logo
‘Allo ‘Allo! comes to the Torch Theatre this June

‘Allo ‘Allo! comes to the Torch Theatre this June

New Xenon Theatre Company launches with riotous stage adaptation of TV classic
FANS of the beloved British sitcom 'Allo 'Allo! are in for a treat this June, as the Torch Theatre hosts a live stage adaptation of the wartime comedy classic.
Presented by New Xenon Theatre Company—a newly formed group created by members of the much-loved Xenon Liberal Arts—the show brings all the farcical charm of the original series to life. Expect slapstick humour, larger-than-life characters, and chaotic plot twists as café owner René Artois juggles Nazis, the Resistance, secret British airmen, and an increasingly complicated love life, all within his humble café in occupied France.
The plot centres on René and his long-suffering (and tone-deaf) wife Edith, who are hiding a priceless stolen painting in a sausage in their cellar—alongside two downed RAF airmen awaiting rescue. Add to that a malfunctioning wireless disguised as a cockatoo, a series of inept disguises, and a visit from a Führer impersonator, and the stage is set for an evening of classic comedic mayhem.
Director Allison Butler, who also plays Michelle of the Resistance, said: 'We're thrilled to bring this hilarious show to the Torch as our maiden production for New Xenon Theatre Company. The cast members really are doing a wonderful job of bringing all the characters to life, and we're looking forward to welcoming you to Café René!'
Jordan Dickin, who takes on the role of Officer Crabtree, added: 'Rehearsals have been an absolute blast, and it's a joy to embody such an iconic character. Listen very carefully, I will say this only once… make it a Good Moaning and get your tickets before they vanish like phantoms into the night!'
Performances of 'Allo 'Allo! will take place at the Torch Theatre on:
Thursday 19 June at 7:30pm
Friday 20 June at 7:30pm
Saturday 21 June at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
Tickets are £18, with £16 concessions available for the Thursday performance only. For bookings, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on (01646) 695267.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I didn't know much about Oasis - I still left Wembley in tears
I didn't know much about Oasis - I still left Wembley in tears

