Latest Articles - Page 488 of 645

4Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Old Friends celebrate Stephen Sondheim

Cameron Mackintosh has invited many of Stephen Sondheim’s old friends to join him in celebrating his extraordinary talents and legacy at the theatre which was recently gloriously rebuilt in Sondheim’s honor. The all-star cast for OLD FRIENDS so far includes Michael Ball, Petula Clark, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Bonnie Langford, Adrian Lester, Damian Lewis, Julia Mckenzie, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, Clive Rowe, Imelda Staunton and Hannah Waddingham. They will be joined by a featured company of West End stars, currently being finalised. The evening, which takes place for one night only on 3rd May 2022 at 8pm, will be staged by Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman with choreography by Stephen Mear and a 26-piece orchestra conducted by Alfonso Casado Trigo. Patrons can sign up for ...

South Pacific Announces Principal Casting

4Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

South Pacific Announces Principal Casting

Jamie Wilson, Jonathan Church Theatre Productions and Gavin Kalin are delighted to announce that Julian Ovenden will star as ‘Emile de Becque’ throughout the Sadler’s Wells season and UK and Ireland Tour of the critically acclaimed, landmark Chichester Festival Theatre production of RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S SOUTH PACIFIC alongside the previously announced Gina Beck as ‘Ensign Nellie Forbush’. Julian and Gina will be joined by fellow members of the original Chichester Festival Theatre company; Rob Houchen as ‘Lieutenant Joseph Cable’, Joanna Ampil as ‘Bloody Mary’ and Sera Maehara as ‘Liat’ The production opens at Manchester Opera House on 16th July 2022 ahead of a season at Sadler’s Wells, London from 27th July to 28th August 2022 and throughout the limited 10-week UK and Ireland Tou...

Full Cast Announced For UK and Ireland Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

4Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Full Cast Announced For UK and Ireland Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are delighted to confirm the full cast for the sensational brand-new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which begins a UK & Ireland Tour at Manchester Opera House on Wednesday 23rd March. Alexandra Burke will play The Narrator at select venues across the tour. Her many West End credits include the lead roles in The Bodyguard, Sister Act, Chess and Chicago, as well as starring as the Narrator in the celebrated production of Joseph at the London Palladium last summer. Alexandra first rose to fame winning The X-Factor in 2008, and has since gone on to sell over 5 million records. Linzi Hateley will also play the role at other venues. Linzi is an Olivier Award nominee and Theatre ...

New cast announced to try and get it right or wrong!

4Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

New cast announced to try and get it right or wrong!

The Play That Goes Wrong, the Olivier Award-winning box office hit today announces a brand-new cast at The Duchess Theatre from Tuesday 5th April 2022. The new cast will include Tomisin Ajani as Trevor, Jo Ben Ayed as Dennis, Ashh Blackwood as Annie, Anya de Villiers as Sandra, Tendai Humphrey Sitima as Robert, Scott Hunter as Max, Oliver Mott as Jonathan, and Mikhail Sen as Chris. The company is completed by Roisin Fahey, Charlie Richards, Stuart Vincent, Emily Waters and Jack Whittle. The Play That Goes Wrong is blundering its way through its 8th year in the West End and is currently booking until April 2023. In August 2021 it became the longest running play at The Duchess Theatre (since the theatre opened in 1929) and is the longest running comedy in the West End. Awarded the 2...

Theatr Clwyd Announces World Premiere of New Musical – The Famous Five

4Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Theatr Clwyd Announces World Premiere of New Musical – The Famous Five

Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd, Tamara Harvey and Executive Director, Liam Evans-Ford announce the world première production of brand-new musical The Famous Five in a co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre will open at Theatr Clwyd on 29th September with previews from 23rd September. Photo: Johan Persson Based on Enid Blyton’s multi-million-selling novels, Tamara Harvey directs this brand-new musical written by Elinor Cook, with music and lyrics by Theo Jamieson. Lucy Osborne designs with choreography by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, musical supervision by David White and Benjamin Holder, musical direction by Katherine Rockhill, orchestrations by Theo Jamieson, lighting by Johanna Town and video design by Ash Woodward. Tamara Harvey said today “I loved Enid Blyton’s sto...

