As many of you now know, due to various almost-impossible-to-control factors, the producers of Jesus Christ Superstar have unfortunately had to postpone the UK touring dates. I know this is going to properly dick with many of your plans, and I’m really sorry, for what it’s worth. It’s a right pain-in-the-perfect-butts for the cast, and was a very difficult decision for Andrew and the folk at RUG.
I really hope you can come to the rescheduled dates in Sept/Oct. It’ll be worth the wait, I reckon.
tx
The announcement and rescheduled tour dates can be found here.
A while ago, Flim Flam Films launched a Kickstarter project to fund their documentary, An Honest Liar: The Amazing Randi Story, which will profile the life of the magician turned skeptic, James “The Amazing” Randi, following his crusades to expose con artists, psychics and faith healers.
Now, you might have read that and thought, “What’s that got to do with Tim?” Well, Tim has been interviewed for the documentary – along with fellow skeptics Penn and Teller, Richard Dawkins, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Adam Savage – and they’ve just released a preview clip of him talking about Randi’s influence on his work.
You can pledge as little or as much as you’d like to help fund the documentary, with exclusive goodies, such as Pigasus coasters, movie posters, card decks and signed, rare Randi posters, available at different price points, along with digital and physical copies of the film.
Last June a windswept and snazzily attired Tim wowed the Eden Sessions crowds, at the Eden Project in Cornwall, with his Large Band: bassist Pete Clements, Brad Webb on drums, guitarist Tristan Cassel-Delavois and a big horne section.
Those of you who attended might remember it as a soggy but he’s worth it spectacular show set amongst the lush gardens of Eden and beautifully lit space age Biomes… in a sustained English summer downpour!
Eden Sessions TV has produced this interview with Tim, intercut with some great live footage from the show:
In April, last year, having received the maximum possible ten nominations, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Matilda The Musical, for which Tim wrote the music and lyrics, skipped away with a Guinness World Record breaking SEVEN 2012 Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical!
This year Matilda The Musical is listed for yet another: The BBC Radio 2 Audience Award, which is a chance for theatre audiences to bestow this accolade on their favourite long-running London show.
You can take a look at all the razzmatazz and vote here.
As you vote you’ll automatically be entered into a prize draw to win tickets to the fabulous 2013 ceremony at Royal Opera House on the 28th April!
Have you seen Matilda? Then what are you waiting for? Pop along and vote!
The record breaking, multi-award winning Matilda The Musical, for which (as if you didn’t already know) Tim wrote the music and lyrics, continues to play to packed and excited houses at the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End, delighting and captivating people of all ages.
Inspired by Matilda’s love of books and storytelling, the RSC Education Department today launched Write Here Write Now with Matilda, an interactive website designed to encourage children to become avid readers, creative writers and playwrights themselves. There are filmed interviews with Tim and Dennis Kelly, who wrote the script adaptation, and as they bring their storytelling methods to life, with the help of comprehensive teacher notes, they aim to give teachers and children insights into the creative processes involved in writing and staging Matilda.
To celebrate the launch of Write Here Write Now with Matilda, the RSC is setting a National Writing Challenge inviting students aged between eight and thirteen to create an original script or song. Six songs or scenes will be selected, fully rehearsed and then performed live in a special performance by the West End cast at London’s Cambridge Theatre in June 2013, in front of the students and their classmates. Everyone attending will then be able to stay on to see Matilda The Musical that evening!
To get started and learn more about the challenge visit the website here and take a look at the videos and other resources available. Teachers will find that the RSC will also be providing Teacher Professional Development days on how to use Matilda The Musical as a springboard for creative writing with children.
All you lucky Americans are probably already watching Tim’s TV acting debut, as the flamboyant and hilarious rock star Atticus Fetch, in Season 6 of Californication on Showtime. (You can check out the details here if you missed that particularly exciting announcement – they’ve only just aired episode two and Tim’s in ten of them, so plenty of time to catch up).
Showtime clearly want to showcase Tim’s real life rockstar-iness too and so they’ll be screening the spectacular Tim Minchin And The Heritage Orchestra Live At The Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday 19th February at 11:00pm ET/PT.
Here’s the Showtime trailer all about Tim…I mean Atticus… I mean Tim…I mean… Here’s a trailer:
The show has had to be edited quite heavily for the slot BUT plans are already afoot to release the DVD of the full show in the USA and we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as it’s available.
This link will take anyone who fancies it to a blog from way back in November 2011, where Tim, his band members and the producer of the Heritage Orchestra talk about the orchestra show.
Ever wished you could hear Tim talk more and play piano less? Well here’s the perfect opportunity for you!
