West End Matilda wins Evening Standard Drama award for Best New Musical!
Following a sensational sell-out season in Stratford, the RSC’s production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL has opened in the West End, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and featuring magic effects by Paul Kieve. And even before its official opening it won the prestigious Evening Standard Drama award for Best New Musical.
“The best pieces of musical theatre come from great collaborations – the right people being in the right place at the right time – with each ingredient complementing the other. Composer/lyricist Tim Minchin, librettist Dennis Kelly, director Matthew Warchus, choreographer Peter Darling, . designer Rob Howell and illusionist Paul Kieve have done more than preserved the spirit and mischievousness of Roald Dahl’s classic tale – they have created a fresh and intelligent family entertainment that brings joy to both adults and children” The Stage, Nov 25 2011
***** The Times **** The Guardian ***** The Independent *****Daily Mail ***** Daily Express
More information: www.matildathemusical.com
Tags: Matilda, roald dahl, tim minchin
‘following on from succesful seasons in Paris. The Netherlands, Moscow, Tokyo and London, Paul has supervised the magic on the Asian premiere of ‘Zorro – The Musical’ with music by the Gypsy Kings. The show opened at the Centre for Orient Arts,Shanghai in October 2011
Opera North’s acclaimed production of Ruddigore, by Gilbert and Sullivan, is currently touring the UK, and coming to The Barbican Centre in November. Paul was called in to assist on one of the most famous Ghost scenes of all, when the framed portraits of generations of Murgatroyd family come to life.. Conducted by the highly talented and dapper conductor John Wilson.
Scrooge – The Musical – the original London Palladium production – is on tour once again, starring Tommy Steele, with dazzling magic effects by Paul Kieve. Leslie Bricusse’s spectacular musical extravaganza Scrooge is a heart-warming family story based on Charles Dickens’ classic ‘A Christmas Carol’.
“With stunning sets and costumes, , and a fantastic musical score, featuring the Oscar-nominated hit Thank You Very Much, Scrooge is this season’s unmissable smash hit musical for all the family”
21 – 26 Nov 2011: M.K. Theatre Milton Keynes
28 Nov – 2 Dec 2011: Theatre Royal Glasgow
5 – 10 Dec 2011: Empire Theatre Liverpool
12 Dec 2011 – 7 Jan 2012: Lowry Theatre Salford
9 – 14 Jan 2012: New Theatre Oxford
Tags: Illusionist ghost, scrooge the musical, tommy steele
Following a sell-out run at the Manchester Opera House, GHOST opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on 24th June 2011.
Paul has created some totally innovative effects to bring the famous 1990 movie onto the stage. (more…)
Tags: Matilda
Matilda (music by Tim Minchin) based on the book by Roald Dahl with magic effects by Paul Kieve. After a sell-out run in Stratford Upon AvonThis smash hit RSC 5 star musical is transferring into London’s West End later in the year – watch this space for more details.
Tags: Matilda
The US tour of the musical Scrooge starring Richard Chamberlain generated a lot of interest in Paul’s work. This extract is from “Scrooge brings star appeal and ghostly magic to PAC by Steven Hyden in The Post Crescent“, 14 November 2004.
The man responsible for much of this is Paul Kieve, a British illusionist who recently acted as magic consultant for the film “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” He designed magical illusions for the film, and taught stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson some tricks of the trade. Kieve is behind the sleight of hand that makes the seasonal supernatural activity in “Scrooge” seem plausible. (more…)
Tags: international work, Musicals, Scrooge
Scrooge The Musical with Tommy Steele
Scroooge – the musical, by Leslie Bricusse, 1993 – 2004, played a total of four extensive national tours as well as a sell-out Christmas season at the Dominion Theatre in the West End. There were also versions in Australia, The Netherlands and a US tour starring Dr Kildare himself Richard Chamberlain.
Paul Kieve’s extensive work in the show involved the highly acclaimed appearances and disappearances of the ghosts.
The latest tour in 2003/4 starred Tommy Steele in the title role and played to packed houses around the country – the Illusions being one of the highlights repeatedly singled out in reviews.
Tags: Scrooge
OUR HOUSE by Tim Firth. Directed by Matthew Warchus. Music by Madness. Cambridge Theatre 2002/3. Winner of Olivier Award for Best New Musical. The “sliding doors” style narrative required the lead actor to be seemingly in two places at once. The many instant quick changes resulted in a Guinness World Record for Paul, the director and star of the show for the most number of costume changes by a lead in a musical.
Tags: Musicals, West End
The Witches of Eastwick, produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Theatre Royal Drury Lane 2001. Paul collaborated with illusionist Simon Drake to create the vomiting demise of Felicia Gabriel (played by Rosie Ashe).
