5 July 2016
Killer Musical comes to London! Thirteen people have tried to kill the president of the United States. Four have succeeded. These murderers and would-be murderers are generally dismissed as maniacs and misfits who have little in common with each other, and nothing in common with the rest of us. Assassins suggests otherwise… BB Theatre Productions are thrilled to present this daring masterpiece from one of the greatest living musical theatre composers, with a cast of acclaimed actors and a hugely creative production team bringing it to life at the Chelsea Theatre, London. By far one of the most imaginative and darkly comedic musicals ever written, Assassins brings these American outcasts and their passionate, contemplative stories to life with the help of John Weidman’s inventive book combined with Sondheim’s musical genius. Winner of five Tony Awards including “Best Revival of a Musical,” Assassins gives new meaning to the phrase “killer musical”, portraying a shooting gallery of some of America’s most notorious criminals – who single-handedly tried to change the course of history. Directed and Musical Directed by talented artistic team TJ Lloyd and Bridget Biggar, this powerful and satirical work explores what drove these, at times frighteningly normal, people to their actions and what subsequently links them all together. Tickets for this pre-Edinburgh run are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/assassins Press tickets from press@bbtheatrep.co.uk
14 July 2016
The Proprietor – skillful seductress or charismatic criminal? An ominous character, handing out weapons and overseeing the demise of presidents and assassins alike, the Proprietor’s power is in its omnipresence and indifference, with characterisation requiring both dramatic irony and restrained humour. Usually portrayed by a male actor with a baritone voice, BB Theatre Productions is putting a unique slant onto this ominous character’s role – it is being played by a female. The role of the Proprietor is to run the shooting gallery, and act as a seductress, tapping into the psyche of a would-be assassin, the part allowing them to contemplate committing unspeakable criminal acts. A gun saleswoman who provides the characters with their weapons at the beginning of the show, the Proprietor plays on the ambitions, motivations and ramblings of the would-be assassins by enticing them to enter a tasteless carnival. Inviting them to play a game, she promises that their problems would be solved by killing a president. The temptation proves too much for them. A light-headed air of “devil-may-care” prevails as the Proprietor, played by talented character actress Emma Carver, lures the motley crew in, one after another, their stories unfolding and ultimately tying together at last united in a vindicated conspiracy. There is without doubt an element of lyrical dissonance as she sings “Everybody’s got the right to be happy” – the light, almost comedic musical style more suited to a trip to the carnival than the deadly game she is inviting the potential assassins to play. By far one of the most daring, imaginative and darkly comedic musicals ever written, Assassins brings these American outcasts and their passionate, contemplative stories alive with the help of John Weidman’s ingenious dialogue combined with Sondheim’s musical genius . Winner of five Tony Awards including “Best Revival of a Musical,” Assassins gives new meaning to the phrase “killer musical”, portraying a shooting gallery of some of history’s most notorious criminals – those who have tried, and in some cases succeeded to assassinate an American president. Directed and Musical Directed by hugely talented artistic team TJ Lloyd and Bridget Biggar, this serious and satirical work unravels what drove these at times frighteningly normal people to their actions and what subsequently links them all together. Tickets for this pre-Edinburgh run are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/assassins Press tickets from press@bbtheatrep.co.uk
Inside the Mind of an Assassin The mind of a killer is a truly fascinating and horrific place. Just what drives an often seemingly normal individual to commit such a heinous crime with complete disregard for their inevitable fate? There are many different reasons for an assassin to kill, and over the centuries, their motives haven’t changed. For some, it is purely to achieve notoriety or fame, or to attract attention to a personal or public problem. In other cases it is for the purpose of avenging a perceived wrong or to retaliate for a wrong-doing. In the case of the Assassins featured in Sondheim’s musical, most view their acts as probable self-sacrifice for a political ideal. The first successful assassination of an American president took place on 14th April 1865. John Wilkes Booth, who passionately resented the efforts of President Lincoln to promote the rights of black people, took his chance to annihilate him, uttering the words “sic semper tyrannis” – “thus always to tyrants”. From an early age, Booth had been described as disarmingly handsome, a character trait so often attributed to would-be assassins. Throughout Sondheim’s musical, we witness a succession of seemingly normal individuals, driven to commit heinous crimes by a warped sense of social injustice. By far one of the most daring, imaginative and darkly comedic musicals ever written, Assassins brings these American outcasts and their passionate, contemplative stories alive with the help of John Weidman’s ingenious dialogue combined with Sondheim’s musical genius . Winner of five Tony Awards including “Best Revival of a Musical,” Assassins gives new meaning to the phrase “killer musical”, portraying a shooting gallery of some of history’s most notorious criminals – those who have tried, and in some cases succeeded to assassinate an American president. Directed and Musical Directed by hugely talented artist team TJ Lloyd and Bridget Biggar, this serious and satirical work unravels what drove these at times frighteningly normal people to their actions and what subsequently links them all together. Tickets are available from https://tickets.edfringe.com/whatson/assassins.
Stage Firearms – incentive or deterrent? Any prospective audience member for Assassins would surely assume there will be guns used as part of the plot, but are they prepared for the juxtaposition of satirical humour against the constant appearance of entirely realistic deadly weapons as the dark plot unfolds on the stage? We live in a world where guns are repeatedly used to create mayhem and chaos, so it is hardly surprising that the sudden presence of a gun on stage has the potential to unsettle even the most level-headed on-looker. Despite this, the audience are treated to an enjoyable and entertaining piece of musical theatre. Should we be using the medium of theatre to effectively glorify the use of weapons? The answer surely lies in the message that the production is conveying. In the case of Assassins, there is a stark dissonance between the garishly over-the-top fairground setting, from which the would-be assassins manage to procure the means to end the lives of various American presidents, and their murderous intentions. Being in intimately close proximity to the guns, the audience recoils even further from the notion that they can ever be a solution to any problem. Winner of five Tony Awards including “Best Revival of a Musical,” Assassins gives new meaning to the phrase “killer musical”, portraying a shooting gallery of some of history’s most notorious criminals – those who have tried, and in some cases succeeded to assassinate an American president. Directed and Musical Directed by hugely talented artist team TJ Lloyd and Bridget Biggar, this serious and satirical work unravels what drove these at times frighteningly normal people to their actions and what subsequently links them all together. Tickets available from https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/assassins