Metro

time41 minutes ago

  • Metro

I didn't know much about Oasis - I still left Wembley in tears

When I found out I was going to see Oasis, it felt like winning a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory – only to remember I've never had much of a sweet tooth. Growing up in the U.S., Oasis were 'those guys who sang Wonderwall,' a song so overplayed and parodied it barely registered as music anymore. I honestly thought they were a one-hit wonder – a British meme band people pretended to like for the bit. So when I moved to the UK and realised that Oasis aren't just a band here, but a cultural institution, I was baffled. How could something so massive not have translated to the States, when we're famously greedy for British exports? We'll take your Shakespeare, your Love Island, your Paddington, but somehow not your Gallagher brothers? Every time I tried to listen to Oasis, it felt like walking into a house of worship for a religion I didn't belong to. The symbols were familiar, the rituals recognisable, but the meaning escaped me. I always concluded the same thing: Oasis is so rooted in its Britishness that it struggles to stand alone outside that context, and unlike the Arctic Monkeys or other UK exports, the music itself isn't quite strong enough to overcome that cultural specificity. But if Oasis is a religion, then Friday night at Wembley was my spiritual awakening. It began with Liam and Noel Gallagher walking on stage hand-in-hand, a moment that sent the crowd into such a frenzy I genuinely thought I was witnessing a world-historical reconciliation – 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall, ' but with more bucket hats. Behind them, a montage of media headlines played, charting the road to their reunion. As I tried to read them, I noticed with genuine shock that the men around me – mostly in their forties – were openly weeping. I felt like an imposter. Like a lifelong, Buddhist receiving a blessing from the Pope: Was this moment wasted on me? Liam – bucket hat pulled so low he could've wandered through the crowd unnoticed – was relentlessly on-brand: tambourine in his mouth, mid-song gestures for someone to fetch him a drink, radiating pure cheeky swagger. But it wasn't the chaotic bravado that's landed him in trouble before. It felt authentic, playful, and even self-aware. His voice was strong, precise, and melodic. I'd never found him impressive on record, but in that moment, I got that this is how he's meant to be heard: backed by a tidal wave of fans scream-singing every word back at him like a battle cry. Astonishingly, all but three of the 23 songs played came from a blistering 18-month period between 1994 and 1995, making the evening a concentrated portrait of a hyper-specific period of time. Noel's solo section was unexpectedly moving. The Masterplan and Little by Little reminded everyone who the melodic architect really is, while Half the World Away, dedicated to The Royle Family ('not that royal family, the real f***ing Royle Family,' he clarified), lit up the stadium in a sea of swaying phone lights. Liam returned for Live Forever, dedicated to the late Ozzy Osbourne, whose face was projected on the screens in an unexpectedly touching acknowledgement of the shoulders Oasis stood on to reach such great heights. The crowd – who started at energy level 10 and ended somewhere around unhinged – was the friendliest I've ever encountered at a show. There was a jittery, reverent alertness to them, the energy of people who had spent too much money, waited too many months, and weren't going to miss a single second. In front of me, a group of forty-something men who proudly told me they'd known each other since secondary school in Leeds had reunited from all corners of the UK after fighting tooth and nail for tickets. They cried. They hugged. They threw beer. One of them, too drunk to stand still, barely faced the stage. Arms flung over his head, head tilted back, he grinned like a man reborn. It was as if to say: I don't need to see it, I just need to feel it. And he did. But did I? Oasis's music is inseparable from the moment it emerged: mid-'90s Britain, all swagger and denim and cigarettes in the rain. If you were a teenager then, I doubt you can see them objectively, and if you weren't there, I'm not sure you ever truly get it. I accept that. They captured a version of Britain when things felt possible: Cool Britannia, Blair before the disillusionment, Britpop dominating the charts, football in renaissance, and an economy that still promised upward mobility. They were Beatlesy, but stripped of the naivety. Less dreamy, more laddish. They felt like the natural continuation of something proudly, specifically British in a moment when globalization was eroding cultural edges. Still, most of their music sounds… fine to me. Competent. Catchy. But not great. Then again, I love plenty of music that sounds unremarkable to others. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. And if I can't see past my own biases, I certainly can't fault anyone else for theirs. At one point, the man next to me noticed I was taking notes and asked what I was doing. When I explained I was reviewing the show, he appointed himself Oasis's unofficial spokesperson. 'This one's a B-side,' he said semi-defensively during Acquiesce, 'but it's for the real fans. It might be hard to understand… maybe even boring to you but…' I reassured him I was having an excellent time, which was true. But more than that, it felt borderline disrespectful not to have a great time while witnessing a night many people would remember as one of the best of their lives. So I gave in. I leaned into the energy. And before long, I was on the shoulders of a father of three from Newcastle – whose name was either Tom or Greg – scream-singing Rock 'n' Roll Star like I, too, was from Northumberland and had shared my first kiss to it in 1996. As I began to understand – physically, emotionally, viscerally – the big deal about this band, things only ramped up. Liam called Wonderwall a 'wretched song' but sang it anyway. The communal roar that followed felt like the ghosts of 90,000 people's youths materialising for four minutes and sixteen seconds. Tom or Greg cried without embarrassment, clinging to the neck of his lifelong friend ('This bloke right here, since we was ten!') who beamed so hard I thought his face might split. Then came Champagne Supernova, fireworks exploding over Wembley. More Trending Liam closed the night with: 'Nice one for making this happen. It's good to be f***ing back.' Somehow, in the context, it felt like a Shakespearan monologue. I left Wembley exhausted, elated, and – somehow – converted. Still, if you weren't a teenager in 1996, I'm not sure you can ever fully understand what Oasis means to their fans. They're too embedded in a specific moment, a particular British mythology that doesn't translate easily. But on Friday night, I brushed up against it and realised it's not that Oasis's deep entanglement with British culture holds them back from being one of the world's greatest rock bands – it's precisely what makes them so special. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Oasis honour late rocker Ozzy Osbourne with sweet Wembley show tribute MORE: Aldi permanently changes name of store in a move shoppers are calling 'biblical' MORE: Oasis hit London this weekend – here's where to buy the reunited band's official merch

