andy hamilton tour review

NUMBER 9.................. Reviewing The Arts UK-wide

Reviews, news, interviews and previews of THEATRE, COMEDY, FILM, MUSIC, ART, LITERATURE in Greater Manchester and the whole of the UK.

Wednesday 15 May 2019

Comedy review: an evening with andy hamilton - the lowry theatre, salford..

No comments:

Post a comment.

Theater Review: ‘Hamilton’ wows in a moving and high energy tour

“How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and Scotsman…grow up to be a hero and a scholar?” The opening lines of “Hamilton” (now playing at the Dr. Phillips Center For the Performing Arts in Orlando, Fla.) ask this very evocative question, which the show proceeds to answer through a clever combination of Broadway theater sensibilities and hip-hop inspired lyrics and rhythms.

“Hamilton” tells the rise and fall, rags to riches story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton from his humble beginnings as an orphan in the Caribbean through his involvement in the Revolutionary War to his contributions as an early American political leader and his eventual death. I won’t spoil too much here in this regard, but I’ve found that most people, if they know anything about Hamilton already, only know that he’s on the $10 bill and the details of his infamous death.

“Hamilton” premiered on Broadway to near universal acclaim and this tour stays true to that original award-winning production, and very much lives up to the hype. Having started its life as a hip hop concept album by writer/creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Hamilton” contains almost no spoken dialogue, playing more like a modern day opera with rap. This means that songs flow quickly, one to the other, and the story picks up steam rapidly throughout Act 1 as we follow the events of the Revolutionary War, only slowing down in Act 2 as Alexander becomes mired in the much more difficult job of leading a new country.

This production flies through its nearly two-and-a-half hour runtime moving quickly from song to song at a pace that is, one might say, “non-stop.” The high energy performances and instantly memorable songs keep the audience’s attention the whole way through. The book, songs, and production being what they are, the show truly lives or dies on who tells the story. In “Hamilton,” much of the cast and all of the leads are played by non-white performers. As Miranda says, “America then, as told by America now.” We had a number of stand-ins and understudies taking on major roles the night we attended, but the talent was high and everyone was more than capable. Particular stand-outs include powerhouse Stephanie Umoh as Angelica Schuyler rapping and belting her way through her turning-point song “Satisfied,” and Josh Tower as the narrator Aaron Burr, holding the story together and bringing the house down with the show-stopping “The Room Where it Happened.”

One of the more disappointing parts of the production were the uneven microphone volumes for several performers, including David Park in the dual role of Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. As Lafayette, Park is given some of the most complicated and fastest rap sections of the entire show, and he has to do them with a French accent. This section can already be very difficult to follow and appreciate, and the audio issues did not do him any favors. Hopefully, they can key in on the correct levels for him to utilize in this venue and fix the problem for the rest of the run. Signs in the lobby indicated that an app was offered to allow patrons to view captions on their phones during the performance. While clearly intended for those who are hard of hearing, I could see people of all different abilities taking advantage of this feature for this production.

As laid out in the program itself, the lyrics and song stylings of “Hamilton” contain references to a number of classic hip hop artists such as The Notorious BIG, Mobb Deep, and Grand Master Flash, as well as Broadway hits like “The Pirates of Penzance,” “South Pacific,” and “The Last Five Years.” Borrowing from (and giving credit to) these inspirations firmly grounds the show in both its hip hop and Broadway roots, allowing those with greater knowledge of those genres and influences the chance to recognize lyrics and rhythms that are meaningful to them. It’s in this way that “Hamilton” achieves perhaps its most important feat, creating something that is instantly recognizable and digestible by the patrons of the art form that keep it going today, as well as opening up the art to a whole new group of people that might not have otherwise given theater a chance.

Some people see “Hamilton” and ask, “Who is this for?” I believe the show and production itself answer that question boldly and directly. “Hamilton” is for those who love the spectacle of large, flashy musicals. “Hamilton” is for anyone who’s ever wondered if they might see someone who looks like them in a leading role. “Hamilton” is for those looking to be thoroughly entertained for a couple of hours. In short, “Hamilton” is for you, whoever you may be.

“Hamilton” runs now through Nov 20, 2022 at the Dr. Phillips Center with more tour stops to follow. For tickets check out  drphillipscenter.org  and for more information on “Hamilton” or to find out when the tour will be in a city near you, visit  hamiltonmusical.com .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign me up for the Attractions Magazine e-mail newsletter!

Beyond The Joke

The Lowdown on Comedy, Theatre, TV, Food, Travel & Sam Campbell

Search form

Tour dates for andy hamilton.

In an intimate evening of comic reflection, reminiscence and revelation, one of the most noted comedy writers and directors of the last few decades looks back over his more-than-forty years in comedy and seventy(ish) years on the planet and tries to answer some questions.

Recalling stories from his extensive professional career in comedy, Andy shares memories, anecdotes and opinions, from the political to the personal, in just a handful of selected dates this summer. Audiences will also have the opportunity to ask Andy questions on any topic, so one show will never be the same as another!

Come and enjoy an enlightening, entertaining and above all funny evening with an award-winning master of comedy.  

