Hot new shows in June
May 28, 2010 by admin
Filed under Features, News, Shows opening
June is proving to be a busy month for West End Theatre with a number of high-profile openings, including work from big name directors such as Sam Mendes, Richard Eyre and Matthew Warchus.
Tap Dogs at the Novello Theatre
At the National Theatre, a revival of Terence Rattigan’s After The Dance starts previews from 1 June 2010 featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Eye directs Moira Buffini’s new play Welcome to Thebes from 15 June. Also starting on the 15th is Tap Dogs at the Novello Theatre, which returns to London starring hot song and dance man Adam Garcia.
Wartime land girls play Lilies on the Land begins previews at the Arts Theatre from 8 June, and at the Almeida Ruth Wilson stars in a stage version of Ingmar Bergman’s Through a Glass Darkly from 10 June.
The Old Vic sees the next of its Bridge Project plays start on 12 June, in a new Sam Mendes production of As You Like It starring Stephen Dillane and Juliet Rylance.
Sticking with the Shakespeare theme, the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park starts previews of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors on 24 June, and the following day the Lyric Hammersmith transfers its sell-out fright-night chiller Ghost Stories to the Duke of York’s Theatre.
Finally, all-star, Broadway-bound comedy La Bete opens at the Comedy Theatre from 26 June starring Joanna Lumley, Mark Rylance and David Hyde Pierce.
MORE INFORMATION AND BOOKING
National Theatre, from 1 June 2010
With next year’s centenary of playwright Terence Rattigan fast approaching, expect to see a number of high-profile revivals of his work – both on stage and screen.
This new production of his 1939 play After the Dance is directed for the National by Thea Sharrock (The Misanthrope, Equus) and is a subtle expose of the hedonistic 1920s generation, dealing with themes of repression and love.
As the world races towards catastrophe, a crowd of Mayfair socialites party their way to oblivion. At its centre is David, who idles away his sober moments researching a futile book until the beautiful Helen decides to save him, shattering his marriage and learning too late the depth of both David’s indolence and his wife’s undeclared love. But with finances about to crash and humanity on the brink of global conflict, the drink keeps flowing and the revellers dance on.
Book tickets to After the Dance at the National Theatre in London
Arts Theatre, from 8 June 2010
Lilies On The Land is moving and funny portrait of some of Britain’s pluckiest, unsung heroes. This charming, gripping tale celebrates the Women’s Land Army during World War II – an extraordinary episode in Britain’s history. This play charts the personal journeys of four women who sign up to become Land Girls, determined to work backbreaking hours on the land in a bid to do their bit for the war effort.
Based on letters and interviews with the original Land Girls, these women, who are all from different backgrounds and torn from their families, must survive the hardships of farming and the pressures of war. The cast of this compelling play features Rosalind Cressy, Sarah Finch, Dorothy Lawrence and Kali Peacock.
Book tickets to Lilies on the Land at the Arts Theatre in London
The Old Vic, from 12 June
Part of the successful Bridge Project – a transatlantic collaboration between the Old Vic in London and the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York – this year sees Oscar winning director Sam Mendes direct Shakespeare’s As You Like It and The Tempest.
The company is led by Stephan Dillane, Christian Camargo, Ron Cephas Jones and Juliet Rylance.
As You Like It is Shakespeare’s pastoral romantic comedy that features Juliet Rylance and Michelle Beck as the heroines Rosalind and Celia, and Christian Camargo and Thomas Sadoski as Orlando and Touchstone.
Young British actress Rylance, the daughter of acclaimed actor Mark Rylance, has appeared on stage both in New York and London, including Shakespeare’s Globe. Dillane, who plays Jacques in As You Like It, returns to the stage for the first time since winning a Tony Award for Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing.
Books tickets to As You Like It at the Old Vic Theatre in London
Novello Theatre, from 15 June 2010
Adam Garcia will return to the London stage this June in the Australian dance show Tap Dogs.
Tap Dogs is a worldwide hit that combines the strength and power of workmen with the precision and talent of tap dancing. The adrenalin-pumped cast of this award-winning show inject raw passion and power into the ultimate visual dance spectacular.
Adam Garcia started his career in 1992 in the Australian tour of Hot Shoe Shuffle – which transferred to the West End – and went on to perform in Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Wicked and as a judge on Sky 1 entertainment show Got To Dance.
Book tickets to Tap Dogs at the Novello Theatre in London
Duke of York’s Theatre, from 25 June 2010
A truly terrifying theatrical experience written and directed by The League of Gentlemen’s master of the macabre, Jeremy Dyson, and Andy Nyman, co-creator and director of Derren Brown’s television and stage shows and star of Dead Set and Severance.
As three men gather together, each has an uncanny, chilling tale to tell. Ghost Stories played a hugely successful run at the Lyric Hammersmith before transferring to the Duke of York’s theatre in the West End. The show stars Nicholas Burns, David Cardy, Ryan Gage and Andy Nyman.
Strictly for theatregoers aged 16 and older.
“Brilliant and deeply unsettling” The Telegraph
“A pant-wetter of a night. It’s terrifying” Daily Mail
“Yes, I gulped and others screeched” The Times
“Hugely entertaining piece of theatre” The Stage
Book tickets to Ghost Stories at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London
Comedy Theatre, from 26 June 2010
American playwright David Hirson’s rollicking 1991 play, La Bete is a comic tour de force about Elomire (David Hyde Pierce – “Frasier”), a high-minded classical dramatist who loves only the theatre, and Valere (Mark Rylance – “Jerusalem”), a low-brow street clown who loves only himself. When the fickle princess (Joanna Lumley – “Absolutely Fabulous”) decides she’s grown weary of Elomire’s royal theatre troupe, he and Valere are left fighting for survival as art squares off with ego in a literary showdown for the ages.
