Kipps
Performances: 15 to 19 November 2022
Kipps ran from 15 to 19 November 2022 at The Core Theatre, Solihull.
KIPPS - The New ‘Half a Sixpence’ Musical
Kipps played at The Core Theatre, Solihull from 15 to 19 November 2022. Thanks to all audiences who came to see the show. Here are some of your comments:
“It was brilliant, very professional and thoroughly entertaining.”
“And what an opening night. It was brilliant. Thank you all for a wonderful show.”
“The Mayor of Solihull came to see the show last night! His review “What a triumph”! Come and see for yourself.”
“Wow. What a show. I did not know the story beforehand. But was most enjoyable on wet & dreary Nov week. It cheered me up. A fabulous cast well done everyone. I Hope rest of the show is great.”
“Fabulous first night performance. Well done everyone.”
“I had a brilliant time! If you haven’t booked a ticket then please do you will have a lovely time.”
“A lovely way to spend a Wednesday evening. Well done to all involved, a great team effort.”
“FABULOUS! Bravo everyone! Watched yesterday and loved it. Can't wait till Saturday to watch it again! If you haven't already bought tickets, do it today, right this minute!”
2022 PRODUCTION - KIPPS (The New and Re-imagined Version of Half a Sixpence)
15 to 19 November 2022
'Flash, Bang Wallop!'
Our production for November 2022 was KIPPS, the brand new and re-imagined version of Half a Sixpence.
Watch the trailer below to get a feel for this wonderful new version!
KIPPS was performed at The Core Theatre in November 2022. The show ran from 15 to 19 November. .
KIPPS is a new stage version of the well-loved Half A Sixpence, which returns to the H. G. Wells semi-autobiographical novel ‘Kipps’, in order to reinvent the musical Half a Sixpence for the modern age. The original production of Half a Sixpence in 1965 was nominated for nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Direction and Best Original Score. This new version, revised in 2016 and recently renamed KIPPS, has reunited book writer Julian Fellowes (of Downton Abbey fame) with composer and lyricist George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, the musical team that co-creator Cameron Mackintosh first put together to create the smash-hit stage adaptation of Mary Poppins with Disney. Julian Fellowes’ masterful adaptation returns the musical to its literary roots, in a timeless and contemporary way, and Stiles and Drewe’s brilliantly infectious new score harnesses the David Heneker classics with a joyous verve.
Nominated for three Oliviers, and now called KIPPS, the show has a colourful and exuberant score that is inspired by, and features several of composer David Heneker’s memorable songs from the original production in new arrangements by Stiles and Drewe, including the show-stopping Flash, Bang, Wallop!, Money To Burn and of course Half A Sixpence. Stiles and Drewe have also composed several new songs including the amazingly catchy Pick Out a Simple Tune.
The new version of the show premiered at Chichester festival Theatre in July 2016 as a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, and starring the hugely talented newcomer Charlie Stemp as Arthur Kipps alongside Devon-Elise Johnson as Ann Pornick. Following rave reviews in Chichester, the production transferred to the West End in London at the Noël Coward Theatre in October 2016. It featured all the original Chichester cast and ran for ten months in the West End following three extensions to its limited run. Combined with the Chichester run, the production played around 400 performances.
We were very excited to have secured the licence for this new version of what was be a bright, colourful production full of fantastic songs, dance and romance - another première for us at The Core Theatre, Solihull.
Kipps - The Show
Arthur Kipps, an orphan, is an over-worked draper’s assistant at Shalford’s Bazaar, Folkestone, at the turn of the last century. He is a charming but ordinary young man who, along with his fellow apprentices, dreams of a better and more fulfilling world, but he likes his fun just like any other, but things take an unedited turn! When Kipps inherits a fortune that propels him into high society, it confuses everything he thought he knew about life.
Watching him wrestle with his new identity is his childhood companion and not-quite girlfriend, Ann Pornick, who sees with dismay how Arthur is being made over in a new image by the beautiful and classy Helen Walsingham. Helen is always there with helpful hints on how Arthur could improve himself and make his life richer and more meaningful, if only he would believe in himself, and listen to her. Both Ann and Helen love Arthur – there is no doubt about that – but which should he listen to? With the help of his friends, Arthur learns that if you want to have the chance of living the right life, you need to make the right choices.
Watching him wrestle with his new identity is his childhood companion and not-quite girlfriend, Ann Pornick, who sees with dismay how Arthur is being made over in a new image by the beautiful and classy Helen Walsingham. Helen is always there with helpful hints on how Arthur could improve himself and make his life richer and more meaningful, if only he would believe in himself, and listen to her. Both Ann and Helen love Arthur – there is no doubt about that – but which should he listen to? With the help of his friends, Arthur learns that if you want to have the chance of living the right life, you need to make the right choices.
CAST for 2022
We were thrilled to announce that WIL NEALE was cast in the title role of ARTHUR KIPPS for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
Wil trained in musical theatre at Mountview Academy in London and since then has appeared in a number of professional productions including We Will Rock You in the West End and various touring productions such as Hairspray.
More locally, he has played the roles of Joe Casey in Our House, Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, Joe Cable in South Pacific, Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Curve Theatre in Leicester, and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables where he won the NODA award for Best Performer.
This is Wil’s first production with Stags MTC and we are very excited to have him join the Company, bringing his wealth of performing experience to the central role of Arthur Kipps.