Beginning in 1976 as a contributor to Radio 4’s Weekending, Andy went on to pick up a raft of awards for co-writing and co-directing such household TV classics as Drop The Dead Donkey and Outnumbered. His TV satires turned up the heat on Westminster with Ballot Monkeys and Power Monkeys, and he and his co-writer Guy Jenkin also penned and directed the hit British comedy feature film What We Did On Our Holiday. A second series of their latest sitcom Kate & Koji, starring Brenda Blethyn, aired on ITV earlier last year.  

In addition, Andy’s numerous TV and radio credits include Have I Got News For You, QI, Andy Hamilton Sort of Remembers, The News Quiz, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, Trevor’s World Of Sport and Old Harry’s Game… not to mention as the voice of Dr Elephant, the dentist in the children's highly popular TV show Peppa Pig.

Andy’s debut novel, The Star Witness, and his handwritten (yes, handwritten!) epic novel Longhand are both available via Unbound.

Weds 7th June SOUTHPORT, Atkinson   01704 533333 /   HYPERLINK " http://www.theatkinson.co.uk/whats-on/ " www.theatkinson.co.uk/whats-on/  

Sat 10th June LONDON, Blackheath Halls 0208 4630100 /   HYPERLINK " http://www.blackheathhalls.com/ " www.blackheathhalls.com/

Weds 14th June DERBY, Derby Theatre 01332 593939 /   HYPERLINK " http://www.derbytheatre.co.uk " www.derbytheatre.co.uk    

Sun 18th June CAMBRIDGE, West Road 01223 357851 /   HYPERLINK " http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/tickets " www.cambridgelive.org.uk/tickets  

Fri 23rd June DONCASTER, Cast HYPERLINK "tel:01302%20303959" 01302 303959 /   HYPERLINK " http://www.castindoncaster.com/ " www.castindoncaster.com/

Thurs 29th June NEWBURY, Corn Exchange " http://www.cornexchangenew.com/ " www.cornexchangenew.com/  

Sun 9th July LAUNCESTON, Town Hall   HYPERLINK " http://www.comicalentertainment.com/what-s-on " www.comicalentertainment.com/what-s-on  

Mon 10th July PLYMOUTH, Quad HYPERLINK " http://www.comicalentertainment.com/what-s-on " www.comicalentertainment.com/what-s-on

Sat 15th July LICHFIELD, Garrick 01543 412121 /   HYPERLINK " http://www.lichfieldgarrick.com/ " www.lichfieldgarrick.com/

Sun 16 July MILTON KEYNES, The Stables 01908 280800 /   HYPERLINK " http://www.stables.org " www.stables.org

Tags: 

• ANDY HAMILTON

Articles on beyond the joke contain affiliate ticket links that earn us revenue. BTJ needs your continued support to continue - if you would like to help to keep the site going, please consider donating .

Sign up for mailing list

• Privacy Policy

Accessibility Links

Andy Hamilton interview: ‘I had a near‑death experience on a Kenyan safari. It’s ruined Hungry Hippos for me’

The comedian has had run‑ins with african wildlife and drunk icelandic students, and he almost drowned on the great barrier reef. scotland was rather lovely, though....

I am, by nature, a very risk-averse person. Except when it comes to animals, when I will happily put myself out on a limb because I feel entranced by nature. On safari in Kenya it went dramatically wrong.

One morning we got up at 4am and a young lad took us out on his skiff on Lake Naivasha. Initially it was so idyllic, with pied kingfishers in the papyrus reeds, but somehow we ended up with a lot of female hippos behind us in the water and one enraged bull hippo on the beach. I asked, “Is this a good place to be, between the bull and his harem?” and the young lad said, “No, it’s not, but we’ll be all right because they’re scared of the outboard.” Then he flooded it.

It went silent. The male hippo plunged into the water. He had a bow wave in front of his face — that’s how fast he was coming towards us. He was seconds away when the kid got the outboard going again. That’s as close as I ever want to be to a hippo and its jaws. Now, if someone starts a game of Hungry Hippos, I have to leave the room.

I’ve also been quite close to a big reef shark on Bird Island in the Seychelles. And we saw a great white shark in South Africa. My family got in a cage in the sea to see it, and I watched from the boat and had a wonderful view. It was the most beautiful animal, except for the last 0.3 seconds. As it closed in on the lure, the top lip went back and the teeth came out.

I nearly managed to drown myself at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I can’t swim, but I don’t really have a fear of the water. We went out on a slow boat and by the time we got there the tide had turned. Everyone else went scuba diving, but I just got out and walked about. I was using goggles, dipping my head in the water, looking at all these fish, happy as Larry. Then I straightened up and realised the water was up to my waist. There was no one else around. I thought I’d just wait until they came back but the tide came in quickly.

Advertisement

My friend Guy Jenkin suddenly boiled out of the water in front of me, and what he saw was just a head in the middle of the ocean. We had this very English conversation. I said, “I would quite like to go back to the boat.”