My Favourite Place in the Whole Wide World – Hope Mill Theatre

3Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

My Favourite Place in the Whole Wide World – Hope Mill Theatre

Trauma can have impact people in many different ways – some people grow and flourish from the ashes, some people can see their life, and the things that bring them comfort, cruelly collapse and leave them shattered. Award-winning playwright Ian Townsend explores this journey along with themes of sexual identity, self-esteem and the very human craving of connection with others in his newest work, “My favourite place…”, directed by James Schofield. In and amongst a simple set of stacked black and orange-striped boxes, we meet J and Ruth, two people who have endured their own childhood traumas, and who, through a cleverly executed moment of serendipity, are thrust into a most unlikely friendship. The script is very much a tale of two halves. In part one, we watch each character lay o...

3Mar

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Work.txt – Soho Theatre

An audience, mostly of whom are 9 to 5, maybe some are freelance, of mothers and fathers, of Pisces and Gemini’s, of people who hate their bosses and those who earn more than 30,000 a year have all bought tickets to an immersive show. There are no actors, just a stage manager but they are just clicking a button. We decide if we speak and we listen to those who do, we talk what is written and together we build a city. I was unsure where this play might take me. It’s a Wednesday night and I’m not that up to getting involved so I sit down on the front row with slight anxiety and my mask pulled up very high. I notice the subtle sound of ‘The Sims’ theme music playing, a horrible memory of my Covid pass-time activities. At this point, I’m flustered. As the lights dim, the projector ...

Hedwig brings angry inch to Leeds Playhouse and HOME Manchester

3Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Hedwig brings angry inch to Leeds Playhouse and HOME Manchester

Cult musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch comes to Leeds Playhouse and HOME Manchester starring RuPaul’s Drag Race UK icon Divina De Campo De Campo plays the hedonistic genderqueer anti-heroine seemingly hellbent on destruction who embarks on a journey of self-discovery with her husband and roadie Yitzhak, played by Elijah Ferreira. They are joined on stage by their live rock band ‘The Angry Inch’ led by Music Supervisor and Musical Director Alex Beetschen on keys with Frances Bolley on lead guitar, Isis Dunthorne on drums and Jess Williams on bass. This production explores the origin of love, gender identity, resilience, and the freedom to be whoever you want to be. “As a queer and trans director I’ve been wanting to pu...

The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare’s Globe

3Mar

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare’s Globe

The current rise of antisemitism around the world gives extra resonance and relevance to Shakespeare's 16th Century play on usury, religious conflict, revenge and the manipulation of justice. Abigail Graham's direction packs a serious punch, with a stellar cast who draw out every nuance of the text. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is brilliantly heightened in this beautiful candlelit production set in the present day, but which could relate to any era. Young Bassanio is a spendthrift and hedonist, partying with his buddies and going through money as though there's no tomorrow. Needing cash to pursue his wooing of the rich heiress, Portia, he turns to his friend, the merchant, Antonio, who has bailed him out previously. Antonio agrees and asks Shylock, ...

After The End – Theatre Royal Stratford East

3Mar

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

After The End – Theatre Royal Stratford East

Dark, disturbing and incisive, Kelly’s apocalyptic play examines human nature and hostility like a thought experiment. Louise and Mark are the lab rats in this harrowing social commentary. Louise finds herself in Mark’s bunker as they shield themselves from a nuclear attack outside. With limited supplies and suffocating, rising tension, anything could happen. The two work colleagues, make for an unlikely pairing with Louise’s feisty, uncompromising strength and Mark’s dorky enthusiasm and rigidity. As a result, it is fascinating to watch their sharp back and forth dialogue. Nick Blood is particularly skilful at bringing Kelly’s idiosyncratic style of writing to life, catching its jerky rhythm. He is perfect as Mark, balancing his comical strangeness with his darker aspects which seep ou...