Photos: Opening of the Harold Pinter Theatre

Ambassador Theatre Group celebrates the renaming of the Comedy Theatre to the Harold Pinter Theatre

Antonia Fraser, the widow of legendary playwright Harold Pinter, yesterday attended the opening of the West End theatre named in his honour.

She officially opened the Harold Pinter Theatre, joined by Ambassador Theatre Group’s Joint Chief Executive, Rosemary Squire, novelist and playwright, Ariel Dorfman, whose play Death and the Maiden is currently playing at the venue, and the star of Death and the Maiden, Thandie Newton.

The Panton Street venue, which was formerly known as the Comedy Theatre, was built by J. H. Addison and originally opened in 1881 as the Royal Comedy Theatre, designed by Thomas Verity.

The theatre has become synonymous with Pinter’s plays, having hosted seven Pinter productions over the last 21years including The Homecoming, No Man’s Land, Moonlight, The Hothouse, The Caretaker, The Lover The Collection and recently Betrayal starring Kristin Scott Thomas.

Death and the Maiden is running at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 21 January 2012.

LINKS

Book tickets to Death and the Maiden at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London

Death and the Maiden starring Thandie Newton – Round-up of Reviews

A round-up of reviews for Death and the Maiden at the Harold Pinter Theatre starring British film actress Thandie Newton (Crash), in a strictly limited run of Ariel Dorfman’s explosive drama, directed by Jeremy Herrin.

Book tickets to Death and the Maiden at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London

 

THANDIE NEWTON in Death and the Maiden

Hollywood star Thandie Newton will tread the boards in London this Autumn as she plays Paulina Salas in Ariel Dorfman’s Olivier award-winning thriller Death and the Maiden at the Comedy Theatre from Thursday 13th October 2011.

In the drama Thandie plays a former political prisoner who suffered at the hands of a captor whose face she never saw, but whose voice and mannerisms she recalls with terrifying clarity.

Years later, she acts as judge and jury to a man she believes to have been her oppressor. She struggles to find a form of reconciliation for the experience that she and others, have endured.

Thandie Newton was awarded a BAFTA for her role in Crash, Paul Haggis’ Oscar-winning film about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles. She also starred in the title role in Beloved opposite Oprah Winfrey and in Mission Impossible II with Tom Cruise. She appeared in The Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith and played Simon Pegg’s ex-girlfriend in Run Fat Boy Run. She played Condoleezza Rice in Oliver Stone’s W and the US President’s daughter in 2012. She was most recently seen in Huge and is currently filming Good Deeds, written, directed by and starring Tyler Perry.

Death and the Maiden also stars Tom Goodman-Hill as Gerado and Anthony Calf as Doctor Roberto Miranda. The show is directed by Jeremy Herrin with design by Peter McKintosh.

LINKS

Book tickets to Death and the Maiden at the Comedy Theatre in London

Full Casting Announced: Anthony Calf And Tom Goodman-Hill Will Play Alongside Thandie Newton In Death And The Maiden At The Comedy Theatre

The role of Gerado, the husband of Paulina Salas (Thandie Newton), will be played by Tom Goodman-Hill, and Doctor Roberto Miranda will be played by Anthony Calf in Ariel Dorfman’s Olivier award-winning thriller Death and the Maiden. The play will open at the Comedy Theatre from Thursday 13th October 2011. Jeremy Herrin, Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Court, will direct and the production will be designed by Peter McKintosh.

Olivier Award nominee Tom Goodman-Hill has performed in a number of West End productions including Enron, Monty Python’s Spamalot (Olivier Award nominee for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical) and An Inspector Calls. Tom has also appeared in Earthquakes in London and Tartuffe (National Theatre), as well as Bartholomew Fair, Talk of the City and The Two Gentlemen of Verona for the RSC.