When I was a kid our holidays usually involved campsites and B&Bs. I remember going to Hayling Island down on the Hampshire coast, Great Yarmouth, Bognor — and being on the beach with buckets. I loved the piers and putting pennies in the machines, and the laughing sailor and dodgems. But I’m glad I’ve been able to spread my wings a bit further than that.

Iceland really surprised me. My wife and I went there in the height of summer when there was 24-hour daylight. We got called up at three or four in the morning to ask if we wanted a game of tennis. When the daylight comes the locals want to make the most of it. We went camping by some glaciers, thinking it would be lovely and remote, but hundreds of Icelandic students turned up and just got blind drunk to celebrate the end of exams. A few tried to climb into our tent in the middle of the night.

I’m not adventurous, but I like walking. My wife’s family is from Nairn, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, so we go there and do a lot of hiking over hills, mountains and beaches. We usually spend a week there, and a week on the west coast, or over on Skye or on Harris.

Scotland is phenomenally beautiful and it always amazes me that you don’t see more people up there. That was true 30 years ago, when I started going there, and you can still spend a day without seeing anyone. I love the big skies, the sea and islands, and the wildlife. But the thing I like best about it? The lack of hippos.

Andy Hamilton, 67, is a comedian, writer and director who co-created the BBC sitcom Outnumbered and is a regular guest on Have I Got News for You and QI. His debut novel, The Star Witness, is out now ( unbound.com ), and he is on tour at present. He lives in Wimbledon with his wife, Libby Asher, and has three children, Pip, Robbie and Isobel

Related articles

Review: HAMILTON National Tour, DPAC

Founding Fathers musical continues to inspire and amaze

I've been a HAMILTON fan since the show first premiered on Broadway back in 2015, so I was thrilled to find out that the tour was once again coming to DPAC. Lin-Manuel Miranda 's musical remains every bit as engaging and innovative today as it was seven years ago. Under Thomas Kail 's direction, the show is one of the most unique to have made it big on Broadway as it presents the history of a Founding Father but with a cast that reflects the diversity of modern America.

If you have somehow missed out on the HAMILTON craze before now, the musical is about the "ten-dollar Founding Father" Alexander Hamilton. Largely overlooked by history, Hamilton was a Revolutionary War hero, the first Secretary of the Treasurer, and the founder of our financial system (and the Coast Guard). The show chronicles his journey from his arrival in America as a young man eager to make his name to his untimely death in a duel with Aaron Burr. Famous figures like George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Thomas Jefferson also make appearances as well as Hamilton's wife Eliza and her sisters Angelica and Peggy.

Zoe Jensen 's Eliza is bright and charming; her "Helpless" is a highlight of the show. Paul Oakley Stovall 's George Washington is so tall and commanding, he actually feels like a fatherly figure to the rest of the characters. I was particularly impressed by David Park 's very energetic Lafayette and refined Jefferson. He did an excellent job of putting his own spin on the role and seemed like he was having a great time.

The tour has done a wonderful job of recreating the design of the original Broadway production. David Korins 's set is so simple and yet so effective. The lighting, by Howell Binkley , is used expertly, particularly in the way it punctuates the music in the war scenes. Meanwhile, Paul Tazewell 's costume design does a perfect job of creating the anachronistic colonial world in which the musical takes place, as tricorner hats and corsets contrast with modern hair and makeup just as the story of the Founding Fathers contrasts with the diverse casting.

HAMILTON really is every bit as good as the hype around it suggests. This tour production has so much energy and allows the humor of the show to shine through, in a way that you might miss just listening to the cast recording. If you're a Hamilfan yourself, I can't recommend getting a ticket to see it enough.

HAMILTON is at DPAC until June 5. You can find more information and buy tickets here .

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Add Your Comment

Join team broadwayworld.

Are you an avid theatergoer? We're looking for people like you to share your thoughts and insights with our readers. Team BroadwayWorld members get access to shows to review, conduct interviews with artists, and the opportunity to meet and network with fellow theatre lovers and arts workers.

Interested? Learn more here .

Play Broadway Games

Raleigh SHOWS

Recommended For You

Stage and Cinema

Arts and Entertainment Reviews

Theater Review: HAMILTON (North American Tour)

by Tony Frankel on September 29, 2022

in Theater-Los Angeles , Theater-Regional , Tours

OUR FUNKY FOUNDING FATHERS

A hip-hop Alexander Hamilton? A beat-box Father of His Country? A jumping James Madison and a jiveass Jefferson who disses bigtime in a poetry slam? The ten-dollar bill will never be the same (or the dollar note for that matter). A sassy-spunky 2015 blast from the past set to irresistible rhythms,  Hamilton  is a wildly successful revamp (or reclamation) by Lin-Manuel Miranda (creator of  In the Heights ). It feels as revolutionary as the war it covers and as bold as the new nation it celebrates.

A money maker about the credit-worthy man who made our money (our first treasury secretary, co-author of  The Federalist Papers , and deal-maker for a strong government and centralized economy),  Hamilton is indefinitely invincible in this stop at Segerstrom Hall as part of a North American Tour.

