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Mersey Beatles set for Newport Riverfront Theatre gig

Mersey Beatles set for Newport Riverfront Theatre gig

On Thursday, June 5, the band will perform at the Riverfront Theatre, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the iconic Shea Stadium concert.
With a history spanning 25 years, The Mersey Beatles have delighted audiences worldwide, and this show promises to be their biggest UK tour yet.
The performance will feature an array of classic hits from 1965, including beloved tracks from the albums Help! and Rubber Soul.
Fans can also expect a journey through the psychedelic sounds of Sgt Pepper, a stroll down Abbey Road, and an homage to later masterpieces like Revolution, Get Back, and Hey Jude.
Hailing from Liverpool, The Mersey Beatles were the resident tribute band at the famous Cavern Club for a decade, performing over 600 times at the venue where The Beatles first made their mark.
(Image: DAVE NELSON)
The current lineup includes Mark Bloor as John, Steven Howard as Paul, Craig McGown as George, and Brian Ambrose as Ringo.
Looking ahead to the Newport show, Mr Howard said, "We cannot wait to take to the stage at the Riverfront Theatre.
"We always have an amazing night in South Wales – the audiences are always up for a good night – so this will be an amazing night."
Tickets for The Mersey Beatles at Riverfront Theatre are on sale now, available from the Newport Live website.

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Mersey Beatles set for Newport Riverfront Theatre gig
Mersey Beatles set for Newport Riverfront Theatre gig

South Wales Argus

time2 days ago

  • South Wales Argus

Mersey Beatles set for Newport Riverfront Theatre gig

On Thursday, June 5, the band will perform at the Riverfront Theatre, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the iconic Shea Stadium concert. With a history spanning 25 years, The Mersey Beatles have delighted audiences worldwide, and this show promises to be their biggest UK tour yet. The performance will feature an array of classic hits from 1965, including beloved tracks from the albums Help! and Rubber Soul. Fans can also expect a journey through the psychedelic sounds of Sgt Pepper, a stroll down Abbey Road, and an homage to later masterpieces like Revolution, Get Back, and Hey Jude. Hailing from Liverpool, The Mersey Beatles were the resident tribute band at the famous Cavern Club for a decade, performing over 600 times at the venue where The Beatles first made their mark. (Image: DAVE NELSON) The current lineup includes Mark Bloor as John, Steven Howard as Paul, Craig McGown as George, and Brian Ambrose as Ringo. Looking ahead to the Newport show, Mr Howard said, "We cannot wait to take to the stage at the Riverfront Theatre. "We always have an amazing night in South Wales – the audiences are always up for a good night – so this will be an amazing night." Tickets for The Mersey Beatles at Riverfront Theatre are on sale now, available from the Newport Live website.

'Humanising trans people is so important right now – our BBC series does that'
'Humanising trans people is so important right now – our BBC series does that'

Metro

time5 days ago

  • Metro

'Humanising trans people is so important right now – our BBC series does that'