We were delighted to announce that ROSIE HARVEY was been cast in the role of ANN PORNICK for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
Rosie was new to Stags MTC but has been performing since an early age. She more recently has played the roles of Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jasmine in Aladdin, Urleen in Footloose and The Ghost of Christmas Past/Lamplighter in A Christmas Carol.
Other show credits include Miracle on 34th Street, My Fair Lady, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Rent and Company. In many of these shows, Rosie was a featured dancer and she is currently rehearsing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a contemporary retelling of The Nutcracker.
Rosie’s involvement in theatre has seen her previously perform in a number of professional venues in London including Her Majesty’s Theatre, The Barbican, The Royal Festival Hall, The Royal Albert Hall, and The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.
We were really pleased to announce that MARTIN KNOTT was been cast in the role of SID PORNICK for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
Martin is originally from Harrow and trained in musical theatre at The BRIT School of Performing & Creative Arts in Croydon. He now lives in Solihull with his family.
During his time at The BRIT School, Martin performed on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night and has also appeared on the West End in the show One Night Only. With local companies in London, he has performed in Oliver! and Zombie Prom and most recently in Solihull, he appeared in Legally Blonde with Peterbrook Players.
In his first role with Stags MTC, Martin played kind-hearted and determined apprentice Sid Pornick, a good friend of Arthur Kipps and brother to Ann Pornick, and we welcomed Martin warmly to the Company!
We were delighted to announce that ELLEN HASTINGS was cast in the role of HELEN WALSINGHAM in our 2022 production of KIPPS.
After some time away attending performing arts school, Ellen returned to the company to take on the role of classy, educated and well-spoken Helen Walsingham, one of Arthur Kipps’s love interests.
Ellen most recent appearance with Stags MTC was in the 2019 show The Producers, as a dancer, in the Ensemble, and as Dance Captain.
Welcome back Ellen!
We were very happy to announce that DAVID CHARTER was been cast in the role of PIERCE for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
Whilst he has always loved singing, David caught the theatre bug when he ended up as an unofficial swing in a youth production of ‘Les Misérables’, covering the roles of Factory Foreman / Feuilly for the entire show's run when a cast member became ill the day before it opened!
However he has not stopped performing since: in light operas, musicals, pantomimes, plays, and concerts, as well as serving as a director, musical director, and lighting designer.
Recent roles include Major General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance, Sasha in Fiddler on the Roof, and Salty in Teechers. Other show credits include Jekyll & Hyde, Aladdin, Treasure Island, The Gondoliers, HMS Pinafore, and Ruddigore.
He recently practised his evil laugh to play the villain Fleshcreep in a pantomime production of Jack & the Beanstalk.
Welcome to the Company David!
Following auditions, NICOLA SIVYER was been cast in the role of FLO EVANS for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
Nicola memorably played the iconic comedy role of nun Sister Mary Patrick in our 2015 production of Sister Act and since then she has appeared as a Pinkette in Hairspray in 2018 and as Shirley Markowitz and Usherette in The Producers in 2019.
Nicola took on the role of the cheeky and saucy head window dresser Flo Evans in Kipps. You will have found out about her ‘Knickerbocker Glory’ if you came to see the show!
We were really pleased to announce that NICK SALTER was been cast in the role of CHITTERLOW for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
Nick has previously appeared with St. Augustine’s MTC as The Innkeeper in Fiddler on the Roof in 2017, Harriman F. Spritzer in Hairspray in 2018 and the crazy Franz Liebkind in The Producers in 2019.
After leaving behind Franz Liebkind’s pigeons and broken legs, Nick moved from being a German playwright and brought his comic talents to being the English playwright Chitterlow, an energetic, enthusiastic and eccentric theatre impresario who becomes a good friend to Arthur Kipps.
Two playwrights, but two very different characters. Well done Nick!
Sue joined St. Augustine’s MTC in 2019 for The Producers and played a range of Ensemble parts from Showgirl to a granny in Little-Old-Lady-Land! Elsewhere, she has also been in a production of The Wedding Singer.
Sue stepped up to a principal role and will be playing Mrs. Walsingham in Kipps, the widowed mother of Helen and James. Mrs. Walsingham heads an upper-class family and is cunning, tiresome and fussy - nothing like Sue in real life so she will have a great time discovering and playing her character! Sue’s talented daughter Jasmin also joined the company as Mary, and in the Ensemble.
Following auditions, KATE DYER was been cast in the role of LADY PUNNET for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
In The Producers in 2019, Kate joined the company to play the role of Hold-Me, Touch-Me and had everyone in stitches in rehearsals as well as on stage in the performances! Kate then moved from downtown New York to uptown Folkestone to play the wonderfully funny role of upper-class and ever-so-slightly eccentric Lady Punnet in Kipps.
Elsewhere, Kate has appeared as Grandma Addams in The Addams Family and Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, plus numerous chorus appearances!
Following auditions, DANIEL MORRIS was been cast in the role of BUGGINS for our 2022 production of KIPPS.
Dan came to St. Augustine’s MTC in 2018 and took the part of Fender in Hairspray. In The Producers in 2019 he multi-tasked in the roles of The Stormtrooper, Jack Lapidus and Bryan the Set Designer, as well as being in the Ensemble!
In Kipps, Dan played the role of Buggins, a loveable pessimist, and one of three apprentices working at Shalford’s Bazaar where Arthur Kipps moves to work as a draper’s assistant. All three become good friends to Kipps. Well done Dan!
Rehearsals
Kipps - Flyer Front
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Kipps - Flyer Back (Ticket Booking Form)
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