Ted Lasso and Celebrity Race Across the World star spotted as he hangs out in VIP area at Celtic vs Ajax Como Cup clash
Ted Lasso and Celebrity Race Across the World star spotted as he hangs out in VIP area at Celtic vs Ajax Como Cup clash

Scottish Sun

time41 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Ted Lasso and Celebrity Race Across the World star spotted as he hangs out in VIP area at Celtic vs Ajax Como Cup clash

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELTIC'S Como Cup opener against Ajax was one of the hottest tickets in town. The friendly tournament is taking place in one of the most exclusive areas in Europe - with George Clooney just one Hollywood celebrity who has a house in the area. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 4 Bokkini arrives for the big match 4 A general view of the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium inC omo Credit: Getty 4 'Ted Lasso' Star Kola Bokinni Credit: Apple TV+ 4 Bookini and a pal watch the game The match didn't end well for the Parkhead men, who found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-1 reverse. But a number of celebrities took the opportunity spotted hanging out in the VIP area at the exclusive lakeside location in Northern Italy - including Ted Lasso and CelebrityRace Across the World actor Kola Bokinni. Bokinni, the captain of AFC Richmond in the hit football show, is a big football fan although he's normally seen at Arsenal matches. He was joined at the clash by British rapper and singer Pa Salieu and actor Harry Lawtey. Sharing a video on their social channels, Como wrote: "It was a VIP-filled night at the Ajax vs Celtic match on the second day of the Como Cup." Most of the cast of Ted Lasso are currently out filming the new series in the States. It was an eventful old match for Bokkini - who took part in Celebrity Race Across the World with his DJ sister Yinka. The hours before the game so the venue hit by a thunderstorm which brought heavy rain and flooding. There was then a flood of goals on the pitch, as a goal from Yang from Celtic was countered by strikes from the Dutch side's Steven Berghuis (2), Davy Klaassen, Aaron Bouwman and Rayane Bounida. There were shock scenes during the second period when followers of Celtic and Ajax CLASHED behind the goals, with missiles such as glasses and bottles being thrown over a fence used to segregate the two sides. Huge thunderstorms at Ajax vs Celtic The VIP area could be busy again tonight when the Hoops face a star-studded Al-Ahli side in the third/fourth playoff match - with the likes of Ivan Toney, Riyad Mahrez and Allan Saint-Maximin all set to feature. Ajax take on hosts Como - who feature former Celtic £17m man Nicolas Kuhn - in the final on Sunday. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

I tried to make the viral M&S strawberry and creme sandwich
I tried to make the viral M&S strawberry and creme sandwich

Scotsman

time3 hours ago

  • Scotsman

I tried to make the viral M&S strawberry and creme sandwich

It tasted good but I got a vital step wrong 🤦 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I tried to re-create the viral M&S 'dessert sandwich' I messed up on a vital step It was easy to recreate with affordable ingredients I tried to make the viral M&S Strawberry and Creme sandwich at home, and here is what I learned. Marks and Spencer's food hall recently went viral on social media, following the launch of a sweet sandwich just in time for summer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme sandwich from M&S took inspiration from the Japanese 'fruit sando', combining it with the British summer classic of Strawberries and Cream, known for being enjoyed by Brits at the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Adobe Stock / Holly Allton Well, I was eager to try it for myself but thought I'd actually try and re-create the sandwich myself from home, using affordable and easy-to-pick up ingredients from my local supermarket. The ingredients I used were brioche bread, squirty cream (which I later discovered was a mistake), and strawberries. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The method of creating the sandwich was just as simple as the ingredients, as all it involved was spreading the cream onto the bread, slicing the strawberries and placing on top of the cream, before putting the two slices of bread together, and cutting into two halves. I then took a bite, and it did work very well together. However, the squirty cream was a bit too watery and didn't pack much of a sweet punch. It was then I realised that it was actually whipped cream I needed, and I do think if I had used that particular ingredient the sandwich would have tasted even better. Overall, it was incredibly easy to make and definitely cured my sweet tooth craving. However, I can imagine the M&S version would be a lot tastier than my homemade sandwich, especially as they would use the right cream! For more information on the M&S Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich, you can read our article here.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store