next Stage filled the space, telling the well-known story of Pip, Miss Havisham and Estella. This was the company's 11th tour to the prestigious Minack Theatre. 

After a well-deserved break, Next Stage opened The Mission Theatre's Autumn season with a revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie - 20 years on since Next Stage first produced this play in 1999. Under the careful watch of director Claire Rumball, this imaginatively staged four-hander was one of the hits in our Autumn season at The Mission. In October Next Stage Youth performed Phillipa Pearce's time-fantasy classic Tom's Midnight Garden to mark the Youth Company's 25th Birthday. The Saturday matinee performance saw the celebration of this milestone event, as well as the awarding of the 10th Bridget Casse Award to winner Harry Lewis. His Right Worshipful The Mayor of Bath Councillor Gerry Curran attended the afternoon's performance and commented on the talented youngsters in the cast and the importance of Next Stage Youth in Bath and the local community. Finally, in November, Next Stage rounded off a memorable year with its revival of Woman In Mind by Alan Ayckbourn, performed exactly 25 years on from when the company first staged the play in 1994.

Thank you to everyone who has come along and supported both Next Stage and The Mission Theatre this year. We hope you have enjoyed your visits and the shows you have seen throughout 2019, and we very much look forward to seeing you all again in 2020.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, from The Mission Theatre!

Next Stage Youth Theatre Company Celebrates its 25th Anniversary with His Right Worshipful The Mayor of Bath

Image > His Right Worshipful the Mayor of Bath, Gerry Curran and Alan Casse join director Ann Ellison BEM and the cast and crew of Tom’s Midnight Garden at The Mission Theatre for Next Stage Youth’s 25th Birthday party. Also pictured are some of the ex-youthers who have won the Bridget Casse Trophy for Excellence in Youth Theatre since 2010.

On November 2nd Next Stage Youth celebrated its 25th birthday with an extra special matinee performance of Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce, adapted by David Wood. This show was performed in front of The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Bath, Gerry Curran, past-youthers from the last 25 years, ex-tutor and supporter Alan Cassé and other valued Next Stage Youth Friends, Patrons and Supporters.

The afternoon kicked off with a first-class production of Philippa Pearce’s time-fantasy classic: Tom’s Midnight Garden. Presented by the current Next Stage Youth class of 2019, this sold-out matinee was enjoyed by an audience of all ages. After receiving two rave reviews earlier that week, the company’s production continued to excel and wow audiences for the remainder of the run. 

Image < His Right Worshipful the Mayor of Bath Gerry Curran congratulates the Next Stage Youth cast of Tom’s Midnight Garden on their outstanding performances.

The performance part of the afternoon was followed by a speech from The Mayor and Next Stage Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, Ann Ellison BEM. Speaking from the stage and beside a beautiful floral arrangement donated to The Mission for this special birthday celebration by The Secret Gardens, Bath Spa Train Station, The Mayor paid tribute to Next Stage Youth’s mile-stone achievement and contribution over the past 25 years to the Bath community, and the company’s work with young people. Ann Ellison reflected on the last 25 years and the thousands of children she has tutored, toured with and worked alongside since the company’s inception in 1994. She spoke proudly of how the skills and self-confidence learnt at Next Stage Youth meant that so many past members had now become accomplished young adults, a number of whom have gone on to work in the performing arts. However, Ann said that the greatest achievement in the past 25 years of the youth theatre must be the friendships that have been formed amongst each talented group of youth members.

 Image < Winner of The 2019 Bridget Casse Trophy Harry Lewis with Alan Casse

Ann concluded the speeches by inviting Alan Cassé, a long-time supporter of Next Stage Youth and ex-Tutor, onto the stage to award the Bridget Cassé Trophy, in memory of his late wife Bridget. 2019 marks the 10th year of The Bridget Cassé Trophy awarded annually for excellence in Youth Theatre. This year’s trophy was presented by The Mayor of Bath to winner Harry Lewis who had played Tom in the afternoon’s play.

