BBC Radio 4 LW

Opening Night

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

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Series looking at the best in theatre, playwriting and live performance across the UK.

Broadcast from a new town or city each month, Opening Night gives listeners a backstage pass to the best in theatre, playwriting and live performance across the UK.

Opening Night: 02/09/2017

02/09/2017

BBC Radio 4 - Opening Night, 02/09/2017

Geeta Pendse reports from Leicester on what's hot on the city's drama scene.

Geeta Pendse reports from Leicester to hear about new theatre in the East Midlands capital... and how Sunset Boulevard is about to be located downtown at the city's Curve theatre.

Geeta Pendse reports from the city of Joe Orton, Sue Townsend, Richard III ...and of course the Foxes football team... to discover what's new in theatre there. And what the richly multicultural city is doing to reflect its diversity on stage. 

Geeta sneaks a peek at rehearsals for the new spectacular production by Leicester Curve theatre of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's hit musical, Sunset Boulevard, starring Ria Jones as Norma Desmond - before it takes off for a national tour.

Also, from the city's Attenborough Arts Centre, newly endowed with a huge grant from the Arts Council for performing arts, Director Michaela Butter talks about the joys (and challenges) of creating new work and breaking fresh ground -while putting the essential 'bums on seats'.

New playwright Hannah Torrance is on hand too, as is Asian theatre powerhouse Samir Bhamra from Phizzical Productions, and Suba Das, from Curve.

Producer: Simon Elmes.

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Opening Night

02/09/2017

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