Production photos of Butley at the Duchess Theatre starring Dominic West
June 9, 2011
Photos of Butley at the Duchess Theatre in London.
The West End revival of Simon Gray’s biting comedy Butley stars Dominic West (The Wire) in the iconic title role of the rapier-tongued lecturer Ben Butley, alongside with Paul McGann (Withnail and I, Doctor Who), Penny Downie, (RSC’s Hamlet, Invictus), Amanda Drew (ENRON, Eastenders) and Martin Hutson (A Very British Sex Scandal).
Ben Butley is having a monumentally bad day. So bad, he’s making sure everyone else has a worse one. His estranged wife has taken up with the most boring man in London. His beloved protégé has found a new benefactor. And in an unprecedented act of betrayal even the English department’s resident failure has a book deal. Butley’s trusty arsenal – mischievous irony and gleeful troublemaking – have never failed him yet. Might they finally prove to be the weapons of his own tragic self-destruction?
Butley premiered in 1971 in Harold Pinter’s award-winning production starring Alan Bates at London’s Criterion Theatre. Forty years on, West takes the lead in this razor sharp and darkly comic assault on the soft underbelly of academia.
The production is directed by Lindsay Posner (An Ideal Husband, A View From The Bridge), designed by Peter McKintosh, and with lighting designed by Howard Harrison.
LINKS
SPECIAL OFFER: Book tickets to Butley
Butley starring Dominic West – Round-up of Reviews
June 6, 2011
A round-up of reviews of Butley at the Duchess Theatre starring Dominic West.
Dominic West in Butley
The West End revival of Simon Gray’s biting comedy Butley stars Dominic West (The Wire) in the iconic title role of the rapier-tongued lecturer Ben Butley, alongside with Paul McGann (Withnail and I, Doctor Who), Penny Downie, (RSC’s Hamlet, Invictus), Amanda Drew (ENRON, Eastenders) and Martin Hutson (A Very British Sex Scandal).
The production is directed by Lindsay Posner (An Ideal Husband, A View From The Bridge), designed by Peter McKintosh, and with lighting designed by Howard Harrison.
See a round-up of Butley reviews, below.
LINKS
SPECIAL OFFER: Book tickets to Butley at the Duchess Theatre in London
New shows this week: Dominic West in Butley, David Tennant and Catherine Tate, Lend Me A Tenor
May 30, 2011
What’s opening in the West End this week including Dominic West in Butley, David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Much Ado About Nothing and Matthew Kelly and Joanna Riding in Lend Me A Tenor.
NEW SHOWS 30 MAY to 5 JUNE 2011
Dominic West stars in Butley at the Duchess Theatre
On Wednesday 1 June Much Ado About Nothing gets its official opening night at the Wyndham’s Theatre. David Tennant and Catherine Tate star as Beatrice and Benedick in this high-profile new production directed by Josie Rourke.
Also on Wednesday, Dominic West (The Wire) returns to the West End as previews start for Simon Gray’s savage, witty and remarkable play Butley at the Duchess Theatre, directed by Lindsay Posner and also starring Paul McGann.
Also starting previews this week is Lend Me A Tenor on Thursday 2 June at the Gielgud Theatre in London. Ian Talbot directs this fun new musical comedy by Peter Sham and Brad Carroll, based on the Broadway classic and starring Matthew Kelly and Joanna Riding.
OPENING NEXT WEEK
The Royal Court’s revival of Arnold Wesker’s Chicken Soup With Barley opens, starring Samantha Spiro and directed by Dominic Cooke (Press night 7 June).
The Donmar Warehouse production of Schiller’s Luise Miller directed by Michael Grandage and starring Alex Kingston, Felicity Jones, Finty Williams, Max Bennett and David Dawson (Previews from 8 June).
Friday 10 June marks the centenary of British playwright Terence Rattigan and on the following day, Saturday 11 June, two of his classic plays, Cause Celebre at the Old Vic and Flare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, both close in the West End.
Finally, Sunday 12 June sees this year’s Tony Awards announced. A big, glitzy ceremony is planned with Danielle Radcliffe, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Vanessa Redgrave handing out gongs and the Royal Court’s Jerusalem and National Theatre’s War Horse in line for multiple awards.