Runner-up for this prestigious award was Lily Chapman who had played Hatty and Ralph Leming and Georgia Grobler were both highly-commended.

The other nominees for the 2019 Bridget Cassé Trophy were:

Girls: Grace Campbell and Alicia Corripio-Dieppe

Boys: Max Leming and Henry Skinner

Alan Cassé and Harry Lewis were joined on stage by 7 of the previous trophy winners including Phillip Davies who received the trophy the first time it was awarded in 2010. It was great to meet up with these talented ex-youthers, all of whom had travelled from around the country to join Next Stage Youth for its special birthday.

The awards were followed by the lighting of candles on the 25th Anniversary Birthday cakes and with a rousing chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ led by Lily Chapman.

After the formalities The Mayor, Ann and Andrew Ellison along with Alan Cassé enjoyed catching-up with past members of the youth company and chatting to parents and friends before everyone involved in Tom’s Midnight Garden had to get ready to give one last performance of this stand-out youth production.

Exciting productions announced for Next Stage in 2020

The Artistic Director of Next Stage Theatre Company, Ann Ellison BEM, has announced the varied and exciting programme of plays which the company is planning to stage throughout 2020.

First up is Collaborators by John Hodge, Tuesday 21st - Saturday 25th January, a black-comedy set in Stalin’s Russia. It is a "surreal fantasy" based on a relationship between two historical figures, Mikhali Bulgakov, the prominent Russian writer, and Joseph Stalin, the dictator of the Soviet Union. The play takes place from 1938-1940, when Stalin was implementing the Great Purge in which several million people were exiled, imprisoned, or executed. In the play Bulgakov inadvertently becomes involved in issuing the orders which bring about the Purge.

A large cast directed by Bob Constantine will make sure that this entertaining piece - a Bath premiere - is the perfect antidote for any post-Christmas blues.

The company will be staging The Memory Of Water by Shelagh Stephenson, Tuesday 24th - Saturday 28th March. The play won an Olivier Award for ‘Best Comedy’ and sees three sisters meeting on the eve of their mother’s funeral. With witty and funny dialogue, Stephenson explores sibling love and rivalry and the transitory and personal nature of ‘memory’. Director Ann Ellison will be staging this production in-the-round.

Tuesday 16th - Saturday 20th June Next Stage will be presenting Arrivals and Departures by Alan Ayckbourn. A large cast will stage this powerful piece in promenade layout which will draw audiences into the railway station setting of this unusual and compelling Ayckbourn drama. Arrivals and Departures will be directed by Ann Ellison who says: ‘In my opinion this is one of Ayckbourn’s best pieces, dealing with personalities and themes that linger in the audience’s mind long after the play has ended.’

Kicking off the Autumn season Tuesday 7th - Saturday 12th September is The Sweet Science of Bruising by Joy Wilkinson . This production brings on board a new director for the company. Caroline Groom is well known to regular Next Stage audiences for her on-stage presence and now we are delighted that she is using her considerable theatrical knowledge to bring this intriguing play to The Mission Theatre. Based on the true story of Victorian ladies who ventured into the male-dominated world of boxing, the play offers pertinent insights into feminism and empowerment. Staged in-the-round, this is a Bath premiere.

Rounding off a year of the kind of memorable 20th and 21st century drama productions, for which Next Stage is famous, is the company’s staging of The Hothouse by Harold Pinter, Tuesday 1st - Saturday 5th December. This Pinter classic - a black-comedy set on Christmas day in an ‘institution’ (the exact nature of which remains dubious) - brings Pinter’s sharp and observant dialogue, ambiguous story lines and chilling undercurrents of menace and tension, to the intimacy of The Mission Theatre under the sure-handed direction of Bob Constantine.

A great year ahead for all drama-lovers and a programme of plays which should delight all theatre-goers.