On the 20th February 2013, Tim will be heading to the Guy Nelson Hall in Warwick to talk on stage with his university friend H Anthony Hildebrand, who is currently the current Writer in Residence for the town’s literary festival, Warwick Words.
The event should see discussion about Tim’s writing techniques, his literary heroes, his role in adapting Matilda The Musical from the story and what the future holds for him. There may also be talk of what he was like back before he became a big, massive megarockstar, although we’ve been told that, alas, there won’t be anything too scandalous brought up. Shame. Oh, and there might be some songs as well.
Tickets are £18 and are available from this here link. Please also note that, unfortunately, it’s an 18+ event. this gig may contain strong language, but you knew that anyway, right?
If you’re in North America, you can catch Tim making his TV acting debut this weekend in the first episode of the new season of Californication!
Tim will be pretending to be a rock star – specifically one called Atticus Fetch – who’ll be appearing throughout the season to turn Hank Moody’s novel, A Crazy Little Thing Called Love, into a Broadway musical. Hmm… sounds familiar! We’ve also heard tales of him shooting scenes wearing nought but a sock and a smile, which means you’ll be seeing a lot more of him than you’re used to!
This raucous rock ‘n’ roll season will also feature guest appearances from notable rock stars such as former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and Marilyn Manson frontman, erm, Marilyn Manson.
Here’s a taster from the first episode of Tim doing his acting (and partial nudity) thing.
In America, you can catch the show on Sundays, at 10:30pm ET/PT on Showtime. Showtime are also having a free preview weekend that coincides with the first episode, so if you don’t subscribe, you might still be able to catch Tim’s debut! The full details about that are here.
The show will also air in Canada on Mondays, at 10:30pm ET on The Movie Network.
There are no confirmed details about broadcasts in the UK or Australia, but we’ll announce when we know more.
About this time last year Tim wrote a little song of praise where “the idea was to compare [Jesus] to Woody Allen (short, Jewish, philosophical, a bit hesitant), and expand into redefining his other alleged attributes using modern, popular-culture terminology”. He then joyously performed it on The Jonathan Ross Show at summer festivals all over the UK in 2012 and more recently at Homebake Festival, Sydney, Australia.
In November, Tim, his long hair, bare feet, beard and band* performed a warm-up gig (for the above Aussie festival) at The Coronet, London, the proceeds of which went to Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). The show was recorded for a documentary** and their euphonious performance of ‘Woody Allen Jesus’ has just been edited and put up on Tim’s YouTube Channel in violet-blue hue’d gloriousness for your delectation. Just in time for Christmas!
If that’s helped you into the Christmas spirit then you may fancy keeping the mood going with Tim’s beautiful, sentimental song about Christmas and family: ‘White Wine In The Sun’. A new studio version was released, earlier this month, with all December proceeds, once again, going to the National Autistic Society. Details of where to download it internationally here.
Merry Christmas!
*The beauteous and mellifluous Pete Clements (bass), Brad Webb (drums) and Tristan Cassel-Delavois (guitar). **You’ll hear more about that next year…
The Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers today announced the casting of the principal roles and the ensemble for Matilda the Musical on Broadway. In alphabetical order: Karen Aldridge, best known for her starring role on the Golden Globe winning series “Boss” on Starz is to play the warm-hearted librarian Mrs Phelps, Gabriel Ebert, whose Broadway credits include Brief Encounter and Red will play the colourful and feckless Mr Wormwood, Lesli Margherita, winner of a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in Zorro The Musical will play the flamboyant and clamorous Mrs Wormwood, and Lauren Ward, whose many London credits include Sound of Music and Philadelphia Story, will reprise her role as the kind and gentle Miss Honey.
As we already announced, here, the four girls making their Broadway debut to alternate playing the eponymous heroine, Matilda, are: Oona Laurence, Milly Shapiro, Bailey Ryon and Sophia Gennua, whilst the cruel and unusual Miss Trunchbull will be played by Bertie Carvel*, also making his Broadway debut to reprise his role as the hilariously terrifying headmistress, for which he won much acclaim and the Olivier for Best Actor in a Musical.
The ensemble is: Frenie Acoba, Erica Barnett, Judah Bellamy, Jack Broderick, Ava DeMary, John Arthur Greene, Emma Howard, Nadine Isenegger, Colin Israel, Thayne Jasperson, Luke Mannikus, Madilyn Morrow, Sawyer Nunes, Jared Parker, Celia Mei Rubin, John Sanders, Tamika Sonja Lawrence, Phillip Spaeth, Ryan Steele, Betsy Struxness, Samantha Sturm, Heather Tepe, Ben Thompson, Clay Thomson, TaylorTrensch, Beatrice Tulchin, and Ted Wilson*.