Rapping and rampaging in set designer David Korins ’ big barn with wooden walkways and revolving stage, all but dancing to Howell Binkley ’s wizard lighting, Miranda’s makeover finds its heart beat  in “(I’m Not Going to Lose) My Shot” (darkly ironic, considering Hamilton’s demise). This is Hamilton’s declaration of independence as a hopeful, hungry seeker of newly minted glory, driven by a destiny he carves himself. Everything old is new again as we learn “who lives, who dies, who tells your story.”

DeAundre’ Woods tackles the title role with combustible ambition, climbing notes and surmounting obstacles from 1776 to 1800. Along Miranda’s “green brick road” we meet Hamilton’s true if tried helpmate Eliza (lovely Morgan Anita Wood ), his surrogate dad George Washington ( Darnell Abraham ), his ally Madison ( Brandon Louis Armstrong ), his opportunistic foil Burr ( Donald Webber, Jr. ), and his ideological foe Thomas Jefferson ( Paris Nix ). (John Adams, who HBO covered well enough, does not appear.) Keeping it huge as well as real, Miranda includes a sardonically clueless George III ( Rick Negron ), a stalwart Marquis de Lafayette (Nix), Hamilton’s cut-from-the-same-cloth teenage son Philip ( Manuel Stark Santos ), and Angelica Schuyler ( Marja Harmon ), Hamilton’s sustaining Muse and sister-in-law. Some actors are still working on diction, others were heard perfectly.

Drawing from Ron Chernow ’s 2004 biography, the action contrasts private and public happenings to show how, more than politics, history is local. Hamilton seems as much the subtle strategist who became G.W.’s “right hand man” as the skilled suitor to the Schuyler sisters, as much a comer (“History Has Its Eyes on You”) as a marked man (“The World Was Wide Enough”).

Radiating pluck and luck, opposing Northern interests to Southern subversion, Woods’ Hamilton is a dogged campaigner, whether negotiating  affaires d’honneur  (“Ten Duel Commandments”); intriguing for advantage (“Cabinet Battle”); forging a difference (“The Room Where It Happens”); admitting to bribing an irate husband to cover an adulterous affair (“The Reynolds Pamphlet”); or simply settling for some short serenity (“That Would Be Enough”). Paralleling the ardor of his once and future victim with his own aching aspirations, Mr. Webber, Jr.’s Burr (“Wait for It”), himself an orphan, fits Hamilton as Javert does Jean Valjean. Ms. Woods incarnates heartbreak in Eliza’s pop anthem “Burn.” No Madame Tussaud’s waxworks, the ensemble is game for fame.

You can fault Miranda’s fascination with a flawed hero to rewrite the story a bit — but, hey, this is the land of Musical Comedy: No bronze statue in the making, Hamilton was not opposed to slavery. A closet elitist, he was no pal to democracy, despising the mob and cultivating fellow plutocrats. It’s strange that Hamilton was decisive in making his arch adversary Thomas Jefferson our third president: Miranda’s ire at the adulterous slave owner stops him from acknowledging the populist fervor of a virtuous Virginian. (For more dicrepensies to the story, see the displays in the lobby.)

But, pulsating to Andy Klankenbuehler ’s kinetic choreography, Hamilton  is a “non-stop” Pulitzer and Tony-winning musical, not a political testament. A nearly three-hour amusement ride, this is America as seen from the future, not projected from the past. Thomas Kail ’s faithful staging squeezes the juices from Miranda’s R&B magic-making. When it’s not S.R.O. (which it was on opening night), there will be dancing in the aisles. It’s impossible not to be caught up in the sheer anti-boredom of it all, thrill-making 21st-century theatricality to rechristen the republic.

photos by Joan Marcus

HAMILTON reviewed at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa Tues-Fri at 7:30; Sat at 2 & 8; Sun at 1 & 7 ends on October 16, 2022 at Segerstrom for tickets, call (714) 556-2787 or visit SCFTA tour continues; for dates and cities, visit Hamilton

Share this post:

Leave a Comment

• Art and Museums
• Concerts / Events
• Theater-Boston
• Theater-Chicago
• Theater-D.C.
• Theater-International
• Theater-Las Vegas
• Theater-Los Angeles
• Theater-New York
• Theater-Palm Springs (Coachella Valley)
• Theater-Regional
• Theater-San Diego
• Theater-San Francisco / Bay Area
• Privacy Statement

Search reviews by title or key words.

Please help keep stage and cinema going, while we assert that it’s time to rethink the existence of facebook, here’s our page, casino reviews betsquare.

Your privacy

We use cookies to help make our site work properly and to analyze how our site is used. You can view our cookies policy , manage your cookie preferences , or consent and dismiss this banner by clicking agree:

• Andy Hamilton Interview
• Arts & Culture

By Ryan Ormonde

Outnumbered co-creator Andy Hamilton brings his stand up tour Change Management to Blackheath Halls on November 28th.

Andy Hamilton is a comedian of television, radio and stage - not to mention the creator of TV comedies Outnumbered, Ballot Monkeys and 90s classic Drop the Dead Donkey. He talked to London Calling ahead of a London date in his UK tour.

London Calling: Your show is called Change Management . Do you believe in the existence of the male menopause?