The Glass Menagerie raises money for local charity

This September Next Stage Theatre Company raised money for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity during the company’s run of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Throughout the production week, 5 volunteers from the charity attended the performance and helped raise awareness for this critical care service which provides help 24/7 to Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and the surrounding areas.

During the run of The Glass Menagerie, The Mission Theatre welcomed over 250 audience members. After a first-class review, and a seamless performance week, Next Stage Theatre Company is pleased to announce that £125.82 was raised for the charity.

Next Stage is delighted to be able to raise money for local, and national, charities at any of the company’s forthcoming productions. This most recent amount brings the overall amount of money raised by Next Stage to over £16,000 in the last 15 years. This does not include any of the money raised by The Mission Theatre’s wonderful visiting companies, who also support charities in need throughout their stays. Please keep an eye out for future collections at The Mission Theatre during the Autumn season.

Herb Kanzell

It is with great sadness that I learnt of the death of Herb Kanzell. Herb passed away on July 16, 2019, peacefully in his sleep.

Herb was a much-loved and respected member of Next Stage Theatre Company and was both a talented actor and director. Although in his 70’s and 80’s when he worked with Next Stage, Herb was as quick and as sharp as a person half his age. His twinkling smile and sense of fun won him many friends and he is particularly remembered as being part of the Next Stage cast of Comic Potential in The Mission Theatre’s inaugural play, in January 2005. Over the years, Herb and his wife Barbara, were regular supporters of both the company and The Mission Theatre. Everyone in Next Stage who knew Herb will be sad to hear of his passing and we send our love and condolences to his family.

Ann Ellison BEM

Artistic Director

Next Stage Theatre Company

Giles Cooper: Next Stage Youth class of '98

It was a delight to go up to London last week to see Toast at The Other Palace Theatre, in which one of Next Stage Youth’s members from 1998 is starring in this auto-biographical play about celebrity chef: Nigel Slater.

Image < Giles Cooper (bottom right) in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Giles Cooper first trod the boards with the company in our 1998 production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard. Appearing as one of the troupe of actors, alongside a youthful John Matthews as the Player (not to mention an even more youthful Andrew Ellison as Rosencrantz) Giles was at that time studying at Kingswood School, Bath.

Image < Giles Cooper, Dave Dunn and Caroline Groom backstage at The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough (2000)

In 1999 Giles toured with Next Stage actors Caroline Groom and Dave Dunn to the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough to perform in front of company Patron, Sir Alan Ayckbourn in Sir David Hare’s Skylight. After this exciting experience Giles left the company as he took up a place at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

Ann and Andrew Ellison next caught up with Giles when he was touring with Ruby Wax in The Witches in 2004. Since then Giles has pursued an ever more successful theatrical career including appearances at The National Theatre and The Globe Theatre in London. Giles has also worked on films and appeared on TV.

Now, 20 years from when Giles worked with Next Stage youth and adult companies, he is a West-End star! In Toast Giles never leaves the stage and holds the audience captivated with an entertaining and nuanced performance. Giles’ versatility and range is extraordinary as the production of Toast includes ingenious physical theatre and a moving story line in which Giles has to age convincingly from 7-17 years old . Along with the rest of the talented company, Giles dances, fights and cooks on stage. One moment the audience is laughing at the young Nigel Slater’s antics, the next they are moved to tears. Add to this entertaining play the delicious fact that food and sweeties are given out to the audience throughout the production, and you have a perfect night out!

Hurry though, Toast closes in the West End at the end of this week before the national tour in which Giles will be recreating the role of the young Nigel Slater.

Congratulations from all at Next Stage to Giles.

Image below > Giles Cooper and Lizzie Muncey in Toast (2019)

An extract from Time Out, London’s 4 star review of Toast:

Director Jonnie Riordan’s production is light and fluid: a heightened reality of family life and cooking sessions that take place against a kitchen set that looks like an illustration. At regular intervals, the cast pass cakes and sweets to the audience, tickling memories as well as taste-buds.

