Tim’s been added to the glorious line up for most of the dates on the upcoming December Uncaged Monkeys tour.
The Uncaged Monkeys sell-out spring tour was so hugely successful, delightfully boggling, fascinating and amusing minds up and down the country that Robin Ince and Brian Cox decided to do it all again. They hit the road: 6th-15th December 2011 with a brand new show bringing their infectious enthusiasm and excitement about the wonders of science to several theatres around the country. They’ll be joined once more by Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Helen Arney and a variety of special guests.
Tim will be monkeying with them for the following dates:
Manchester: O2 Apollo on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th December Plymouth: Pavilions on Saturday 10th December London: HMV Hammersmith Apollo on Wednesday 14th December Brighton: Dome on Thursday 15th December
More information can be found at www.robinince.com and links to numerous ticket agencies for these December shows can be found here.
Passing any news stands or magazine racks in central London today? – then look out!
In central London newsagents, Tim will be looking right back at you all scarily awesome from the front cover of Time Out’s Halloween issue. He’s spooking it out on there with Eleanor Worthington Cox, one of the four young actresses who’ll be playing the title role in Matilda The Musical, which has its first preview tonight, at the Cambridge Theatre in London.
Those who subscribe should see Tim on your doormats tomorrow, with all other London outlets stocking it by then too.
Inside the magazine Tim talks about Matilda The Musical, for which he wrote the music and lyrics, with Time Out London’s theatre editor Caroline McGinn.
If you are not subscribed or in London or are simply frightfully impatient then you might like to take a look at this.
Update: the interview is now available to read online here!
For more information and tickets to the show take a look at the Matilda The Musical website or catch up with the Matilda page on this site, where you’ll find lots of videos, less spooky photos and more.
If you’re in the UK and not yet got yourself a copy of the rocking Tim Minchin and The Heritage Orchestra, Live in Manchester CD, then here’s some good news for you!
On the 31st October, next Monday, this album will be properly released and, for the first time in the UK, available in your local independent record shop (or HMV)! Of course, if they have an appalling taste in music and haven’t got it in stock, then you’ll be able to order it in.
Alternatively, you can order it online from the usual places, who are also offering pre-orders for it at the moment!
There’s something a bit special on the radio today! Tim will be appearing live on In Tune with his Matilda The Musical partner-in-crime, Dennis Kelly. The dastardly duo (Tim’s Muttley, obviously) will be discussing the imminent opening of the musical and Tim will also being performing snippets of songs from the show!
In Tune will be broadcast on Radio Three, today at 4:30pm, and will be available on iPlayer afterwards. Also, as it’s radio, this is will be available for for everyone to listen to!
As if that wasn’t enough to get excited by, Channel 4 (and Channel 4 HD, for those with unhealthy obsession with pores and follicles) seem to be dedicating their late night schedule to Tim this Friday!
The whole thing starts at 10:35pm when Tim will be making his second appearance on 8 out of 10 Cats alongside Rachel Riley, Vernon Kay and Joe Wilkinson. After having to deal with Uri Gellar on his last appearance, this one should be a doddle…
Immediately after 8 out of 10 Cats, at 11:05pm, Channel 4 will be premiering a cut-down version of Tim’s ‘Ready For This?‘! Filmed at Hammersmith Apollo, years ago (approximately two), this will be worth watching if only for the flashy lights and impressive pyrotechnics and choreography. Oh, and there’ll be a weird-looking bloke bashing out a few tunes on a piano too, if you’re into that kind of thing.
If the thrill of an ARIA nomination wasn’t enough, Tim is up for yet another award, with this one being his first for his work on Matilda The Musical!
Specifically, Tim has been shortlisted for Best Stage Work at the British Composer Awards. He’s up against Orlando Gough, for his work on A Ring A Lamp A Thing, and Joby Talbot, for his work on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The winners will be announced on the 30th November.
This isn’t the only award Matilda The Musical is up for at the moment, with it being up for Best Musical Production, and Bertie Carvel being up for Best Performance in a Musical at the Theatre Awards UK! Winners for those will be announced on the 30th October.
As if you needed another reason or three to book your tickets to see it!
