Georgina Butler

Writing. Dancing.
Georgina Butler photographed outside in a tranquil garden, during a classical ballet photo shoot. She is sideways on to the viewer, in a kneeling swan pose, with an arched back and her gaze directed up to the sky.

NEWS: World Ballet Day 2023, 1 November 2023

 

Happy World Ballet Day 2023!

 

Today is World Ballet Day 2023 so it is time to enjoy watching a full day of dance, live-streamed for free from six continents.

The world’s most exciting online ballet event is back for its tenth year! Let’s devote twenty-four hours to being grateful for the art form we love and the fact that leading ballet companies have been providing us with behind-the-scenes access to companies around the globe for a whole decade.

Organised by The Australian Ballet, The Royal Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, World Ballet Day 2023 promises to be the biggest celebration yet. The 10-year anniversary programme will give audiences the opportunity to see classes, rehearsals and exclusive footage from more than 60 companies.

 

World Ballet Day 2023. Royal Ballet artist Sumina Sasaki at the barre in ballet class. She is standing on her right leg, with her left leg extended behind in arabesque.

 

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'Dance Writer' illustration for Georgina Butler by Ballet Papier artist Berenice. An illustration of Georgina dressed in a purple tutu outfit, in prone position with her chin propped up in her left hand, a pen in her right hand and her feet crossed mid-air behind her. There are sheets of paper laid out in front of her and she is writing on one of these sheets of paper.

Bio

An editor, a dance writer and a ballet teacher

REVIEW: ‘The Drifters Girl’ – Milton Keynes Theatre, October 2023

 

Talented performers drift through sensational songs in The Drifters Girl, a disconcerting jukebox musical that strives to tell the story of an ever-changing line-up of singers.

The story, which is a frustratingly surface-level affair, follows headstrong southern girl Faye. She marries The Drifters’ manager, George Treadwell, and then sets about transforming the fluctuating band of rhythm-and-blues vocalists into a flourishing brand. When George unexpectedly dies, Faye Treadwell finds herself fighting to be taken seriously as one of the first female African American managers in a sexist and racist industry.

Faye relays her experiences from 1954 onwards to her daughter (credited as ‘Girl’ but essentially a bare-bones outline of real-life Faye’s daughter Tina Treadwell, who was consulted throughout the musical’s writing and development process). The entire narrative is basically Faye explaining what she did and why ahead of a court case to secure copyright of the ‘Drifters’ name.

The show tasks just six cast members with transporting an audience to the era of classic soul and charting the trailblazing efforts of a strong black woman who refused to give up on the group she loved. Disappointingly, with only four men portraying a dizzying succession of singers and assorted supporting characters, trudging along on the Treadwell treadmill soon gets tedious.

 

The Drifters Girl. Four men in smart blue suits perform as a vocal group. They are watched by a young girl who is sitting on the floor in front of them.

 

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Illustration of a laptop, books and a vase of flowers, on a purple background. Illustration by Gaia Leandri.

Editor

A qualified, trained and experienced journalist, writer and editor

REVIEW: ‘2:22 A Ghost Story’ – Milton Keynes Theatre, October 2023

 

More human than horror, 2:22 A Ghost Story harnesses the power of suggestion to serve up a satisfying synergy of supernatural intrigue and social commentary.

This tense but thoughtful play, which will be thrilling audiences at Milton Keynes Theatre all week, has set pulses racing meaningfully enough to become a global phenomenon since its premiere in 2021. It haunted five West End theatres in total, with record-breaking seasons and star casting at each, and there have also been productions in Los Angeles and Australia.

The overwhelmingly positive response to writer Danny Robins’ first ever play is understandable. Sharp writing and stellar acting bring a spirited relationship drama to life. Then spooky goings-on add to the laughs and suspense. As a theatregoer, you settle into your seat in the buzzing auditorium expecting to be scared. However, what really keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the show is witnessing – and experiencing – humanity’s burning desire to make sense of things.

 

2:22 A Ghost Story. Nathaniel Curtis as Sam and Louisa Lytton as Jenny. He is comforting her as she sits in an armchair looking scared.

 

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'Dance Teacher' illustration for Georgina Butler by Ballet Papier artist Berenice. An illustration of Georgina dressed in a black leotard and purple ballet skirt, with a graduate's mortarboard hat on her head. She is holding a notebook in her left hand. In her right hand she is holding an old-fashioned bamboo cane (historically used by ballet teachers to demonstrate verticality and correct placement to students).

Ballet Teacher

A first class honours graduate and registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance

(BA (Hons), RAD RTS)

NEWS: Don’t let ‘The Drifters Girl’ musical drift by – Milton Keynes Theatre, October 2023

 

Soul fan? Get swinging, dancing and singing in anticipation of The Drifters Girl, which will come on over to Milton Keynes Theatre this month.

The acclaimed jukebox musical tells the story of 1950s vocal backing group The Drifters and the woman who made the ever-changing line-up of singers a household name. As the world’s first female, African American music manger, Faye Treadwell was a force to be reckoned with at Atlantic Records, where she spent decades fighting for The Drifters’ place in music history.

From the highs of hit records and sell-out tours to the lows of legal battles and personal tragedy, the show charts her trailblazing efforts. She simply refused to give up on the group she loved. Thirty years and hundreds of hit songs later, there is no doubt that Faye Treadwell was, and always will be, The Drifters Girl.

The narrative unfolds to a soundtrack bursting with the doo-wop, rhythm-and-blues and soul hits Faye helped create. Some of the most well-known tunes to look forward to include ‘Saturday Night At The Movies’, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’, ‘Under The Boardwalk’ and ‘Stand By Me’. Theatregoers can expect to be transported to an era of classic soul!

 

The Drifters Girl. Four men in smart blue suits perform as a vocal group. They are watched by a young girl who is sitting on the floor in front of them.

 

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One Dance UK member logo. Silver Swans licensee logo. Royal Academy of Dance registered teacher logo. Progressing Ballet Technique logo. People Dancing professional member logo.

NEWS: Dare to watch ‘2:22 A Ghost Story’ – Milton Keynes Theatre, October 2023

 

Acclaimed play 2:22 A Ghost Story will have theatregoers in Milton Keynes on the edge of their seats this month.

Jenny believes her new house is haunted, but her husband Sam is infuriatingly opposed to the possibility. There can surely only be ‘natural’ explanations for the seemingly ‘supernatural’ sounds Jenny hears coming from her baby daughter’s bedroom at 2:22 each morning. They invite their friend Lauren and her new partner, Ben, round for dinner – and a debate. Can the dead really walk again?

Belief and scepticism clash as the couples discuss, and dissect the details of, every sound. There is no denying that something feels strange and frightening. There is only one way to find out the truth. They are going to stay up until 2:22…

 

2:22 A Ghost Story. Nathaniel Curtis as Sam, Joe Absolom as Ben, Charlene Boyd as Lauren and Louisa Lytton as Jenny.

 

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