August 2016

Andy Karl (Phil Connors) Photo © Manuel Harlan

Last night Tim attended the official opening night of his new musical Groundhog Day at The Old Vic Theatre in London.

The show received a full standing ovation from a delighted audience and enthusiastic reviews are rolling in:

The Telegraph *****

“Groundhog Day: the Musical is an instant classic – and could be better than the movie”

The Times *****

“so much fun that it should be illegal.”

“manages to couple laugh-out-loud British humour with American razzmatazz.”

The Independent *****

“Such a tonic that it’s a pity you can’t get a repeat prescription for it.”

The Stage *****

“An absolute triumph”

“…tone is finely established in composer Tim Minchin’s evocative and exhilarating score… It is at once supremely melodic, magical, haunting and hilarious.”

WhatsOnStage *****

“[Andy Karl’s] is an outstanding performance at the centre of a magnificent work that sends everyone out into the night cheering – and just a little wiser.”

The Guardian ****

“fantastically smart, clever and witty”

Evening Standard *****

“…relentlessly amusing, Groundhog Day is a treat.”

Andy Karl (Phil Connors) Photo © Manuel Harlan

Andy Karl plays Phil Connors, a cynical Pittsburgh TV weatherman sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Caught in a time loop, he’s forced to relive the same day again and again…and again. As Phil becomes increasingly despondent, is there a lesson being learned and will he ever figure out the secret to break the cycle?

Carlyss Peer plays Rita Hanson, his kindly producer, alongside an ensemble cast.

Four of the Matilda creative team: Tim, composer and lyricist, director Matthew Warchus, choreographer Peter Darling and designer Rob Howell reunited and joined forces with writer Danny Rubin to collaborate on this new musical based on his 1993 hit film.

Andy Karl (Phil Connors) and Carlyss Peer (Rita Hanson)
Photo © Manuel Harlan

Groundhog Day will be on until Saturday 17th September, 2016.

More information, full cast details and Tickets can be found on The Old Vic website. You can also book over the phone: 0844 871 7628 or in person at The Old Vic.

UPDATE: You’ll find a selection of photos, by Dan Wooller, taken at Groundhog Day‘s Press Night in WhatsOnStage here.

Tim Minchin: The Live Collection is now available from JB HiFi here for $19.98.

This new box set provides the opportunity to watch all of the live shows Tim’s recorded in the UK so far – in one epic marathon if you wish!

You can track how the rock ‘n’ roll nerd developed his satirical lyrical trickery, piano thrashing wizardry, iconic dance moves and that ‘look’, as he plays at the Bloomsbury Theatre, then the HMV Hammersmith Apollo and finally the Royal Albert Hall with the Heritage Orchestra.

Comprising three discs, the DVD collection is region code 4, so it’s mainly for Australia and New Zealand.

These two hour+ shows are packed with songs and talky-bits. The individual DVDs will give you a full track-list but here’s an idea of the content:

So F**king Rock

Superstar musician, comedian, writer and actor Tim brings you So F**king Rock, Live. Filmed at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre in May 2008, this massive two-hour show includes all the best bits from the critically acclaimed shows Dark Side and So Rock.

On So F**king Rock you’ll find: Canvas Bags, Inflatable You, Mitsubishi Colt, F Sharp, Not Perfect, If You Really Loved Me, Angry (Feet), You Grew On Me, Dark Side and many more.

Ready For This?

In this spectacular show, recorded at London’s legendary HMV Hammersmith Apollo in October 2009, Tim confronts the pressing issues of the day: environmentalism, rationalism, prejudice(ism) and his amour de boobs(ism).

The piano-bashing, icon-trashing, nerd-brained, rock-voiced, hedgehog-haired, hyphen-abusing, tight-trousered philosopher-comedian is a brilliant and unique live performer but can he goad a bear into dancing?

Featuring The Good Book, If I Didn’t Have You, Confessions, Bears Don’t Dig On Dancing, If You Really Loved Me, Storm, White Wine In The Sun and many more.

Tim Minchin And The Heritage Orchestra (Live At The Royal Albert Hall)

Filmed at the stunning Royal Albert Hall, London, in April 2011, this show finds the world’s best-loved big-haired, piano-abusing, satirical singer-songwriter sharing the (big) stage with conductor Jules Buckley & the 55-piece Heritage Orchestra to create the most epic musical comedy show ever.

The concert features orchestrations of firm favourites including Not Perfect, Prejudice and Rock ‘n’ Roll Nerd, as well as new classics: Thank You God, Lullaby, The Fence, Cheese, The Pope Song and many more.

It’s a heady mix of soaring music in a beautiful, wonderfully lit setting with Tim’s sharp satirical comedy and iconic dance moves.

As a taster, here’s the original trailer for the orchestra show when it was first released in the UK:

Tim’ll be polishing his piano and tousling his mane into ‘rock mode’ to perform at the Beacon Theatre in New York, as part of the New York Comedy Festival, this Autumn.

Tim Minchin – Live and Solo
Thursday, November 3rd at 9:45pm
Beacon Theatre, NYC

There’s a PRESALE here from Wednesday, August 10th, at 10am ET through to Sunday, August 14th at 10pm ET. Use the presale code: FNYCF.

Tickets will go on general sale Monday, August 15th at 10:00am ET from www.nycomedyfestival.com.

Hello
So yep/yay, Groundhog Day is now previewing in London – there’s been lots of fun chat about it – the Old Vic have made this video to look at:

For the next six weeks until 17 September, we’re putting a bunch of super talented actors and musicians (led by the remarkable Andy Karl as Phil Connors) through their very own Groundhog Day. Every. Single. Day. With no exceptions. Except Sundays.

We’d love you to come and see it before the really quite limited run ends in September. You may not get another chance to see it for a long time. (Or you may, but let’s not bank on that).

So grab a ticket before it gets harder to get one after our official premiere on 16 August.

Get tickets from the Old Vic here

xx
Tim

“Late one night, for no particular reason, something stirred in the black mud at the bottom of Berkeley’s Creek…”

Last month, ABC KIDS presented a series of Play School Celebrity Covers in celebration of 50 years on air for the adored children’s series. In Tim’s mini-episode, The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek, he reads the inspiring story of an existentialist Bunyip seeking identity.

The star-studded PLAY SCHOOL: FAMOUS FRIENDS is now available on CD & DVD from the ABC Shop.

Also available from Google Play in Australia.