Anthony Calf has appeared in numerous Theatre productions for the Donmar Warehouse, National Theatre and The Royal Court. Recent credits include: Les Parents Terribles (Donmar Trafalgar Season), The Deep Blue Sea (Chichester Festival Theatre), Rock ‘n’ Roll (Royal Court Theatre), The White Guard and The Power of Yes (National Theatre). Anthony’s recent television credits include the 2010 remake of Upstairs, Downstairs and Holby City (BBC).

This will be the first West End production of Dorfman’s 1990 play since the world premiere at the Royal Court in 1991 which transferred to the Duke of York’s Theatre in 1992 where it played for 12 months. Subsequently, the play was produced on Broadway and adapted into a film.

The play is an intense and thrilling account of confession and revenge set against the backdrop of a new democracy, emerging from a long period of dictatorship.

Years have passed since political prisoner, Paulina, suffered at the hands of her captor: A man whose face she never saw, but whose voice and mannerisms can still recall with terrifying clarity.

One evening, by chance, a stranger arrives at the secluded beach house she shares with her husband Gerardo, a human rights lawyer. A stranger Paulina is convinced was her tormentor and must now be held to account…

Thandie Newton was awarded a BAFTA for her role in Crash, Paul Haggis’ Oscar-winning film about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles. She also starred in the title role in Beloved opposite Oprah Winfrey and in Mission Impossible II with Tom Cruise. She appeared in The Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith and played Simon Pegg’s ex-girlfriend in Run Fat Boy Run. She played Condoleezza Rice in Oliver Stone’s W and the US President’s daughter in 2012. She was most recently seen in Huge and is currently filming Good Deeds, written and directed by Tyler Perry, whom also stars.

Jeremy Herrin is the Deputy Artistic Director at the Royal Court where he has directed Polly Stenham’s plays That Face and Tusk Tusk, David Hare’s The Vertical Hour, Michael Wynne’s The Priory, Richard Bean’s The Heretic and other new writing. This year he made his Shakespearean debut directing the acclaimed production of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre with Eve Best and Charles Edwards, and will direct South Downs at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester in September.

Release issued by: The Corner Shop PR

LINKS

Book tickets to Death and the Maiden at the Comedy Theatre

Death and the Maiden tickets at the Comedy Theatre starring Thandie Newton

British film star Thandie Newton (Crash) stars in a strictly limited run of Ariel Dorfman’s explosive drama Death and the Maiden, directed by Jeremy Herrin.

Thandie Newton to star in Death And The Maiden at the Comedy Theatre

Hollywood actress Thandie Newton is to appear in the West End this autumn in Ariel Dorfman’s play Death And The Maiden at the Comedy Theatre.

Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Court Jeremy Herrin will direct the play, which starts its run on 13 October 2011.

Thandie Newton will play former political prisoner Paulina Salas, who suffered at the hands of a captor whose face she never saw, but whose voice and mannerisms she recalls with terrifying clarity.

The role was originated by Juliet Stevenson in 1990 when the play premiered at the Royal Court before transferring into the West End. A 1994 movie was shot by Roman Polanski.

Thandie Newton won a BAFTA for Paul Haggis’ Oscar-winning movie Crash. Other films include 2012, Beloved, Mission Impossible II, The Pursuit of Happyness, Run Fat Boy Run, Oliver Stone’s W, Huge and forthcoming movie Good Deeds.

Newton, who is an ambassador for the Rambert Dance Company, has been looking for a West End project for some time.

Tickets for Death and the Maiden go on sale on Monday.

LINKS

Book tickets to Death and the Maiden at the Comedy Theatre in London 

Death And The Maiden By Ariel Dorfman With Thandie Newton At The Comedy Theatre From October 13, 2011

DIRECTED BY JEREMY HERRIN

Thandie Newton will play Paulina Salas in Ariel Dorfman’s Olivier award-winning thriller Death and the Maiden at the Comedy Theatre from Thursday 13th October 2011. Jeremy Herrin, Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Court, will direct and the production will be designed by Peter McKintosh.