Andy Hamilton: I think I’ve been living through it since I was about eight years old. I think middle-aged men since the dawn of time will have experienced feelings of anxiety and displacement. A lot of great literature is based on the male menopause. Loosely speaking I’m sure there is a phenomenon, which has a comic dimension, which is men getting used to the idea that they are no longer at the centre of events.

LC: What was the first big change in your life?

AH: I had my thumb removed when I was five years old. So that was a literal change in that my body was edited of one digit.

LC: So you adapted pretty quickly?

AH: It stopped me being a violinist. Yeah, I did adapt actually. I learned to write with my left hand. Oh - so that is the first big change: having to learn to write using the other hand. But it was quite good because I’d just started primary school and it made me a bit of a celebrity. The other kids thought it was pretty cool and they gathered round to look at the stitches.

LC: You are a Londoner - from your perspective how has London changed over the years?

AH: Generally speaking gentrification has been the big change. I think it means that the people who keep London ticking over - the nurses and the bus drivers - they all now live out on the fringes of London. Migration in and out of London, morning and evening is a big change. Sorry that’s not a very funny answer. There’s less dog crap on the street?

LC: Which cultural venues do you think London can be most proud of?

AH: I love the Albert Hall. I could watch anything there. If they put on snooker in the Albert Hall I would probably go and watch it, just because I love being inside that building.

LC: Outnumbered shook up a format that had been done so many times - the family sitcom. What other formats need a good shakeup?

AH: All the shows that are done against phoney deadlines. You know, when they say ‘We’ve got two days to make over’ a certain house. You haven’t got two days. That’s just a fabrication to generate a sense of jeopardy. I think those makeover shows are really tired. They could do with a makeover at least, if not abolition. Personally I think all reality programming looks clichéd and old fashioned and it has for some time. I think the only reason there’s still so much of it is the economics of it.

LC: What is wrong with television today?

AH: Sometimes I talk about this in the show. I would say the biggest problem in British television is the same as it’s been from the beginning. It’s: How do you make popular programmes that don’t patronise or talk down to the audience? That’s always been the dilemma from the very beginning. The audience love stuff that’s new and original. They really take to something new. But the pressures of marketing mean that you go with something that worked before. I think that broadcasters fail to trust the audience’s receptiveness for new things.

LC: Do you think there’s an economic fear there?

AH: Certainly, as the environment gets more precarious it gets more competitive. The fear of losing money can be a great inhibitor of creative risk-taking. And that’s not a criticism, that’s human nature. If it was my money I’d feel the same way probably. But I’m in that luxurious position of spending other people’s money.

LC: Do you think social media has made it harder to write satire?

AH: I don’t think it’s making satire harder, no. It’s making public life a bit more ludicrous. In some ways it’s making satire a bit easier because you get these absurd, slightly hysterical reactions to things. So it’s opened up a new department for satire.

LC: Are you a fan of the sitcom Parks and Recreation ?

AH: That’s my daughter’s favourite. It’s a good show.

LC: Any other sitcoms you would shine a light on?

AH: Frasier is a classic sitcom. Of the new crop I like Peep Show and The IT Crowd .

LC: What do you like about touring?

AH: The shows. Writing is quite a deskbound activity. And just meeting the people who like your stuff is really interesting. One of the things I talk about is the fact that teachers used to hit kids when I was a kid. Just straw polling the audience and finding out what they got hit by, and how they felt about it, is interesting. But obviously the priority is to make them laugh.

LC: Do you have anything else coming up?

AH: I’m bringing out a book with an outfit called Unbound. They crowd-fund the production costs, so they cover the risk with advance sales from the fans, which is a really interesting model. I went to see them and the first thing I noticed was how buoyant and happy everyone in the office looked compared to TV people. It was a great bonus. At the same time it’s very ‘olde-worlde’ because it’s what people used to do in the 18th Century. People like Pope, they went round saying, “I’ve got this poem; I want to publish it.” And they’d show it to people and people would go, “oh that’s good”, and they’d give them the money. It’s a strange fusion of modern technology and traditional methods.

Tickets for Andy Hamilton’s Change Management at Blackheath Halls on 28 November can be booked here . To support Andy’s debut novel, see Unbound website .

Andy Hamilton

Award-winning comedy writer, performer and comedian. Known to millions for his appearances on 'Have I Got News For You', 'QI', 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A more...

Follow Andy Hamilton on Ents24 to receive updates on any new tour dates the moment they are announced...

• Be the first to know about new tour dates
• Alerts are free and always will be
• We hate spam and will never share your email address with anyone else
• More than a million fans already rely on Ents24 to follow their favourite artists and venues

Fans who like Andy Hamilton also like

Marcus Brigstocke

Mark Thomas

Andy Zaltzman

Arthur Smith

An Evening With Andy Hamilton 2023 dates announced

Friday 3rd March 2023, 11:00am

• An Evening With Andy Hamilton will tour in June and July 2023
• Audiences can expect "an intimate evening of comic reflection, reminiscence and revelation"

Sitcom writer and comedian Andy Hamilton is to perform shows in June and July 2023 , as he returns to his An Evening With Andy Hamilton format.