But while ‘Toast’ isn’t averse to nostalgia for a time of local butchers and old-fashioned sweet shops, a tartness undercuts the cloyingness. Dad’s patrolling of the ‘appropriate’ food for boys stirs a dollop of homophobia into the already complicated personal recipe of gay teen Nigel.

Cooper touchingly captures the young Nigel’s early culinary fussiness, blending this with confusion and aching vulnerability when Mum dies. Before this happens, he and Muncey are delightful together, bonding over a mixing bowl. In contrast, Marie Lawrence is deliciously over-the-top as Nigel’s perception of Joan: all piled hair, eye rolls and fags.

A ’60s soundtrack and funny fantasy sequences (mostly involving Joan) make for a pacier second half. But, crucially, ‘Toast’ also works out when to slow down. For all the preceding, audience-winking, ‘here’s one we made earlier’ food, a pivotal scene when Nigel invents – for the first time – a recipe and Cooper makes it from scratch on stage packs a genuine wallop. It’s a well-seasoned ending.

By Tom Wicker, April 12th 2019

Out with the old and in with the new!

It has been a very exciting week for Next Stage Theatre Company! After parting with their beloved 15 year old Strand lighting desk, which has provided lights for over 150 Next Stage shows, and over 700 visiting productions since 2005, Next Stage has installed a state of the art ETC Element 2 Lighting desk.

Arriving last week, and safely installed by Next Stage’s technician, Kris Nutall, this brand spanking new piece of kit came just in time for Next Stage’s get-in and week long tech rehearsals for their upcoming production of Great Expectations. The new easy to use lighting board comes with a 22 inch” LED optical touch-screen monitor, a built in keyboard, 40 pageable faders and 1024 outputs - perfect for the size and technical demands of The Mission Theatre. The Next Stage team have already began making good use of the kit, easily, and quickly, programming over 130 cues for their Dickens’ tale!

Along with a new lighting desk, 2 new QSC RMX850a amps have been bought and installed in The Mission’s Technical Cupboard. The old amps were both worn and dated, and had definitely seen better days. By having 2 new amps, crystal clear sound can be projected around the Main Auditorium through our 4 speakers, ensuring companies have the best quality sound effects, songs, microphone and instrument projection possible for their shows. These amps are the perfect partners for our year old Allen & Heath sound desk.

Next Stage strives to keep up with the ever-growing technology side of the theatre world in order to bring the best possible quality of lights, sounds and technical support to all our visitors.

Of course, lighting desks and 2 new amps come at a very hefty price! As a theatre which receives no public funding, finding the money to update equipment can be a big struggle. However, recent, generous supporters and patrons of Next Stage and The Mission who have financially contributed to these projects have enabled the theatre to expand and modernise.

Thank you to everyone who has donated, supported and helped fund this expensive upgrade.

A tour with a twist!

On Wednesday 5th June, Next Stage Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, Ann Ellison and Company Director, Andrew Ellison were invited by Lord Don Foster of Bath to the House of Lords in London. Arriving promptly at the Peers Entrance, Ann and Andrew were warmly greeted by Don who led the pair on a 2 hour tour around the Palace of Westminster. As the tour proceeded, the extent of Don’s knowledge of Parliamentary business wowed both Ann and Andrew. As they walked with Don they discussed the working day in the life of a typical Parliamentarian, the architecture of the Grade I listed building, gained insight into many of the monumental events that have taken place over the centuries on this historical site as well as looking inside a few of the 1,100 rooms. Both Ann and Andrew were fascinated by their private tour with Lord Don Foster, brushing shoulders throughout it with some of the 15,000 pass holders who work in Parliament daily.

