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Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour

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Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour
Official poster of the 2017 West End production
Written byLee Hall
Date premiered19 August 2015 (2015-08-19)
Place premieredTraverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Original languageEnglish

Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour is a play based on the 1998 novel The Sopranos by Alan Warner, adapted for the stage by Lee Hall. It received its world premiere at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, in August 2015, before embarking on a short UK tour.[1] The play is a co-production between the National Theatre of Scotland and Live Theatre. The production ran at London's National Theatre in August 2016[2] and was scheduled to transfer to the West End's Duke of York's Theatre in May 2017.[3]

In April 2017, the production won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, for its run at the National Theatre.

Production history

[edit]

Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour has been adapted for the stage by Lee Hall,[4] based on the 1998 novel The Sopranos[5] by Alan Warner.[6] Set over the course of a single day[7] the book follows a choir of Catholic school girls on a trip to Edinburgh for a competition.[8] On 15 May 2015, it was announced the play would receive its world premiere the same year at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[9] The play reunited the National Theatre of Scotland with former artistic and founding director Vicky Featherstone, who left the company in 2012.[10] Featherstone wished to stage the play whilst still with the National Theatre of Scotland, but due to issues with the novels rights was unable to. Hall, having read the book when it was first published, also felt he wished to adapt it.[7] Featherstone and Hall met at the Evening Standard Awards around eight years prior to the play's official announcement and the idea was reignited.[7]

Prior to opening, the play received a preview performance at the Platform, Glasgow on 15 August 2015,[11] before transferring to the Traverse for one final preview on 18 August,[12] receiving its world premiere performance on 19 August.[13] The play is directed by Featherstone[14] with choreography by Imogen Knight,[15] design by Chloe Lamford,[16] lighting design by Lizzie Powell,[16] musical arrangement by Martin Lowe[17] and sound by Mike Walker.[16] Following its premiere run, the play embarked on a UK tour in September and October 2015, visiting the Tron Theatre, Glasgow,[18] Lemon Tree, Aberdeen,[18] Eden Court Theatre, Inverness,[18] Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy,[18] Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh[18] and Live Theatre, Newcastle,[19] with whom the play is a co-production.[20]

The script of Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour was published by Faber and Faber on 3 September 2015.[21]

In January 2017, it was announced that Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour was set to open at the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End on 15 May, running until 2 September 2017.[22]

The novel has been adapted by Alan Sharp and Michael Caton-Jones for the screen titled Our Ladies and released in 2019.[23]

Music

[edit]

The play features live music from a three piece band[24] and features a score of thirteen songs.[25] The musical score was arranged by Tony Award winner Martin Lowe[26] and features a range of music from classical to 1970's pop rock.[27] On the show's music David Pollock, writing for The Independent, said that: "Martin Lowe’s musical choices are sublime, amplifying a heart that’s already there in abundance in the material" and that "the ensemble version of Shine a Little Love in a deserted nightclub is an air-punching moment."[28]

Musical numbers

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Principal roles and original cast

[edit]
Original 2015 cast of Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour
Character[30] World premiere, 2015 and 2016 tour cast[31] National Theatre of Great Britain Cast West End Cast 2017[32]
Orla Melissa Allan Isis Hainsworth
Chell Caroline Deyga
Kay Karen Fishwick
Manda Kirsty MacLaren
Kylah Frances Mayli McCann
Fionnula Dawn Sievewright

Critical reception

[edit]

The play has received generally positive reviews from critics.[33][5][6][14][15][24][28]

The production won a Scotsman Fringe First Award,[34] a Herald Angel Award[35] and a Stage Award for Acting Excellence during its opening run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[36]

References

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  1. ^ "Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall's new play Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour is going to be a riot". independent.co.uk. The Independent. 8 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour: Everything you need to know about the National Theatre's new show". standard.co.uk. London Evening Standard. 10 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour to make West End transfer". whatsonstage.com. What's On Stage. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall's adaptation of Alan Warner's The Sopranos follows a troupe of convent choirgirls on a rampage across the city, to exhilarating effect". The Guardian. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Review: our Ladies of Perpetual Succour". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Traverse Theatre". heraldscotland.com. The Herald. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "Lee Hall: Why I put Alan Warner's The Sopranos on stage". The Guardian. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Nationality not the issue in Scots theatre". scotsman.com. The Scotsman. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  9. ^ "Creator of Billy Elliot to work with national theatre on Fringe play". heraldscotland.com. The Herald. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  10. ^ "Sopranos play to be a highlight of Fringe". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  11. ^ "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour Platform, Glasgow". nationaltheatrescotland.com. National Theatre of Scotland. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  12. ^ "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour". traverse.co.uk. Traverse Theatre. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  13. ^ Hall, Lee (3 September 2015). Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour. Faber and Faber. p. 3. ISBN 978-0571329052.
  14. ^ a b "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Traverse Theatre, review: 'fresh, funny and poignant'". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  15. ^ a b "Edinburgh Theater Review: 'Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour'". variety.com. Variety. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  16. ^ a b c Hall, Lee (3 September 2015). Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour. Faber and Faber. p. 4. ISBN 978-0571329052.
  17. ^ "Is Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour about Catholic choir girls behaving badly a blockbuster in the making?". independent.co.uk. The Independent. 10 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  18. ^ a b c d e "'We thrive on eyeballing the audience': on the road with Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour". The Guardian. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  19. ^ "Lee Hall reveals Geordie lasses in the Bigg Market helped inspire his new play". chroniclelive.co.uk. Evening Chronicle. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  20. ^ "Belong 2015 theatre season continues with play based on Alan Warner's The Sopranos". allmediascotland.com. All Media Scotland. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  21. ^ Hall, Lee (3 September 2015). Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour. Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0571329052.
  22. ^ "Caroline Deyga in Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour at the Duke of York's Theatre | Boxoffice.co.uk".
  23. ^ "Our Ladies review: Catholic lasses go wild | Sight & Sound". British Film Institute. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  24. ^ a b Maxwell, Dominic (20 August 2015). "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour at the Traverse, Edinburgh Festival". thetimes.co.uk. The Times. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Music Listings". nationaltheatrescotland.com. National Theatre of Scotland. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  26. ^ "Lee Hall Adapting Alan Warner's "The Sopranos" for the Stage". playbill.com. Playbill. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  27. ^ "Cast announced for Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour". www.live.org.uk. Live Theatre. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  28. ^ a b "This deserves to play to halls and hen nights for years to come". independent.co.uk. The Independent. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  29. ^ "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour sing ELO's Mr Blue Sky". www.bbc.co.uk/programmes. BBC at the Edinburgh Festival. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  30. ^ Hall, Lee (3 September 2015). Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour. Faber and Faber. p. 21. ISBN 978-0571329052.
  31. ^ "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour" (PDF). nationaltheatrescotland.com. National Theatre of Scotland. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  32. ^ "Full cast announced for Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour in the West End". londontheatre.co.uk. London Theatre. 3 April 2017.
  33. ^ "Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour (Traverse, Edinburgh)". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  34. ^ "Brian Cox nurtures new talent as Scotsman awards host". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  35. ^ "Edinburgh awards 2015 - Who won what?". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  36. ^ "2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Award Winners". edfringe.com. Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
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