Theatre Royal Haymarket Archives

Waiting for Godot – Theatre Royal Haymarket

9Dec

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

London

Waiting for Godot – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Director James MacDonald breathes new life into Samuel Beckett’s absurdist 1953 tragicomedy about two down at heel men waiting for a mysterious figure to appear, with a fresh and engaging interpretation that focuses more on the inherent humour within the play rather than just the disconsolate existentialism with which it is usually associated. Opening to a dystopian landscape bereft of any positive discernible feature other than a leafless tree, we encounter Estragon/Gogo (Lucian Msamati) and Valdimir/Didi (Ben Whishaw), as they wait for Godot. Whilst their connection to each other is unstated, there is an endearing affection between them that pervades their ongoing conversations about something and nothing, which distracts from the obvious bleakness of their everyday lives. The appe...

25Sep

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Waiting for Godot – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Well, these are two very well-spoken "tramps". A wired Didi (Ben Whishaw) jolts and flourishes across the space, amidst a more weighted, stony Gogo (Lucian Msamati). The two are equally as confounded as each other, torn between wavering uncertainty and resignation to the fact. As the title of the play reveals, they are waiting for Godot. In Beckett's classic, we are not entirely sure who Godot is or why he is being waited for, and neither, as it seems, are the characters. Whishaw and Msamati play their respective characters so beautifully. It is like watching a dance - their responsivity and spontaneity is glorious, and they find musicality in the repetition. This much studied play has plenty of meat to chew on. The real juiciness of it, as brought out by Whishaw and Msamati ...

14Aug

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Farm Hall – Theatre Royal Haymarket

"The world is ugly; the work is beautiful." Farm Hall is an extraordinary production directed by Stephen Unwin in the beautiful historical Theatre Royal Haymarket. The show explores morality and historical events, focusing on the physicists detained at Farm Hall in Cambridgeshire just after World War II. The play opens with all six cast members introducing themselves as they find themselves held at a stately home in Cambridgeshire. The set is minimal, depicting a single room where the men pass their time by chatting, playing games, and enjoying music. In the first act, we see them struggling to fill the long hours with little to do. The arrival of a new piano, for example, provides a brief moment of excitement and distraction. The first act is brisk and fast-paced, filled with di...

A View From The Bridge – Theatre Royal Haymarket

5Jun

By Eleanor HallNo Comments

London

A View From The Bridge – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Arthur Miller’s encapsulating tragedy of the 1950s stands the test of time. This production remains faithful to Miller’s story centred on an American-Italian family, which brews themes of blood, honour, love and instinct, to ultimately boil beneath the skin of the law and authorities. Eddie, our protagonist, beholds a tangled idea of himself as his niece Kathryn’s father-lover. Throughout the course of the action, he pursues what he believes to be just for his niece. It is in this warped sense of justice that Eddie’s anger and self-martyrisation become wrapped up in his ideals of nationalism, patriarchy, and a fostered fatherhood. The set was comprised of contemporary facades of buildings, perhaps emphasising the protective walls between the immigrant family members and authority, and e...

6Oct

By Khushboo ShahNo Comments

London

Noises Off – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary production of Michael Frayn’s Noises Off garners peals of laughter for nearly 2.5 hours straight! An exceptional piece of comedy, performed by a stellar cast with supreme comic timing, directed by Lindsay Posner with profound detail, this rendition successfully churns out maximum hilarity from Frayn’s brilliant writing. The play opens with Dotty (Felicity Kendal) who plays Mrs. Clackett, a housemaid for Nothing On. We are in a bright house owned by Mr and Mrs Brent (Jonathan Coy and Tamzin Outhwaite) who are seemingly holidaying in Spain. Director Llyod's (Alexander Hanson) rising frustration is probably at its lowest at this dress run at midnight as Dotty keeps messing up the “sardines”. Garry (Mathew Horne) and Brooke (Sasha F...

Heathers the Musical – Theatre Royal Haymarket

6Jul

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Heathers the Musical – Theatre Royal Haymarket

You know when you wake up the next day singing the songs that you have seen a good musical. Those little ear worms working away overnight, doing what they do best and making sure the tunes continuously occupy our minds long into the next day and beyond. A great musical connects with its audience, involves them, allows them to care about the characters they are seeing and to become invested in what is happening to them regardless of the subject matter. THAT is exactly what ‘Heathers the Musical’ does. As a result, its high energy music, and quirky, easily memorable, witty book are fast developing a cult following. Produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, this high-octane black-comedy rock musical, based on one of the greatest cult teen films of all time, starring Winona Ryder an...

2Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Casting is Unveiled For The Wildest Show In Town…..

Greetings, salutations and welcome to the West End 2021 class of Westerberg High! Leading the cast in the highly celebrated return of Heathers the Musical in the West End is Christina Bennington (Bat Out Of Hell) in the role of high school geek Veronica Sawyer and Jordan Luke Gage (& Juliet) as the dark and moody teen, Jason Dean (JD). In the eponymous roles of ‘The Heathers’ is returning cast member Jodie Steele (Six) with her critically acclaimed portrayal of ‘mega bitch’ Heather Chandler, alongside Bobbie Little (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Heather Duke and Frances Mayli McCann (Evita) as Heather McNamara. They are joined by Lauren Ward (Fleming/Veronica’s Mother), Madison Swan (Martha)...

Heathers the Musical announces West End return and UK Tour

10Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Heathers the Musical announces West End return and UK Tour

Heathers the Musical (WhatsOnStage 2019 award for Best New Musical) returns to the stage with a double announcement. The hit show will make its return to the West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket from 21st June for a strictly limited 12 week run, while simultaneously launching its new touring production from 28th July, opening at Leeds Grand Theatre for three weeks, before spreading corn nuts throughout the UK. Produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, this high-octane black-comedy rock musical, based on one of the greatest cult teen films of all time, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, is back with a bang! Westerberg High’s Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day. But when she joins the beautifu...

Love Letters becomes the first socially distanced play… for the second time!

28Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Love Letters becomes the first socially distanced play… for the second time!

Bill Kenwright presents the anticipated return of A.R. Gurney’s heart-warming play Love Letters to the Theatre Royal Haymarket for a strictly limited season of only 32 performances from 19th May – 13th June 2021. Directed by Roy Marsden, Love Letters received probably its best ever reviews when Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove were reunited in the play last year. Their special chemistry led to highly acclaimed performances in this uplifting tale of long-distanced love and enduring friendship. The critically lauded production of Love Letters originally opened at the Theatre Royal Haymarket to a clamour of four star reviews on 3rd December 2020. It was the first post-lockdown play to open in the West End since the pandemic began, before sadly being forced to close on 14th December due to...

Theatres Trust supports 40 more UK theatres become Covid-safe in final round of Reopening Fund Grants

14Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Theatres Trust supports 40 more UK theatres become Covid-safe in final round of Reopening Fund Grants

Theatres Trust supports 40 more theatres with final Theatre Reopening Fund grants The national public advisory body for theatre has awarded a further £155,265 of grants to help theatres with costs of Covid-secure reopening, including changes to the building to reduce congestion, improvements to ventilation systems and simple measures like installing hand sanitisers and screens. The theatres supported reflect the vital elements that make up the theatre ecosystem with awards made to significant producing theatres – Hampstead Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath – major receiving houses Capital Theatres and Worthing Theatres, venues specialising in dance (Northern Ballet), new writing (Traverse, New Diorama, Gate Theatre) and one of the country’s fe...