AND OPENING LATER IN JUNE
Amanda Holden stars in Shrek the Musical
The Flying Karamazov Brothers come crashing into the Vaudeville Theatre with much kilt wearing, flame throwing and general madcap hysteria (from 9 June); Shrek The Musical has its press night at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Amanda Holden and Nigel Lindsay (14 June); Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead starring featuring Samuel Barnett and Jamie Parker at the Theatre Royal Haymarket (from 16 June); Kristin Soctt Thomas leads the cast in previews of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal at the Comedy Theatre, in a new production directed by Ian Rickson, also starring Douglas Henshall and Ben Miles (Press night 16 June); The Royal Ballet’s sumptuous and large-scale production of Romeo and Juliet comes to the O2 Arena (from 17 June); Kevin Spacey as Richard III in Sam Mendes’s new production of Shakespeare’s play at the Old Vic (from 18 June); The Railway Children comes steaming back into the Waterlook Station Theatre for a summer run (from 19 June); and a big-budget new movie-to-stage musical comes to town as Ghost The Musical opens at the Piccadilly Theatre starring Caissie Levy, Richard Fleeshman and Sharon D Clarke, with music by Dave Stewart (from 22 June).
Also don’t forget that West End Live – the West End’s free weekend festival – comes to Trafalgar Square for the first time this year on 18 and 19 June, promising star turns from many of the West End’s biggest shows.
LINKS
Book tickets to West End shows
PAUL MCGANN in Butley
April 27, 2011
Paul McGann stars alongside Dominic West in Butley at the Duchess Theatre
Paul McGann joins the cast of Simon Gray’s classic comedy Butley this summer at the Duchess Theatre, playing Reg Nuttall. He is joined by Dominic West, Penny Downie and Amanda Drew.
Paul McGann’s first major role was as Percy Topliss in the BBC series The Monocled Mutineer. He is best known for his role in Withnail and I and as the eighth Doctor in Doctor Who, and recently appeared as Mark North in the TV series Luther.
Paul’s long career in theatre includes work at the Nottingham Playhouse, Royal Court and Liverpool Playhouse, with recent performances including Helen at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Mourning Becomes Electra at the National Theatre.
Book tickets to see Butley at the Duchess Theatre
Full Cast Announced For Butley: Paul Mcgann, Penny Downie And Amanda Drew Join Dominic West
April 27, 2011
The full cast has been announced for this summer’s West End revival of Simon Gray’s comedy Butley. Alongside Dominic West, star of hit US drama The Wire, who will play the iconic title role of the rapier-tongued lecturer Butley, will be Paul McGann (Withnail and I, Doctor Who), Penny Downie, (RSC’s Hamlet, Invictus) and Amanda Drew (ENRON, Eastenders).
Ben Butley is having a monumentally bad day. So bad, he’s making sure everyone else has a worse one. His estranged wife has taken up with the most boring man in London. His beloved protégé has found a new benefactor. And in an unprecedented act of betrayal even the English department’s resident failure has a book deal. Butley’s trusty arsenal – mischievous irony and gleeful troublemaking – have never failed him yet. Might they finally prove to be the weapons of his own tragic self-destruction?
Butley premiered in 1971 in Harold Pinter’s award-winning production starring Alan Bates at London’s Criterion Theatre. Forty years on, West takes the lead in this razor sharp and darkly comic assault on the soft underbelly of academia.
Full cast: Dominic West, Paul McGann, Penny Downie, Amanda Drew, Martin Hutson, Cai Brigden, Emma Hiddleston
The production will be directed by Lindsay Posner, designed by Peter McKintosh, with lighting designed by Howard Harrison.
Dominic West played the character of Jimmy McNulty in five seasons of The Wire (HBO) from 2002 to 2008. His other screen credits include The Devil’s Whore, Centurion and 300. His theatre credits include The Seagull (Old Vic), As You Like It (West End), The Voysey Inheritance (National), Rock ‘n’ Roll (West End) and Life Is A Dream (Donmar).
Paul McGann will play Reg Nuttall. His first major role was as Percy Topliss in the BBC series The Monocled Mutineer. Best known for his role in Withnail and I and as the eighth Doctor in Doctor Who, Paul’s theatre work includes Helen (Globe Theatre) and Mourning Becomes Electra (National Theatre). Paul also recently appeared as Mark North in the TV series Luther.
Penny Downie will play Edna Shaft. Her recent stage roles include Gertrude in Hamlet and Penelope in The Penelopiad (both for the RSC) and Dinner (National Theatre/West End).