Irish folk, did you lament the lack of an interview with Tim on last week’s Late, Late Show? Well if you fancy tuning into the ultra-hip and trendy* teenage magazine show Juice, today on RTÉ Two at 5:30pm then you’ll be able to see an interview with him! It will also be on the RTÉ Player afterwards.
UK folk, unfortunately, unlike The Late, Late Show, you won’t be able to catch this one after it’s aired on the RTÉ Player.
Tim will be appearing at the Altitude Comedy Festival in Mayrhofen, Austria, 26 – 31st March 2012. He’ll be performing comedy après ski not giving skiing lessons but will doubtless be donning some winter sports apparel, befitting a style icon,* at some point.
The idea is you spend your days skiing or snowboarding on the slopes and if you survive that and stay out of plaster, you can rest your aching limbs and soothe any chafed bits whilst enjoying comedy festival fun in the evenings.
If you fancy 6 days of comedy, winter sports, spas and partying then Altitude Comedy Festival is sold as an accommodation and entertainment package. You can check out the full details and line ups here or if you’re feeling lucky there’s an opportunity to win 5 pairs of tickets just by signing up to their mailing list.
*shiny hot pink salopettes and perhaps some mittens…
Heads up! Tim’s returning to the US next month and you can still grab tickets to these gigs:
New York
Friday 4th of November 2011
Venue: Town Hall Tickets
Providence
Saturday 5th of November 2011
Venue: Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel Tickets
Chicago
Thursday 10th of November 2011
Venue: The Vic Theatre Tickets
So if you’ve yet to see the rock ‘n’ roll nerd uniquely tackle rationalism, love and taboos or you have a hankering for another chance to see Tim’s lyrical and musical gymnastics (he can no longer get insurance for actual gymnastics as his pants are being chosen for their ever tighter fit…*) hit those links and prepare for fall fun!
* some of the words in parenthesis might not be true.
Tim’s latest album, Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra, has been nominated for the Best Comedy Release ARIA Award! Up against him will be:
Adam Hills – Inflatable
Buddy Goode – The One and Only Buddy Goode
Hamish and Andy – Celebrating 50 Glorious Years
Josh Thomas – ‘Surprise’
For those unaware of the ARIA Awards, they are commonly thought of as the Australian equivalent to the UK’s Brits and the US’s Grammys! Not bad, eh?
There’s also a public vote for the best live performance, which is open for any artist to win, not that we’re suggesting that you Australians should vote for Tim, of course…
The winners will be announced on the 27th November. Good luck, Tim!
Hey, Irelandians! Tim will be flying off (literally – he’ll be wearing a Superman costume and everything*) from his gig in Dublin tomorrow to make an appearance on RTÉ’s Late, Late Show!
The topical show will kick off tomorrow on RTÉ One at 9:35pm, with Tim expected to make an appearance shortly after 11pm. Let’s hope he remembers to put his underwear back on the inside beforehand!
So here’s the second part of the very beardy, slightly sniggery video of Tim and Dennis Kelly interviewing each other at the Cambridge Theatre last month, using questions posed by fans of the musical on Twitter:
You might also like to know that Matilda The Musical has been nominated for two 2011 Theatre Awards UK – Best Musical Production and Best Performance in a Musical for Bertie Carvel, who talks about his role here in the Evening Standard.
For more information head over to the Matilda The Musical website or catch up with the Matilda page on this site, where you’ll find part one of this interview and much more.
Last month, before Tim headed stateside once again, he and Dennis Kelly popped into the Cambridge Theatre to take a look at the transformations taking place and to giggle whilst asking each other some of the questions posed by those out there in the twitterverse:
Tim has three wondrously varied gigs coming up in the next couple of months so here are a few details and ticket links for your perusal:
As you might have noticed Tim tweet yesterday, on Saturday 22nd October 2011, at 10.30pm, he’ll be joining the lovely Alex Horne and his marvelous band, along with the other special guest that evening, Bruce Airhead, for The Horne Section at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End. It’s a unique blend of late night musical and comedy jazz. Further details can be found via the ticket link below. Tickets are priced between £15 and £25.
