A CHRISTMAS CAROL is the most famous book Charles Dickens ever wrote and one of the most daring. As the Ghosts spirit Scrooge from his past to his present to his future, Dickens plunges the reader cinematically from the miser’s dank and creaking house to riotous festivities, from cosy hearths to graveyards. And all the time the author’s voice, tender, savage, magisterial, is present.

In this bicentennial production, Simon Callow and Tom Cairns, have created a work of total story-telling: hilarious, heart-breaking, visionary, a celebration of goodness, a plea for justice and a promise of redemption.

Simon Callow, one of the nation’s best loved stage and screen actors, returns to Dickens after huge international success with ‘The Mystery of Charles Dickens’ (West End and Broadway), ‘Dr Marigold and Mr Chops’ and ‘Being Shakespeare’.

Last week in the Spectator, Lloyd Evans said that the “fascinating and hilarious show” Bette & Joan, the bio-stage play about Hollywood legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, “has the makings of a cult hit”.

That’s certainly what the producer of Bette & Joan, Ann Pinnington, is hoping. Ann told westendtheatre.com this week at an exclusive photo shoot with the two stars of the show, Anita Dobson and Greta Scacchi, that a number of rival productions about the two Hollywood stars are circling London, but that she wanted her production to be the first to land.

So earlier this month, the Arts Theatre got to host the world premiere of Anton Burge’s new play, which tackles the long-running feud between Hollywood rivals Bette Davis and Joan Crawford and is set in the stars’ dressing rooms on the back lot of Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, the 1961 cult movie they both starred in.

Both Dobson and Scacchi put in extraordinary performances in the play. Scacchi’s uncanny portrayal of Bette Davis goes much further than an impersonation of the infamously fiery actress, and is a surprisingly intense and emotional performance. Dobson manages to make sense of the complex, contradictory Joan Crawford, and imbues the role with an innate and skilful humour that delights from beginning to end.

Whether Bette & Joan becomes a cult hit is to be seen but Anita Dobson and Greta Scacchi have certainly given the play a damn good start.

Bette & Joan is directed by Bill Alexander and ends its run at the Arts Theatre on 25 June 2011.

Photos exclusively for westendtheatre.com by Roy Tan. Roy Tan said: “When you shoot a two-hander like Bette & Joan, especially a play about two feuding divas, you brace yourself for some diva action of your own! That wasn’t the case here. Anita and Greta are clearly enjoying every minute of appearing together and had great fun on the set of the show at the Arts Theatre during the shoot. Given that I shot them between a matinee and evening performance, they were more than happy to slap on the slap, which is an especially big ask for Greta who has to transform herself during every show into Baby Jane!”

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Gray O'Brien to star in Park Avenue Cat

The Coronation Street actor will star in new US comedy Park Avenue Cat by Frank Strausser at the Arts Theatre in London, from 1 July 2011.

O’Brien will co-star with Josefina Gabrielle (Sweet Charity), Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses) and Daniel Weyman (Nicholas Nickleby) in the show, which gets its world premiere at the Arts.

The comedy features a love triangle set over couples therapy, and is directed by Glen Walford and produced by Louise Chantal.

Park Avenue Cat replaces current Arts show Bette & Joan, which runs at the theatre until 25 June 2011.

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Book tickets to Bette & Joan at the Arts Theatre

Bette & Joan, a play by Anton Burge, has had its world premiere at the Arts Theatre starring Anita Dobson and Greta Scacchi as the famous movie icons. The show is directed by Bill Alexander, whose credits include the RSC, National Theatre and annual West End Christmas show The Snowman.

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More News on Bette & Joan

Greta Scacchi will star in the world premiere of a new play this spring, based on the long-running feud between Hollywood movie stars Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

Bette & Joan by Anton Burge will star Anita Dobson and Greta Scacchi as the famous movie icons, at the Arts Theatre from 5 May to 25 June 2011. The show will be directed by Bill Alexander.

Greta Scacchi grew up in Italy, England and Australia. Her stage credits include Michael Blakemore’s West End production of Uncle Vanya alongside Jonathon Pryce and Michael Gambon, which became the movie Country Life, and the Peter Hall directed production of Bath Theatre Royal’s Private Lives.

Film work includes Heat and Dust, The Ebony Tower, White Mischief and The Player. In 1996 she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Rasputin and she was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Broken Trail in 2007.

Book tickets to Bette & Joan at the Arts Theatre in London

Photo: © Roy Tan

This spring Anita Dobson will star in the world premiere of a new play based on the long-running feud between Hollywood movie stars Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

Bette & Joan by Anton Burge will star Anita Dobson and Greta Scacchi as the famous movie icons, at the Arts Theatre from 5 May to 25 June 2011. The show will be directed by Bill Alexander.

Anita Dobson’s theatre credits include the title role in the UK tour of Hello Dolly and her 2004 Whatsonstage award-winning performance in Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Also Budgie, with Adam Faith, Tom Stoppard’s Rough Crossing, My Lovely Shayna Maidel and Gertrude in the English Touring Theatre production of Hamlet. She was last seen on stage in Tim Firth’s West End production of Calendar Girls.

On TV her best known role is as Angie in BBC serial drama EastEnders. Other credits include Red Dwarf, Rab C Nesbitt, Split Ends, Dangerfield, Sunburn, Casualty, Holby City, Hotel Babylon, The Last Detective, The Stretch, Urban Gothic and The Bill. Film work includes Sweet Revenge.

Book tickets to Bette & Joan at the Arts Theatre in London