His promoters explain: "In an intimate evening of comic reflection, reminiscence and revelation, one of the most noted comedy writers and directors of the last few decades looks back over his more-than-forty years in comedy and seventy(ish) years on the planet and tries to answer some questions.

"Recalling stories from his extensive professional career in comedy, Andy shares memories, anecdotes and opinions, from the political to the personal, in just a handful of selected dates this summer. Audiences will also have the opportunity to ask Andy questions on any topic, so one show will never be the same as another!

"Come and enjoy an enlightening, entertaining and above all funny evening with an award-winning master of comedy."

Weds 7th June: SOUTHPORT, Atkinson Sat 10th June: LONDON, Blackheath Halls Weds 14th June: DERBY, Derby Theatre Sun 18th June:CAMBRIDGE, West Road Fri 23rd June: DONCASTER, Cast Thurs 29th June: NEWBURY, Corn Exchange Sun 9th July: LAUNCESTON, Town Hall Mon 10th July: PLYMOUTH, Quad Sat 15th July: LICHFIELD, Garrick Sun 16 July: MILTON KEYNES, The Stables

Share this page

Donate to british comedy guide.

Join us in our mission to support and promote British comedy across the decades.

Subscribe to our newsletters

Get all the latest news and information in your inbox, with our range of email newsletters to meet all interests.

• Advanced Search
• Most Popular
• Enhanced Performances
• Largest tours
• Theatre Vouchers
• Panto/Christmas Shows
• UKTW News/Reviews
• Newsletters
• Latest Information
• About/Contact
• Sell your tickets
• Embed Listings

Cast/Performers

Andy hamilton - an evening with ..., archive listings.

• Off-West End
• West End Special Offers

Other Cities

• Stratford-upon-Avon

Complimentary And Deeply Discounted Shows

Enjoy live events at insider prices. Club members can see a different show every night of the week!

Discount Ticket Alerts

Get exclusive access to priority onsales and special offers, plus never miss out on the biggest stories from the West End, Off-West End and beyond.

By signing up you are confirming you are 16 or over. View our Privacy Policy.

Drop the Dead Donkey Tour

About this show.

BREAKING NEWS: 30 years since the launch of the trailblazing, smash-hit TV series, the Globelink News team are back and now live on stage for the very first time.

Starring the original cast members  Susannah Doyle ,  Robert Duncan ,  Ingrid Lacey ,  Neil Pearson ,  Jeff Rawle ,  Stephen Tompkinson  and  Victoria Wicks , the iconic BAFTA and EMMY award-winning comedy is reimagined in this brand-new topical commentary on the cutthroat world of 24 hours news.

Bursting with razor-sharp wit and classic British humour, this hot off the press production will leave you in stitches. Written by the same award-winning writing team  Andy Hamilton  and  Guy Jenkin  ( Outnumbered ),  Drop The Dead Donkey: The Reawakening!  exposes the underside of the broadcasting industry in all its riotous glory. Whether you’re one of the legions of die-hard fans of the TV sitcom that was watched by millions at its peak, or a British comedy fanatic, come and experience this hilarious revival of an all-time comedy classic.

Please note:  contains flashing lights, strong language and the use of 1 pyro effect.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Newsroom satire Drop the Dead Donkey to return in stage revival

The stage version of the much-loved sitcom, which finished on TV 25 years ago, will be written by the duo behind the original series and feature several members of the original cast

Snooty news anchor Sally Smedley, gung-ho reporter Damien Day and eternally crestfallen editor George Dent are set to return as the Channel 4 sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey has inspired a new stage version.

Twenty-five years after it concluded on television, the newsroom satire will tour the UK and reunite seven of its original cast members including Stephen Tompkinson, Neil Pearson, Victoria Wicks and Jeff Rawle.

The play is written by the duo behind the TV series, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin. The pair said that their script – the first stage version of the sitcom – plunges the characters into “the cutthroat world of modern 24-hour news gathering” and shows them navigating their way through “the daily chaos of social media, fake news and interim prime ministers”.

Those characters in the dysfunctional Globelink News office include chief exec Gus Hedges (Robert Duncan), ultra-efficient Helen Cooper (Ingrid Lacey) and Joy Merryweather (Susannah Doyle), the ironically named PA.

Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening! will tour the UK from January, directed by Lindsay Posner in a production for Hat Trick and Simon Friend Entertainment. It opens at Richmond theatre and ends its run at Cheltenham’s Everyman theatre in June.

Earlier this month Tompkinson was found not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a drunken man he confronted outside his home. The actor said of the new production: “What excites me the most is being back with the cast – we’ve known each other for 30-odd years and this is a whole new adventure.”

Drop the Dead Donkey ran for six series, from 1990 to 1998, and was noted for its topical humour. Ninety percent of each episode was written in advance, with space left for last minute references based on the current headlines. Hamilton told the Guardian in 2015 : “Where the donkey came from, I still don’t know. I’ve heard journalists swear it’s authentic – that ‘donkey’ refers to the cute animal story at the end of the [news programme’s] running order. But the reality is it just sounded good.”