The tour commenced in the 778 seater House of Lords - the second chamber within Parliament and this was followed by a visit to The Robing Room - a beautiful suite where the Queen puts on the Imperial State Crown and her ceremonial robes before making her way to the House of Lords at the Opening of Parliament. Stepping inside St. Stephens Hall, the oldest part within the Palace of Westminster, Don retold the story of the monumental trial of Charles I in 1649 which had taken place at Westminster. Next was a visit to the House of Commons where Ann and Andrew were also lucky enough to be introduced to 2 of the prestigious Doorkeepers with their historical badges. Perhaps the most interesting part of the whole tour was when Don took Ann and Andrew into Committee Room 12 and explained the business that goes on in these committee rooms out of sight of the public. Bills are drafted and amended by MPs who are serving on a committee, all of whom need to quickly grasp the legalistic language of all the documents. This fascinating and personal tour left both Ann and Andrew with a completely different outlook on Westminster and politics and for this they must thank Don for taking the time to give them this experience.

Lord Don Foster, a regular in the second chamber, has this week taken part in a debate regarding Theatre, and in particular, ticket prices and accessibility. Prior to his speech Don had quizzed Ann and Andrew about their experiences in setting up and running The Mission Theatre. They were thrilled to receive the Hansard account of the debate and to read, amongst others, the fascinating speech made by Don which mentioned The Mission Theatre’s excellent performances, as well as one of Next Stage’s 25th Birthday incentives to encourage audiences into the theatre: ‘Pay What it’s Worth’ Matinees. To be mentioned in this debate, in such a prestigious venue is very rewarding and Next Stage and The Mission are extremely grateful to Lord Don Foster for this inclusion.

To read the full debate please click HERE

Next Stage Theatre Company 25 years old

Saturday 18th May saw the 25th birthday of Next Stage Theatre Company. After a last night of Here We Go Again - our Silver Anniversary show commemorating some of the best of the company’s past productions - the celebrations culminated with a wonderful 25th Birthday party in The Mission Theatre’s Main Auditorium. With over 100 invited guests, including Next Stagers and Friends old and new, The Mission was buzzing with excitement. Popular extracts from, amongst others: Peter Shaffer’s Royal Hunt of The Sun and Dennis Potter’s Blue Remembered Hills concluded with an extract from Willy Russel’s Educating Rita, Next Stage’s first ever production, performed by the original actors, Sian Swift and Adrian Philpott, as they had done on the opening night almost to the minute, 25 years previously.

Following the show The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Bath Patrick Anketell-Jones, Andrew Brownsword CBE DL, and Lord Don Foster of Bath all made speeches in which they paid tribute to the work and success of Next Stage Theatre Company and its founders Ann and Andrew Ellison.

Following the speeches (the last of which by Don Foster was based on the notion that Ann Ellison should be our next Prime Minister!) Ann, herself took to the stage. She thanked family, Friends and Patrons for their help and support over the years and then went on to thank the company for all the talent and hardwork that have helped to give Next Stage its enviable reputation. To commemorate its 25th Birthday, Ann surprised the company by presenting a new award: Tina’s Trophy for Excellence In Theatre, to be awarded annually, on or around May 18th, to a Next Stager who has excelled onstage or offstage or both. The first recipient of this award was Brian Howe who has been a member of the company since its formation in 1994, has been involved in countless productions, has provided invaluable support to Ann and Andrew and is still a positive force within Next Stage. Most recently, Brian compiled Next Stage’s 25th Anniversary book, which has been much enjoyed and admired by all. The book is still available for sale at £15 and provides a trip down memory lane with nearly 150 of the company’s main productions featuring in it with full-colour photos and contributions from many actors. Call 01225 428600 or email nextstagebath@aol.com for more information.

To finish off the lovely evening there was a party with canapés, cake and plenty of prosecco. At 10pm Andrew Ellison, the Company’s Director, proposed a toast and everyone sang Happy Birthday before the cutting of the Birthday cakes. Thank you to everyone involved in a great evening of entertainment, fun and friendship - the hallmarks of Next Stage Theatre Company.

During the company’s birthday week audiences, visitors, Next Stagers and guests were invited to write a birthday message in a commemorative book. Thank you to everyone who has already provided a comment and If you have not yet had an opportunity to sign the book why not call into the theatre to do so, or email your message and we will print and stick it in the book for you.