Auction in aid of Charity Buzz
There’s a charity auction for two tickets to the Opening Night Performance and Afterparty for Matilda on Broadway on April 11, 2013. Charity Buzz raises money for various nonprofit organisations in the US. This particular auction benefits the CFDA & Vogue’s Fashion for Sandy Relief Initiative. You can find out the details and bid here wherever you’re based but travel and accommodations are not included.
*Bertie Carvel and Ted Wilson appear with permission of Actors’ Equity Association.
As Tim let you know here, he’s recorded a studio version of his beautiful Christmas song ‘White Wine In The Sun’ and released it for download with all the December proceeds, once again, going to the National Autistic Society.
White Wine In The Sun [2012]
Written and performed by Tim Minchin
Orchestrated, mixed and mastered by Pete Clements
Guitar – Tristan Cassel-Delavois
Bass – Pete Clements
Recorded by Pat Collier at Perry Vale Studios
It’s now even easier to obtain internationally, even if you don’t use iTunes, because it’s available from 7digital. If you’re based in the UK or the US and prefer Amazon, it’s available from Amazon (UK) and Amazon (US).
Of course you can still download it internationally from iTunes, where you can gift it to another “apple person”, if you wish, by clicking the drop-down arrow next to the price and choosing “Gift this” or on your iOS device, tap the share button at the top of the screen. iTunes will send an email to your recipient to let them know and they can then download it with one click.
This version is taken from the Australian ‘Ready For This?’ DVD:
My Matilda song book is actually really and truly out today! I’m so excited.
You can buy it from real, live, in-the-actual-world shops and from intangible, probably-magic, online shops here and here, and – even more incorporeally – as a digital download thing.
Yay! Merry Christmas!
Update: The song book will be available at the RSC shop in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End, at Musicroom stores around the UK and from all good music shops. If you’re not in the UK, both online retailers (linked above) ship internationally.
The shortlist of nominations for the 2013 Whatsonstage.com Awards were announced yesterday, covering the best UK theatre experiences in 2012.
These UK theatre industry awards are the only major theatre awards which are nominated by and voted for entirely by theatregoers and the ticket-buying public. Voting is open until January 31st 2013. You can see the full list of categories and nominees and cast your votes here!
Jesus Christ Superstar is up for FIVE awards with Tim nominated for his phenomenal performance as Judas:
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical – Tim Minchin, Jesus Christ Superstar Best Supporting Actress in a Musical – Melanie C, Jesus Christ Superstar Best Musical Revival – Jesus Christ Superstar Best Lighting Designer – Patrick Woodroffe, Jesus Christ Superstar Theatre Event of the Year – Jesus Christ Superstar’s arena tour
Tim’s had his photo taken again! This time it’s an intimate and pensive shot for Tough Crowd, an exhibition of photographs by Dave Brown (‘Bollo’ the Gorilla from The Mighty Boosh) in partnership with Afrikids.
They are portraits of many fine and well-loved comedians on the circuit, including: Tim, Tony Law, Tim Key, Ross Noble, Bill Bailey, Richard Ayoade, Julia Davis, Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, Nick Helme, Sara Pascoe, Davis O’Doherty, Chris Addison and many many more. Brown asked Tim and all his subjects to recall their worst moments on stage in order to capture some of the ‘dark side’ to stand up and achieve a moody and melancholy air to the collection.
Limited edition prints are being sold here with all profits going to AfriKids, which is a child rights organisation working to improve life for Ghana’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
They are available in A3 size for £50 and A2 for £75. So you can browse the whole impressive collection via the link above or go straight to A3 Tim or A2 Tim for that Christmas gift that makes you popular forever or that treat to yourself just ’cause, in the knowledge that you are helping out a terrific charity which does amazing work.
Afrikids work ranges from traditional children’s projects including foster homes, schools and street child centres as well as tackling complex cultural issues such as child trafficking and child labour. You can donate or find out more about their work here.
Tim will be helping Tom and Alex celebrate the forthcoming apocalypse on their End of the World special, tomorrow morning, 7th December 2012, on triple j by providing the songs for the last ever Like A Version!
He’ll be live in the studio to perform one of his own tunes and his own interpretation of someone else’s. The show starts at 6am, but if that’s too early for you, the ATT* will be 7am-8:30am.
There’s no word as to what Tim will be playing, so you’ll have to tune in to find out which song he’ll be murdering lovingly re-imagining.
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