• Comedy (Stage)
• Comedy (Culture)

More on this story

Joanna Scanlan among actors backing gender equality push in theatre

Opening Night starring Sheridan Smith to close two months early

‘Don’t come if you are worried’: former RSC boss says he hates trigger warnings for plays

‘What’s the big deal?’: London Black Out night welcomed despite No 10 concerns

Sarah Jessica Parker and David Tennant among 2024 Olivier nominees

Scrap trigger warnings for theatre audiences, says Ralph Fiennes

Royal Court refuses to rule out job losses as funding cuts bite

Mother of all messes as two Oedipus productions announced in London

Actor drives 150 miles to star in Evita after lead and understudy fall ill

Most viewed.

• WordPress.org
• Documentation
• Learn WordPress

Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening! – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield

Reviewer: ray taylor.

Writers: Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin

Director: Derek Bond

Drop The Dead Donkey: The Reawakening! is a reimagining of the iconic BAFTA and EMMY award-winning comedy series first broadcast on Channel 4 in the 1990’s. Written by the same award-winning writing team of Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin and reuniting most of the original cast, it portrays the cutthroat world of 24 hour news that is riotously satirical and very topical. This is classic comedy gold that will delight the legions of original fans as well as entertain a whole new generation who may have been wondering what all the fuss was about.

The whole premise of the original show, set in the world of Globelink News, was about portraying current news warts-and-all in an allegedly very professional and politically correct fashion and abysmally failing to do so that was hilariously funny, eye watering and toe curling in equal measure. The show always prided itself on being very topical and up to date with whatever news was hitting the headlines at the time and this revival does the same, with many jokes alluding to current political figures and situations as well as the Royal family featuring heavily. There is a whole succession of laugh out loud one-liners that hit the mark and are greatly appreciated by a rapturous audience. And yes – Dimbles the teddy bear also features in the show much to the delight of the audience and if you don’t know it’s significance then seek out the very first episode of Season 1 which is still available to watch free on All Four (as is the complete six seasons). The success and popularity of current TV shows like Have I Got News For You and Mock The Week and publications like Private Eye demonstrate that there is still an appetite for witty and eye-catching commentaries on what is making the headlines and that people enjoy seeing the world in a less serious light.

The cast appear to have a great time being reunited and one of the show’s strengths is the rapport between the various characters and the razor sharp dialogue of the writing team. Original members Robert Duncan (Gus), Neil Pearson (Dave), Stephen Tompkinson (Damien), Jeff Rawle (George), Ingrid Lacey (Helen), Victoria Wicks (Sally Smedley) and Susannah Doyle (Joy) are joined by relative newcomer Kerena Jagpal (Rita) and quickly succeed in establishing their characteristic traits and relationships. Each returning cast member receives his or her own applause on entrance like being reunited with an old friend and the whole show has an air of a class reunion that quickly makes up for lost time and proceeds apace with new jokes and scenarios that are simultaneously familiar and fresh. All the cast excel in their roles and it would be churlish to single out individuals. All of them are on stage for the majority of the time and all have a succession of laugh out loud moments with perfect delivery. A wheelchair bound Tompkinson delivers a key speech towards the end which brings its own applause and is memorable for a variety of reasons.

The set makes good and effective use of a sliding screen that displays video footage as well as headline messages. The show in fact opens with clips from the original show that immediately brings a whiff of nostalgia to the audience and sets the tone for what is to follow. The staging is of a sleek modern office with state-of-the-art technology that has the habit of malfunctioning to hilarious results – the coffee machine being the prime example. The whole design of the set has glass walls and is the essence of a modern office with new technology designed to suit the modern era. Much of the comedy stems from the characters having to adapt to new ways of working and the way they have to work out the nuances of a modern office is integral to the show.

Incidentally, the phrase Drop The Dead Donkey refers to a news item of no real significance, usually of whimsical or sentimental nature, that is placed at the end of a news bulletin or in a newspaper as a filler. You see this all the time in the national news even if the main body of the content has been particularly heavy or serious such as coverage of a war. A dead donkey can often be removed from the programme or publication if a more significant story needs extra time or space.

Ultimately, Drop The Dead Donkey: The Reawakening! is all about the truth behind the headlines and seeks to answer the question ‘What IS truth?’. Blazoned across the front desk in large capital letters, the word TRUTH shines out like something from 1984 and some TV journalists attempt to get behind the newspeak and gobbledygook by presenting opinions that are uncensored. In our current age the issue of fake news is often highlighted by certain politicians and now everything has to be fact checked and verified before it can be broadcast (or should be). Propaganda and statistics abound and the thinking person can often despair at trying to discern what exactly IS going on in the world? Yes, the show is achingly funny and perceptive but like all good satire it leaves the audience to think, perhaps, a little more clearly about what is the true state of society.

Runs until 10 February 2024

The Reviews Hub Score

Hilarious and thoughtful.

The Reviews Hub - Yorkshire & North East

Related articles.