Friends of the Earth present their comedy evening: Laugh or the Polar Bear Gets It on Friday 18th November 2011, at 7pm at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London. Tim joins many other big names on the bill: Dan Antopolski, Greg Davies, Simon Day, Justin Edwards as Jeremy Lion, Richard Herring, Josie Long, Francesca Martinez, Lucy Porter and Rob Rouse, with music from special guest Badly Drawn Boy. All profits from the event go to Friends of the Earth and their vital environmental campaigning.
It turns out that if you don’t buy Tickets priced from £19.50, to this, that poor polar bear gets it!
As if stepping up for ‘Snowy’ and the planet wasn’t enough, on Wednesday 23rd November, at 7.30pm, Tim is back performing at the Royal Albert Hall. This time raising funds for The Prince’s Trust at their Rock Gala 2011. Assembling to raise the very high roof of that hall, along with rock legend Pete Townshend are YolanDa Brown, Kenney Jones, Mark King, Julian Lennon, Cerys Matthews, Imelda May, Charlie Siem and Midge Ure. You’ll find more information about The Prince’s Trust and the various ticket prices via the link below. Tickets
So there really does seem to be something for everyone there.
Anyone already booked?
I could take this post either way. I could go with Elvis puns, because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love The King? Or, I could go on about how ironic it is that Tim’s playing a town whose name means the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power, given his beliefs.
I think I’m gonna go with Elvis…
Tim and his distinct lack of (blue suede) shoes will be bringing the (jailhouse) rock to Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island, on the 5th November! Tickets go on sale tomorrow at this link here so be sure to get in quick as you don’t want to be all shook up when you find out it’s sold out and be sure to put in the right address as these are tickets that you won’t want returned to sender!
Mind you, if you’re lonesome tonight, there’s a presale password available so you can buy your tickets now! The word you’ll be needing to do that is REESE.
Hi all. As some of you may have heard, our lovely wee musical, Matilda, is being postponed by a week so we can make sure that when it does open, it is fully functional, safe, and generally totally excellent.
This is not an uncommon occurrence in shows of this size (Spiderman anyone?), but it is very disappointing for those who had tickets for the cancelled shows. I know the affected group will include a lot of people who frequent this website, because you are the people who always come to everything first! It is for that reason a huge pity.
Here is a statement from the RSC:
The RSC has today announced that the first five previews of Matilda The Musical will no longer take place. The production will now play at the Cambridge Theatre from Tuesday 25 October and opening night will be held on Thursday 24 November.
The structural work and extensive installation required for the show has taken longer than planned and it is with regret that the Company has had to take the decision to delay the cast’s move from the rehearsal rooms to the stage.
People who have booked for the cancelled preview performances are being contacted directly by the RSC and their ticketing partners, and alternative performance dates offered.
André Ptaszynski, Executive Producer, Matilda The Musical, said: “Every musical theatre production of this scale goes through similar challenges during this pre-opening period, but Matilda has a cast made up of three different teams of young actors and four young actresses in the title role. This means that, unlike other shows, we cannot extend everyone’s working hours, take shortcuts and reduce the number of dress rehearsals to meet the date of the first preview. We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to people who had booked for these early performances and we are working hard to ensure that the re-booking or refunding process is as quick and as easy as possible.” www.matildathemusical.com
André’s quote is most pertinent: the RSC would – in other circumstances – have pulled out all stops to accelerate the “tech-run” period of rehearsals. But every time we make a change – even if it’s just adjusting a dance step or moving a piece of scenery – it has to be rehearsed by three teams of actors… It actually comes down to genuine concerns about safety, as well as a desire to make sure the show is as good as it can be. This show may well run for a considerable time, and it would be short-sighted to cut corners. Be assured that a great deal of negotiation and soul-searching has gone into this very tough decision.
To those who are booked to come during what was the first week, I dearly hope you can find a time to come back and see it… and that you won’t be too cross with us!
If you’re in the UK and not yet got yourself a copy of the rocking Tim Minchin and The Heritage Orchestra, Live in Manchester CD, then here’s some good news for you!
If the thrill of 
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