This will be the first London production of Dorfman’s 1990 play since the world premiere at the Royal Court in 1991 which transferred to the West End in 1992 where it played for 12 months. Subsequently, the play was produced on Broadway and adapted into a film.

The play is an intense and thrilling account of confession and revenge set against the backdrop of a new democracy, emerging from a long period of dictatorship.

Thandie Newton will play a former political prisoner who suffered at the hands of a captor whose face she never saw, but whose voice and mannerisms she recalls with terrifying clarity. Years later, and as if by fate, she acts as judge and jury to a man she believes to have been her oppressor. She struggles to find a form of reconciliation for the experience that she and others, have endured.

Casting of the two male roles will be announced soon.

Thandie Newton was awarded a BAFTA for her role in Crash, Paul Haggis’ Oscar-winning film about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles. She also starred in the title role in Beloved opposite Oprah Winfrey and in Mission Impossible II with Tom Cruise. She appeared in The Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith and played Simon Pegg’s ex-girlfriend in Run Fat Boy Run. She played Condoleezza Rice in Oliver Stone’s W and the US President’s daughter in 2012. She was most recently seen in Huge and is currently filming Good Deeds, written and directed by Tyler Perry, whom also stars.

Jeremy Herrin is the Deputy Artistic Director at the Royal Court where he has directed Polly Stenham’s plays That Face and Tusk Tusk, David Hare’s The Vertical Hour, Michael Wayne’s The Priory, Richard Beane’s The Heretic and other new writing. This year he made his Shakespearean debut directing the acclaimed production of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre with Eve Best and Charles Edwards, and will direct South Downs at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester in September.

Tickets are on sale from Monday 25 July 2011 at 9am.

www.deathandthemaidentheplay.com

Box Office: 0844 871 7622

Release issued by: The Corner Shop PR

OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Play Winners

OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Play Winners

Best New Play

2012 Collaborators by John Hodge
2011 Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris
2010 The Mountaintop
2009 Black Watch by Gregory Burke
2008 A Disappearing Number
2007 Blackbird by David Harrower
2006 On The Shore Of The Wide World by Simon Stephens
2005 The History Boys by Alan Bennett
2004 The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh

The BBC Award for Best New Play

2003 Vincent In Brixton by Nicholas Wright
2002 Jitney by August Wilson
2001 Blue/Orange by Joe Penhall
2000 Goodnight Children Everywhere by Richard Nelson
1999 The Weir by Conor McPherson
1998 Closer by Patrick Marber
1997 Stanley by Pam Gems
1996 Skylight by David Hare
1995 Broken Glass by Arthur Miller
1994 Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
1993 Six Degrees Of Separation by John Guare
1992 Death And The Maiden by Ariel Dorfman
1991 Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel
1989/90 Racing Demon by David Hare
1988 Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker
1987 Serious Money by Caryl Churchill
1986 Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton
1985 Red Noses by Peter Barnes
1984 Benefactors by Michael Frayn
1983 Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet
1982 Another Country by Julian Mitchell
1981 Children Of A Lesser God by Mark Medoff
1980 The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, adapted by David Edgar
1979 Betrayal by Harold Pinter
1978 Whose Life Is It Anyway? by Brian Clark
1977 The Fire That Consumes by Henry de Montherlant, English version by Vivian Cox with Bernard Miles
1976 Dear Daddy by Denis Cannan

Best Revival

2012 Anna Christie by Eugene O’Neill
2011 After the Dance directed by Terence Rattigan
2010 Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
2009 The Histories
2007 The Crucible by Arthur Miller
2006 Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Richard Eyre
2005 Hamlet by William Shakespeare
2004 Mourning Becomes Electra by Eugene O’Neill
2003 Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare and Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov
1995 As You Like It by William Shakespeare
1994 Machinal by Sophie Treadwell
1993 An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley
1992 Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
1991 Pericles by William Shakespeare