1. Hello!
Welcome to Lodestar’s February newsletter. So much has happened since last autumn’s
shows we’re not sure where to start…
An apology first of all: this newsletter is being sent out to an out-of-date version of our list
(due to an accident with the laptop and some hot coffee) so if you have unsubscribed,
please accept our apologies and let us know – we’ll strike you from the list. Also, several
dozen new subscribers won’t be receiving this, so please do pass it on if friends or family
haven’t received theirs.
Right. 2010 is going to be our busiest year yet with four shows in the pipeline, not to mention
our new workshop classes taking place from February 13th at the Liverpool Contemporary
Urban Centre off Jamaica Street, over the road from Cains brewery.
• Acting for Everyone: No experience necessary. All you need is a passion for
performance
• Shakespeare for Everyone: using entirely practical methods you can learn how
verse works, how to approach it in performance and practical techniques to make
performing Shakespeare Easy and fun
• Impro’ for Everyone: In an entirely fear-free environment, starting with simple games,
you will quickly and effortlessly develop your skills
As the titles suggest, these are not designed for professional performers (although any are
very welcome to come along and keep their skills sharp) but for anyone at all with an interest
in performing, the workings of theatre in general or simply building confidence and meeting
new people. Places are limited to 20 per session, and we hope to see lots of you there.
Simon and I will be delivering the bulk of them, although there will be some guest
appearances too! Email learning@lodestartheatrecompany.co.uk or call the CUC box office
on 0151 7085329 to reserve your place
We won an award! The festival won Best Fringe Production at the Liverpool Daily Post
arts awards; can’t tell you how delighted we were, particularly as financially things have
been looking a bit gloomy – the best Christmas present ever!
On to the shows: St George’s Hall was such a brilliant venue for Hamlet last year, we’re
intending to return with a new version of Romeo and Juliet in September (thanks to
everyone who has been voting on the site by the way – The Tempest is for 2011 and we
have HUGE plans for it! Just you wait) plus a show for younger people to be performed in the
afternoons. This might well be an adaptation of Beowulf depending on whether Simon can
be made to write it! Other suggestions w elcomed. Nothing is yet on paper but all being well
those lovely folks at the hall will have us back again. We’ll let you know as soon as we can.

2. Before then though, we’re putting on 2 shows that both represent a real departure for
Lodestar. The first is called The House that Dripped Horror - a loving pastiche of Hammer
horror films. We have been meaning to develop this for ages and now are knee-deep in the
devising process. Expect heaving bosoms, tiny budgets and lots and lots of BLOOD! We’re
also talking to directly Hammer (who are now producing again – brilliant!) about endorsing the
show. This is not our usual fare of verse and tragedy so please come along and tell us what
you think. If it goes well, we’ll send it up to Edinburgh in the summer.
The House That Dripped Horror is down in the crypt at the Contemporary Urban
Centre from 30th March – 3rd April, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £6 / £8 (plus CUC booking
fee). The show runs at approx 75 minutes. Tickets will be available from CUC in
the next few days.
As if that weren’t enough, we’re also doing Hedwig and The Angry Inch at the amazing
Kazimier in June. This fantastic venue is worth visiting in its own right if you’re not familiar
with it – a hidden gem and just perfect for the show. Hedwig is a multi-award winning Rock-
n-Roll show that lit up Broadway in 1998, and was made into a Golden-Globe grabbing film in
2001. Since then it has attracted a cult status worldwide and we’re just itching to give it the
Lodestar treatment.
By the time the Berlin wall tumbles, Hedwig has tumbled too: a botched sex-change
operation has left Hedwig with the "angry inch" of the show's title; and Luther, her ticket out
of East Berlin, has taken her only as far as a trailer park near an army base in Junction
City, Kansas. Music becomes Hedwig's life, a passion eagerly shared with the local
general's son, Tommy Speck. But misfortune continues to plague Hedwig. As Hedwig opens
her show at the Kazimier, irony collides with anguish: Tommy (now sporting the telling last
name Hedwig concocted for him – Gnosis, and singing the songs she wrote for him) is
performing down at the Echo Arena
Featuring a live band, an incredible score and crucially the amazing Ben Stott ( w ho played
Malcolm for us in Macbeth back in 2007) as Hedwig. It is one of the most demanding roles in
theatre. Also rejoining us for this is Rachel Rae as you have never seen her before. Rachel
was 2008’s Hermia and you’ll probably know her as the tiny scouse one from Lunch
Monkeys on BBC3 or possibly the tiny scouse one from Admin, also on BBC3). A ward-
winning Director Gillian Lemon (National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse), will direct Hedwig and
the night will also feature burlesque dancers, DJs and lots of fabulous, mystery treats.
Tickets from Bluecoat will go on sale very soon.
For further details of all our forthcoming shows, courses and workshops please visit our
website: http//lodestartheatre.co.uk, call us on 0151 324 4780, join us on Facebook or get
our tweets: http://twitter.com/LodestarThCo
Thanks everyone, we hope to see you soon,