Other cast include Stephen Ouimette, Lisa Joyce, Greta Lee, Robert Lonsdale, Michael Milligan, Liza Sadovy and Sally Wingert. The play will be directed by Matthew Warchus and run for a limited season at the Comedy Theatre before heading to Broadway.
Book tickets to La Bete at the Comedy Theatre in London
Venue News: THE ARTS THEATRE
Small but perfectly formed, The Arts Theatre in the heart of London’s Theatreland reopened in January 2009 after a period of refurbishment and re-decoration.
It now hosts an interesting mix of theatre, with a new season of plays and musicals starting this month featuring short runs of crowd-pleasing shows, from hilarious farce Daisy Pulls It Off, to play A Man of No Importance and fun musicals Naked Boys Singing and Nunsense A-Men.
The originalvenue launched in 1927 as a private members’ theatre to avoid the censorship of the Lord Chamberlain. In the fifties it was run by Peter Hall and hosted the London premiere of Samuel Becket’s Waiting for Godot.
The 347-seat venue is run under a partnership between Dominic Madden for theatre investment group Kingdom Entertainment Group and Wimpole Theatre and the facilities of the theatre include two newly refurbished bars – plus The London Cocktail Club, a pre and post theatre private members club.
Highlights of the current season include:
DAISY PULLS IT OFF
19 January – 6 February 2010
This riotous romp returns to the West End in Denise Deegan’s hilarious parody of jolly hockey sticks adventure stories set in a 1920s girls’ boarding school.
Save £6.50 on tickets – Book Now
NUNSENSE A-MEN
25 January – 25 March 2010
An hilarious spoof about the misadventures of five nuns trying to manage a fundraiser – with all characters played by male musical stars!
Tickets from only £13.50 – Book Now
NAKED BOYS SINGING
27 January – 27 March 2010
Returning to the Arts Theatre after a successful run last year, Naked Boys Singing! is a musical comedy revue featuring an original score of 16 songs celebrating the splendours of male nudity. Seven good-looking and talented male actors celebrate the glories of the naked male body through a series of catchy, pithy cabaret numbers, both funny and poignant. Please Note: Contains full male nudity. Age recommendation 16 years +
Tickets from only £13.50 – Book Now
A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE
10 – 27 February 2010
Chamber musical based on the 1994 film starring Albert Finney. The show won the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best off-Broadway Musical, and will run at the Arts from February 10 to 27 starring Olivier Award-winner Paul Clarkson.
Save £6.50 on tickets – Book Now
Transfer News: Juliet Stevenson, Avenue Q, Prunella Scales and War Horse
March 17, 2009 by admin
Filed under News, Show transfers
It’s all change in the West End as a number of shows close to make way for transfers from other theatres. In an increasingly risk-averse climate for producers, a hit in a small venue or success in a limited run could mean money if it transfers into the West End. The subsidised National Theatre and Almeida are bringing in War Horse and Duet for One respectively, Cameron Mackintosh decides to keep Avenue Q running and Carrie’s War and Saturday Night transfer from smaller venues.
Duet For One
The Almeida’s recently acclaimed production Duet for One will transfer to the West End in May.
Tom Kempinski’s two-hander stars Juliet Stevenson and Henry Goodman and centres on a concert violinist (Stevenson) who goes to a psychiatrist (Goodman) in the wake of a tragedy.
Directed by Matthew Lloyd, it will transfer to the Vaudeville Theatre from 7th May.
Avenue Q
There’s nothing like the threat of missing out to boost a show. Avenue Q - which has already run for 3 years at the Noel Coward Theatre, had announced its closure to make way for Calendar Girls.
But a new demand for tickets to catch the show before it exits London has promoted Cameron Mackintosh to transfer it to another one of his theatres – this time the Gielgud. It will reside there from 1 June.
Avenue Q will replace Enjoy starring Alison Steadman and David Troughton.
SAVE £18.50 ON TICKETS TO SEE ENJOY
Carrie’s War
Heart-warming family drama Carrie’s War – about two young evacuees during the Second World War and based on the classic kid’s novel by Nina Bawden is transferring from Sadler’s Wells into the West End.
Much loved actress Prunella Scales stars in the play, which will begin on 18 June at the Apollo Theatre. The show also stars Sarah Edwardson, who reprises the role of Carrie, and Amanda Symonds and James Beddard.
Carrie’s War will replace Three Days of Rain at the Apollo, currently starring James McAvoy.
SAVE £16.50 ON TICKETS TO CARRIE’S WAR
SAVE £14 ON TICKETS TO THREE DAYS OF RAIN
War Horse
From World War II to the First World War – and the opening this month in the West End of the National Theatre’s critically smash-hit War Horse – galloping across the river from the National to the New London Theatre from next week – 28th March.
The award-winning adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, set during World War I,is directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, and is told using the puppetry of the South African Handspring Puppet Company – including life-size horses and a tank!
Sondheim’s Saturday Night
Stephen Sondheim’s first Broadway musical Saturday Night will at long last enjoy a West End premiere, despite being penned by Sondheim in the 1950s.
After selling out run the Jermyn Street Theatre, it will come to the Arts Theatre for a short run from 25 March. Set it New York just before the Wall Street crash of 1929, the show stars Helena Blackman, who was runner up in the BBC1 talent show “How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?”
