Inspired by Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, Andrew Lloyd Webber, alongside lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart would go on to create the iconic multi-award winning musical (1986) of the same name. Four decades on and the musical has enjoyed global success and continues to be enjoyed by many musical fans. Taking on the iconic musical and presenting it within a visual art format, Titan Comics have created a graphic novel version currently available to purchase online. A team effort, having been written by Cavan Scott, with visuals created by José Maria Beroy – theatre fans are now able to enjoy the musical in an alternate manner as well as own this unique collector’s item. We’ve teamed up with Titan Comics to giveaway a copy of the graphic novel, to have a chance of winning, answer the following question…

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Inspired by Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, Andrew Lloyd Webber, alongside lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart would go on to create the iconic multi-award winning musical (1986) of the same name. Four decades on and the musical has enjoyed global success and continues to be enjoyed by many musical fans. Taking on the iconic musical and presenting it within a visual art format, Titan Comics have created a graphic novel version currently available to purchase online. A team effort, having been written by Cavan Scott, with visuals created by José Maria Beroy – theatre fans are now able to enjoy the musical in an alternate manner as well as own this unique collector’s item. Author Cavan Scott tells us more about the creation of the graphic novel!

The Phantom of the Opera graphic novel is available to purchase from Dec 7th in the UK and 11th Jan 2022 in the US and Canada. How are you feeling about the publication?

Due to start production in March of 2020, Ben Tricklebank’s short film CHAMP would witness a sudden shutdown in production due to the pandemic. Spurred on to realise the pertinent film’s vision – an exploration of masculinity, societal expectations and familial bonds, the production team would go on to craft a 15 minute piece that has now gone on to qualify to be considered for an Academy Award®. Currently enjoying much deserved success within the film festival circuit,  CHAMP continues to receive much deserved praise. Ahead of the Academy Award® nominations announcement on Tuesday 8th February 2022, Ben tells us more about the film’s creative journey so far!

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One of Covent Garden’s well known theatrical structures, the Royal Opera House has gone through various iterations, the building’s current structure it’s third outing. Founded in 1732, the venue was initially known as the Theatre Royal, operating mainly as a playhouse within its first century. Destroyed twice within its history – 1808 and 1856 due to disastrous fire incidents, what we now know as an operatic and ballet-led venue has gone through centuries of reshaping. Offering 45 minute tours of the elaborate venue, the Royal Opera House present the Velvet, Gilt and Glamour Tour!

Courtesy of Lucy Basaba.

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Sitting in Wembley Park Theatre feels like being back in school assembly. We’re sitting on stacked bleachers of felt chairs in what feels like a sports hall (actually an old X Factor studio). The programme has textbook puzzles and gobbets from pop-mathmo, Marcus du Sautoy. As it happens, the auditorium is packed full of school trips and the stage – an iridescent cube – is cast in grid paper, or Tetris cubes. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is, at its barest, a story about a boy (Christopher Boone, played by Connor Curren) leaving home. After ten years and a global tour since it opened at the National’s Cottesloe Theatre, it is back to the classroom for this only slightly saccharine story of family, trust and innocent bravery.

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Salomé’s biblical story has been one of much intrigue, the daughter of Herod II and Herodias, a memorable request made by her, one that has inspired man a retelling, her story referenced throughout art, literature and drama. Adapted by Oscar Wilde in 1896, the one act tragedy includes the depiction of the heroine’s dance of the seven veils as well as her shocking request. Presenting a regendered interpretation of the tale, Lazarus Theatre Company craft a 75 minute spectacle, filmed earlier on this year at the Southwark Playhouse and now available to catch on demand.

Courtesy of Adam Trigg.

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Celebrating a decade of raising the profile of 57 of London’s most iconic theatres, SeatPlan continue to create a shared space for theatre lovers to help shape the future theatre going experience of others, their USP of allowing users to upload their seat view tickets a great feature of the platform. As they head into the next decade of their journey, SeatPlan tell us more about encouraging interactivity and accessibility, their newly improved rewards element and what users can expect from the platform!

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The Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship awards poets funding to help support their creative practice for the year. Awarded to talented practitioners who have been recognised as being able to open up poetry to new audiences, making the form a lot more accessible to all, the award concludes its five year run with its third and final round of recipients. One of three to receive the final round of awards, which also follows their Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund Award win in Directing/Theatre-Making earlier on this year, scriptwriter/screenwriter and essayist Jamie Hale continues to inspire and trailblaze. Having just hosted CRIPtic Pit Party at the Barbican, a culmination of a year long programme run by his CRIPtic Arts organisation supporting d/Deaf artists and having published his pamphlet Shield about disability, treatment prioritisation and the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Jamie looks forward to continuing exploring various pertinent within his practice. Jamie tells us more about what it means to have won the award!

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Recently, the Kammerspiele presented the world premiere of Nora Abdel-Maksoud’s satirical play Jeeps, which she also directed. Abdel-Maksoud was born in Munich and has been writing and directing her own plays since 2012. Her darkly humorous dramas criticize the crass unfairness in our society.

Courtesy of Armin Smailovic.

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Shamanism is a term used to describe a healer’s ability to interact with a world otherwise unseen to the naked eye, a world inhabited by a whole host of spiritual energies. An aspect of humanity that has been practised for thousands of years, and continues to be in many indigenous communities, this is a practice typically carried out by men. Emmy award-winning Lynette Wallworth crafts an innovative foray into the world of Hushahu, the first woman shaman of the Yawanawá located in the Amazon with Awavena. A ground-breaking film documenting a ground breaking moment for the community and wider world.

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