Lyric life

Rob Brydon, Louise Dearman and Jess Gillam join Joe Stilgoe and his magnificent seven-piece band for a one night festive spectacular, Joe Stilgoe’s Christmas at the Movies.

Back by overwhelming demand, Joe Stilgoe returns to the Lyric Hammersmith for his third consecutive year of festivities. This time with a brand new show, Christmas at the Movies, making its premiere at the Lyric, following on from Joe’s hugely popular show, Songs on Film, which was inspired by some of the greatest films of all time.

 

A self-confessed film fan Joe always adds his own original and stylish orchestrations to some of the most memorable moments in movie history making them uniquely unforgettable.

 

It’s not only a new show but a new line-up of guests this Christmas, including West End Theatre and international concert star, Louise Dearman (Wicked!, Guys & Dolls), award winning saxophonist, Jess Gillam (Classic Brit Award Winner 2018, BBC Proms 2018), and national treasure, Rob Brydon (Would I Lie to You?, Gavin and Stacey).

 

Join Joe and his starry guests on a sleigh ride through the movies with a sackful of Christmas treats and surprises on board from It’s A Wonderful Life to White Christmas, Home Alone to Elf, Joe’s eclectic cinematic taste and joyous ease with an audience will have you leaving full of goodwill and festive cheer. There is no better place to start your Christmas!

 

On joining Joe for the second consecutive year at the Lyric, Rob said: “So pleased to be returning to Joe’s Christmas show to sing a few festive songs. Last year was such a great night, I can’t wait.”

 

Highlights from the show will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2: 2pm on Christmas Day.

 

ENDS

 

Joe Stilgoe’s Christmas at the Movies

 

Monday 10 December, 7:30pm
Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 0QL
Tickets: from £15

Book online at www.lyric.co.uk

Box Office: 020 8741 6850

 

Twitter: @LyricHammer  Facebook: LyricHammersmith

 

 

Notes to editors

 

For press enquiries please contact:

John Potter E: john@joallanpr.com T: 020 7520 9392 M: 07714 784 442

Marcus Stanton E: marcus@marcusstanton.co.uk T: 020 8617 0210  M: 07900 891287

 

Joe Stilgoe

 

Joe Stilgoe is an internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and songwriter. As well as releasing five critically lauded albums, three of which have topped the UK Jazz chart, Joe has toured around the world with his band and as a solo act, appearing in festivals, jazz clubs and concert halls from Ronnie Scott’s to the Barbican to Birdland in New York.

 

In his theatre work, he starred in High Society at the Old Vic in 2015, which led to him being invited to perform at the 2016 Olivier Awards. He has recently written the songs for a new production of The Jungle Book (UK Tour) and for David Walliams’ The Midnight Gang (Chichester Festival Theatre).

 

He is frequently a guest performer with orchestras including the John Wilson Orchestra, RLPO, RTE and the BBC Concert Orchestra, and regularly puts together his own Big Band for sold-out shows across the country. In December 2017, Joe put together three Christmas specials for the Lyric Hammersmith with guests including Rob Brydon, Jamie Parker, Scarlett Strallen and Meow Meow, and he made his Royal Albert Hall debut as a special guest with Guy Barker’s Big Band. He has recently returned to the Royal Albert Hall to star as Benny Southstreet in Stephen Mear’s  semi-staged concert of Guys & Dolls. Joe will be closing the EFG London Jazz Festival with his Mighty Big Band at St. John Smith’s Square on 25th November.

 

Joe also works extensively on radio, having hosted and starred many times in BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night, while also being a regular presence on the station. He has appeared on the Now Show, Loose Ends and The Horne Section (being a founder member) for Radio 4, is a regular on In Tune for Radio 3 and this year he started his own brand-new show on JazzFM. On TV, he has appeared most notably hosting 2016’s BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year, and least notably in Bargain Hunt.

 

Rob Brydon

 

Rob’s television credits are extensive, including presenting the hit BBC1 comedy panel show, Would I Lie To You?, playing Bryn West in Gavin and Stacey and Keith Barret in Marion and Geoff and its spin-off, The Keith Barret Show.

 

With Steve Coogan he has appeared in the BBC series and feature film, The Trip, as well as the feature films, The Trip to Italy and The Trip to Spain.

 

Rob is highly regarded for his television voiceover work, particularly in children’s animated films including, The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, and Room on the Broom, and advertising.

 

Rob regularly tours his stand-up shows across the UK, and in September 2019 he will join Lee Mack and David Mitchell for the Brydon, Mack and Mitchell – Town to Town Tour.

 

This Christmas, Rob can be seen on the big screen opposite Will Ferrell in Holmes and Watson.

 

 

 

Louise Dearman

 

Louise is widely known through her many performances in London’s West end, UK National Tours and the UK and international concert arena.

