Mr Corvan’s Music Hall set to tour thanks to Sunday for Sammy Fund and Arts Council England
The next biennial Sunday for Sammy show may not be until February 2018, but the team behind the popular entertainment charity are urging the North-East public to attend one of their main 2017 projects, Mr. Corvan’s Music Hall, which tours the region in May and June.
The show, a stage play with music is about the very first professional Geordie singer/songwriter Ned Corvan, who regularly entertained audiences of thousands in Newcastle and the region’s many music halls; some of which had a staggering 4,000 capacity, with no amplification.
A virtuoso violinist, Ned, like other Tyneside Victorian superstars Geordie Ridley and Joe Wilson are today largely forgotten.
Wisecrack Productions with Durham Gala theatre and Sunday for Sammy have brought to life 22 of Ned’s brilliant songs against a backdrop of a dramatic, funny but tragic story written by top North East playwright and a Sunday for Sammy writer Ed Waugh, whose latest play Hadaway Harry (about a forgotten Geordie rower Harry Clasper) played to full houses and standing ovations in London and Newcastle Theatre Royal in February.
]Sunday for Sammy producer Ray Laidlaw said: “Alan Hull, Mark Knopfler, Sting…we’ve all heard of the great modern Geordie singer/songwriters but their paths were lit by Geordie Ridley, Joe Wilson and Ned Corvan.”
Mr. Corvan’s Music Hall stars Chris Connel (Pitman Painters, UK and Broadway), Jamie Brown (Hadaway Harry, and Culture 2016 Performing Artist of the Year) and Rachael McShane (ex-violinist of national folk stars Bellowhead). It will be directed by Gareth Tudor Price (West End credits and Hull Truck).
Ray added: “Sunday for Sammy have sponsored a “shadow troupe” of two young actors/singers, a violinist, a director and a technical person who will gain top professional experience by rehearsing with the main production team before writing their own Ned Corvan show and performing separately throughout the region.
“Sunday for Sammy is proud to be associated with Mr. Corvan’s Music Hall. We’ve even put the tour dates on the inside of the 2016 Sunday for Sammy DVD as we think it is going to be a great show. The idea of promoting our north eastern heritage is part and parcel of what we are about but, more importantly, five young, talented people from our area are getting a unique chance to experience the top, professional, theatre world with on-the-job mentoring.
“In addition to working alongside such respected professionals, by writing their own show and performing separately, the Shadow Troupe will all get a writing credit and have their work seen by the public.”
Mr. Corvan’s Music Hall has had the tremendous input of Benny Graham of the Pitman Poets and Johnny Handle, a folk superstar, and is based on Dave Harker’s brilliant new book about Ned Corvan called Catgut Jim.
Mr Corvan’s Music Hall tours the region in May/June. Tickets cost £15. For regional dates and more information about the Ned Corvan project visit:
https://www.mrcorvansmusichall.co.uk/
Mr. Corvan’s Music Hall is supported by Arts Council England and the Sunday for Sammy Trust.
Ends
Image shows Ned Corvan
Tickets are now on sale for the next Sunday for Sammy show at the Metro Radio Arena:
Tickets costing £35 plus 55p facility fee and bookings fees, are available online at www.metroradioarena.co.uk from the booking hotline number 0844 493 6666 or in person from the Metro Radio Arena Box Office.
Tickets are also be available from Newcastle Theatre Royal.
Online www.theatreroyal.co.uk or call the Box Office on 08448 11 21 21. (All calls are charged at 7p a minute plus your phone company’s access charge, calls from mobiles may vary, please contact your operator for details.) For Groups of 10+, please call Group Bookings on 08448 11 21 22.
www.sundayforsammy.org www.mawson-wareham.co.uk
For further info contact Ray Laidlaw on 07710 596 749 – ray@lindisfarne.co.uk
PR by Highlights PR Contact Keith Newman 07814 397951