Come From Away – Leeds Grand Theatre

The Boy at the Back of the Class – Newcastle Theatre Royal

The 39 Steps – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield

The Buddha of Suburbia – Swan Theatre, Stratford upon Avon

Leave a reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• In London or across the UK
• at Edinburgh Fringe
• List Your Show
• Advertising
• Ballet & Dance

• Off-West End
• Regional & Tours
• Digital Theatre
• Join us as a Reviewer

HAMILTON TOUR. DeAngelo Jones, Shaq Taylor, Billy Nevers and KM Drew Boateng. Photo by Danny Kaan

First Look: Hamilton UK and Ireland tour

Production images have been released for the first ever UK and Ireland tour of the award-winning HAMILTON, which currently plays at the Manchester Palace until 24 February 2024.

HAMILTON stars Shaq Taylor as Alexander Hamilton, Sam Oladeinde as Aaron Burr, Gabriela Benedetti as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds,  KM Drew Boateng as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, Daniel Boys as King George, Maya Britto as Eliza Hamilton, Aisha Jawando as Angelica Schuyler, DeAngelo Jones as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton, Billy Nevers as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson and Charles Simmons as George Washington.

They are joined by Simeon Beckett, Taylor Bradshaw, Cletus Chan, Kyerron Dixon-Bassey, Kyeirah D’marni, Yesy Garcia, Jonathan Hermosa-Lopez, Levi Tyrell Johnson, Honey Joseph, Akmed Junior Khemalai, Richard Logun, Buna McCreery-Njie, Mia Mullarkey, Antoine Murray-Straughan, Kiran Patel, Izzy Read, Alice Readie, Harry Robinson, Phoebe Samuel-Gray, Jasmine Jia Yung Shen, Samantha Shuma, Michael James Stewart, Rhys West, Jack Whitehead and Sian Yeo.

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now.  Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.

With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography.  The HAMILTON creative team previously collaborated on the Tony Award®-Winning Best  Musical In the Heights .

You might also like

Lee Mead Joins the Cast of Sister Act The Musical

First Look: Grease UK and Ireland Tour

HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg and hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe.

HAMILTON is produced in the UK by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, The Public Theater and Cameron Mackintosh.

Full listings and ticket information can be found here

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Theatre Weekly (@theatre_weekly)

Staff Writer

At Theatre Weekly we are dedicated to giving theatre a new audience. Our News, Reviews and Interviews are all written with the audience in mind, helping you decide what to see next. And when you have decided, our great ticket deals will help save you money too.

Related Articles

Full Casting Announced for UK Tour of A Chorus Line

Talawa Firsts heads on tour for the first time

• Join Our Community
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Terms and Conditions

Recent News

Seann Walsh, Chris Harper and Aden Gillett will star in Yasmina Reza’s ART

Interview: Wendy Beckett on Sappho at Southwark Playhouse

© 2022 Theatre Weekly

• Off West End
• Regional & Tours

• Venues in the South East
• Buy Tickets
• What’s On
• Season Highlights
• London Reviews
• Fringe / Off West End Reviews
• Regional / Touring Reviews
• Immersive Theatre
• Competitions

Theatre South East

Spotlighting theatre in london and the south east, drop the dead donkey the reawakening | tour | review.

Drop the Dead Donkey – the Reawakening

Theatre royal brighton.

Until Saturday 9 th March as part of its national tour.

There was a lot of love in the Theatre Royal Brighton last night as the cast of the 1990s TV comedy Drop the Dead Donkey reunited on stage to an appreciative audience keen to see this popular programme brought up to date and onstage.

The original TV programme aired between 1990 and 1996. It centred around Globelink News Channel and the staff that worked there. The programme was unusual in that it was recorded weekly, extremely close to the broadcast date so the news featured was very recent and topical.   

In the stage show ‘ Drop the Dead Donkey the Reawakening ’, the original team  are brought together by a mystery sponsor amongst a backdrop of algorithms, AI and fake news.

The majority of the original cast are on hand, and you soon remember how endearing they all are. Expertly written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin , the characters are older but not necessarily wiser. As old frustrations bubble to the surface and friendships are rekindled ‘Truth News’ is launched. Can the team keep their integrity, beat the ratings, stop infighting and the big question, who is their mystery investor?

The new additions ( Julia Hills as Mairead the investigative reporter and Kerena Jagpal as Rita the weather girl) fitted into the storyline well, although it sometimes felt as though the play was relying too heavily on the original characters a little too much.

Despite this being a touring show (lots more chances to see it) the script is regularly tweaked (as per the TV show) so that the news is current and gains big laughs from the audience.

Is it a big nostalgia trip? Gloriously so. Is it relevant to today – yes! Would it appeal to a new audience…? Probably, although there were not many in the audience last night who didn’t have fond memories of the TV show. There is definitely scope to bring the show or something similar back to our screens. It felt good to laugh at the absurdity of current world news.

Reviewer: Sammi O’Neill

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

Original Cast

Joy:                       Susannah Doyle

Gus:                     Robert Duncan

Helen:                 Ingrid Lacey

Dave:                   Neil Pearson

George:              Jeff Rawle

Damien:            Stephen Tomkinson

Sally:                   Victoria Wicks

New Characters

Mairead:           Julia Hills

Rita:                   Kerena Jagpal

(Original cast members Haydn Gwynne and David Swift who have sadly passed were fondly remembered).