 

Theatre credits include: Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour), Jan in Grease (Victoria Palace Theatre and UK Tour), Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls (UK Tour), Mimi in Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre), Debbie in Debbie Does Dallas (Edinburgh Festival), Grizabella in Cats (Cyprus), Eva Peron in Evita (UK Tour), The Woman in Tell Me On A Sunday (International), Soloist in Judy (UK Tour),  Mrs D in the world premiere of The Waterbabies (Leicester Curve), Glinda in Wicked (Apollo Victoria) and Elphaba in Wicked (Apollo Victoria). Louise is noted for being the first and only actress to have played both leading roles in the hit musical Wicked! In 2016 Louise returned to Guys and Dolls on the national tour to play Miss Adelaide opposite Maxwell Caulfield and most recently played Daisy Hilton in the U.K. premiere of Sideshow at The Southwark Playhouse.

 

Concert credits as a soloist include: Lois Lane in BBC Proms Kiss Me Kate (Royal Albert Hall), Halle Orchestra (Bridgewater Hall), Halle Orchestra (Tatton Park), Gershwin In Hollywood with the John Wilson Orchestra (UK Tour), West End Christmas (Usher Hall, Edinburgh), Christmas Proms (Royal Albert Hall), Stars of the West End (Paris), Cole Porter in Hollywood with the John Wilson Orchestra (Snape Maltings Concert Hall), Of Thee I Sing (Royal Festival Hall), Bond Spectacular with the Manchester Camerata (Bridgewater Hall), Children of Eden (Prince of Wales Theatre), Movies and Musicals (Apollo Victoria and Swansea Grand), Bond and Beyond with the London Concert Orchestra (Royal Festival Hall and UK Tour), An Evening of Marvin Hamlisch (St. James Theatre), 100 Years at The Alhambra Theatre (Bradford), Last Night of the Christmas Proms (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Cadogan Hall), Best of Broadway (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra), Hollywood in Vienna (ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna). Best of Broadway with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. George and Ira Gershwin Rediscovered – BBC Proms 2016.

Jess Gillam

 

The 2017/18 season ended on a high for Jess Gillam who closed the 2018 BBC Proms in great style with three appearances in the world famous ‘Last Night of the Proms’ – performing as part of Radio 2’s ‘Proms in the Park’ before heading across to the Royal Albert Hall to join the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sir Andrew Davis for Milhaud’s Scaramouche, and a duet with star baritone Gerald Finley. This was Jess’s fourth appearance at the Festival following two performances in 2017 and a cameo at the 2018 BBC Young Musician Prom celebrating 40 years of the competition, which brought her into the limelight back in 2016.

 

In June 2018 Jess made her international debut with the Gothenburg Symphony and Santtu-Matias Rouvali, and her international appearances build rapidly this season including concerts with the Tampere Philharmonic, at l’Auditori Barcelona, a Swiss debut opening the season at the Argovia Philharmonic and a recital at the acclaimed Philip’s Collection series in Washington D.C. She also appears extensively in recital throughout the UK and performs with orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic (Ben Gernon), BBC Concert Orchestra (Bramwell Tovey), Royal Northern Sinfonia (Jessica Cottis) and Manchester Camerata.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jess programmes and presents shows on TV and radio, and hosts the BBC Young Musician podcast with Sam Becker and Zeynep Özsuca. She also recently featured in a documentary celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the BBC Young Musician Competition. Throughout the 2018 Proms season Jess appeared in a weekly slot on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme alongside veteran broadcaster James Naughtie, and she has presented an episode of Saturday Classics on BBC Radio 3.

 

Jess records exclusively for Decca Classics and was the recipient of a Classic Brit Award in the Sound of Classical Poll 2018 which promotes the best emerging artists and ones-to-watch in classical music. As well as being a Vandoren UK Artist, at just 13 she became the youngest ever endorsee for Yanagisawa Saxophones and she is also a patron for Awards for Young Musicians. Jess also promotes her own series of concerts, bringing international talent to her hometown of Ulverston.

 

Jess studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with an ABRSM Scholarship, and is mentored by John Harle. She is very grateful for the support she has received from the Young Classical Artists Trust.

 

 

About the Lyric Hammersmith

 

The Lyric Hammersmith is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres. For more than a hundred and twenty years it has been responsible for creating some of the UK’s most adventurous and acclaimed theatrical work. It has also gained a national reputation for its work with and for children and young people and creates pathways into the arts for young talent from all backgrounds, helping to diversify our industry. Recent productions include our critically acclaimed annual pantomimes, the smash hit Bugsy Malone, the international tour and co-production with Filter Theatre of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lesley Sharp in Simon Stephen’s new version of Chekhov’s The Seagull and the UK premiere of the international phenomenon Terror.

 

The Lyric’s dual commitment to producing the highest quality contemporary theatre, whilst nurturing the creativity of young people is what makes it unique within the cultural ecology of the UK. It is a local theatre rooted in its community with a national and international reputation for the quality and innovation of its artistic work.

 

In April 2015 the Lyric reopened following a multi-million pound capital project, which saw the addition of the Reuben Foundation Wing housing state-of-the-art facilities for theatre, dance, film, music, digital and more. The ‘new’ Lyric is now the largest creative hub in West London and home to an innovative partnership of like-minded leading arts organisations who work together to deliver life-changing creative opportunities for thousands of young West Londoners.