'I feel incredibly grateful to be part of a show that humanises trans people at this moment,' says Ellis Howard, who takes the lead in a powerful new BBC drama. Titled What It Feels Like For A Girl, the Y2K coming-of-age eight-parter serves up heartbreak and hilarity in equal measure. It's based on the memoir of award-winning author and trailblazing trans rights campaigner Paris Lees, released in 2021 and chronicling her tumultuous upbringing in the 2000s. The drama is set to storm BBC Three next month, boasting a cast of fresh, vibrant talent all keen to remind viewers of one simple yet poignant message—trans people have always existed and will always exist. Howard, known for roles such as Red Rose (2022) and Help (2021), portrays Byron, who, desperate to break free from his small, working-class town, escapes to Nottingham's vibrant underworld on a quest of self-discovery and enlightenment. There, he discovers his people… as well as a realm of drink, drugs, and chaos in the heart of the early noughties club scene. Metro caught up with the cast ahead of the show's premiere. They shared their personal and emotional ties to their characters while also explaining how, given the current political landscape, the series really couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! 'I read the book, and I fell in love with it, and I couldn't believe that they were making it into a BBC drama, warts and all,' begins Howard. 'I couldn't believe it was gonna be on television, so I was desperate to be part of it in any way.' He adds that Paris's memoir 'touched [him]' at several points, allowing him to feel 'seen,' as if he were reading extracts from his own life. 'When they told me I got [the part], I was the happiest boy on the planet, but then I s**t myself because I was like… How the hell am I gonna do this?' While the pressure to deliver may have been immense, he had the 'safety net' of his co-stars to support him, allowing Howard to believe the extraordinary might be possible after all. The camaraderie between the young actors is evident even off the TV screen, as Jake Dunn (playing Liam), Hannah Jones (Sasha), and Laquarn Lewis (Lady Die) giggle their way through the interview after bonding over what they were all aware was a very 'special' project. Asked what drew her to the role, Jones says she was excited by the opportunity to portray a character whose trans identity is merely a 'facet' of who she is. '[Sasha] was just an unapologetic, gobby trans girl from the north. Fork found in kitchen,' she jokes. 'I had to do this for all the gobby, northern trans girls. She was great to play. 'Being trans is just a facet of her life; it just so happens that Sasha is trans. Her storyline is not trans trauma, her storyline is not a trans journey… It's her being horrible, being a sex worker, being a sister, being a best friend… 'All of this humanises the trans experience, and we've not had that before, and I think it's really important to do that right now for trans people who are struggling.' Indeed, when filming began, the climate was very different, with Joe Biden President of the United States and the Supreme Court not yet having ruled that the definitions of 'sex' and 'woman' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to 'biological sex'. 'The title of the show has a whole new meaning now,' Jones declares. 'What does it feel like for a girl? That's what's being put out into Parliament, which is why it matters for viewers to not only fall in love with our characters, but us as people.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Echoing her sentiments on why the 'humanisation' of trans folk is so key when the community is so frequently—and wrongly—demonised by bigots on and offline, Dunn argues that, while placed in 2003, What It Feels Like For A Girl is 'more forward-thinking than what's happening in 2025'. Set at a time without camera phones or Facebook statuses, but where people did fall out of nightclubs and into their own vomit without the fear of it being immortalised on the internet, the series is somewhat of an escape. 'One of the gorgeous things about the show is the specificity of seeing life through Byron's eyes for eight hours, and with that comes really deeply rooted, authored representation of people who exist, who have existed, and who still exist… which I hope provides some solace.' Trans people will exist beyond this political moment that we're in right now Howard agrees, stating that, of course, he would much rather rights and protections for trans people weren't under perpetual threat. However, he's hopeful to kickstart a movement of TV shows not only with authentic queer representation in front of and behind the camera but that explore the intersections of class, which, as he admits, can be complex and messy'. 'It's a wild, loud story, and because of the scripts and how unrelenting and how unashamed they are, you had no choice but to drop all of your veneers on set every day and show your trauma, and we were doing that day in, day out, so we all felt like we were doing something really special.' Following production, Donald Trump reentered the White House for a second term, bringing with him a host of divisive beliefs and dangerous policies posing a risk to minorities. 'Despite that, we do know that society can rearrange itself, which can be a beautiful thing,' Howard reasons. 'Trans people will exist beyond this political moment that we're in right now. And if we can provide some relief in the meantime, then merry f***ing Christmas!' More Trending Indeed, it's a scary time to be trans; hence, communities and sisterhoods can and do often save lives, with Howard hoping audiences are inspired to reach out to their own 'tribes'. 'We live in deeply perilous times, but we have to have some sort of joy and humour; otherwise, what are we fighting for?', Howard states. 'The rebellion can be stylish, and it can be cool, and it can be fun, and it can be wild, and on Poppers. We have to find light and shade, and build up that queer resilience, and queer resilience is exactly what we need right now.' What It Feels Like For A Girl lands on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer on June 3. 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. View More » MORE: Gary Lineker forced to improvise as final Match of the Day nearly went wrong MORE: Former CBBC child star reveals she's been diagnosed with perimenopause at 36 MORE: BBC fans urge people to watch crime series 'that's like Gavin and Stacey'

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