Amanda Drew will play Anne Butley. Amanda played the role of Beth in the recent West End revival of Simon Gray’s Otherwise Engaged. Other recent stage appearances include House of Games (Almeida), ENRON (Chichester/Royal Court/West End), Parlour Song (Almeida) and The Ugly One (Royal Court). She also played the regular character of Dr May Wright in Eastenders (BBC TV), and won the Evening Standard Award for Best Newcomer for her role in Eastward Ho! (RSC) in 2002.
Martin Hutson will play Joseph Keyston. His stage credits include Anthony and Cleopatra (Liverpool Playhouse), Taking Sides / Collaboration (Chichester/West End), The Voysey Inheritance (NT), The Comedy of Errors (Sheffield) and As You Like It (RSC). He was nominated in 2001 for the Ian Charleson Award for his roles in Ghosts (West End) and As You Like It (Sheffield)
Lindsay Posner’s credits include An Ideal Husband, A View From The Bridge (both West End), Fiddler on the Roof (Sheffield Crucible and West End), Fool for Love, Oleanna (both West End) and Death and the Maiden (Royal Court/West End).
Press night will be held on Monday 6th June 2011 at 7pm.
Press release issued by: The Corner Shop
LINKS
Book tickets to Butley at the Duchess Theatre in London
DOMINIC WEST in Butley
April 27, 2011
The Wire’s Dominc West to star in Butley at the Duchess Theatre
Dominic West. Photo: perou
Dominic West will return to the London stage this summer to take on one of Simon Gray’s great comedy characters. Lindsay Posner’s new production of Butley at the Duchess Theatre will see West play the rapier-tongued lecturer Butley alongside Paul McGann, Penny Downie and Amanda Drew.
Dominic West played the character of Jimmy McNulty in five seasons of The Wire (HBO) from 2002 to 2008. His other screen credits include The Devil’s Whore, Centurion and 300.
Dominic’s stage credits include The Seagull at the Old Vic, The Voysey Inheritance at the National Theatre, Life Is A Dream at the Donmar Warehouse and Rock ‘n’ Roll and As You Like It in the West End.
Book tickets to see Dominic West in Butley at the Duchess Theatre
Butley tickets at the Duchess Theatre starring Dominic West
February 21, 2011
Dominic West (The Wire) returns to the West End in a revival of Simon Gray’s savage, witty and remarkable play Butley, directed by Lindsay Posner and also starring Paul McGann.
Dominic West to take West End role
February 21, 2011
British actor Dominic West, star of HBO’s The Wire, is to return to the London stage this summer in a new production of Simon Gray’s 1970 play Butley.
Dominic West
West, who is about to star in new BBC drama The Hour penned by Abi Morgan, will take on the role of Butley, an alcoholic academic in the throes of a mid-life crisis. The role was originally played by Alan Bates, and starred Nathan Lane on Broadway in 2003.
Harold Pinter, who directed Bates in the first West End production in 1971, called the character of Butley “a remarkable creation” and said in his introduction to the Faber collection of Simon Gray’s plays that he “found its savage, lacerating wit hard to beat… The extraordinary thing about Butley, it still seems to me, is that the play gives us a character who hurls himself towards the destruction while living, in the fever of his intellectual hell, with a vitality and brilliance known to few of us.”
The play will be directed by Lindsay Posner and run at the Duchess Theatre from 1 June 2011. West will star alongside Paul McGann.
Chichester Festival Theatre’s musical production of Love Story is currently playing at the Duchess, with Tim Firth’s Sign of the Times following from 7 March starring Matthew Kelly and Gerard Kearns.
LINKS
Book tickets to Butley starring Dominic West at the Duchess Theatre
Applause Magazine – August 1997
August 27, 2010
Published between1996 and 1997, Applause was a newsstand and subscription magazine devoted to UK theatre.
Edited by Clive Hirschhorn, it was published by ticket agency Applause and aimed to provide theatregoers with informed comment, interviews, features, reviews, and gossip about the plays and players making news in both London and New York. It also provided special offers and discounts on West End shows and event.
CONTENTS
Issue 11, August 1997
Read Applause magazine, issue 11, August 1997
Applause Magazine - August 1997
Regulars
OFFSTAGE GOSSIP
ONSTAGE REVIEWS
DIARY
APPLAUSE THEATRE CLUB
CD REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
NEW FACES – DOMINIC WEST
SPECTRUM DANCE, TV & OPERA
NED SHERRIN
PEOPLE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE – THELMA HOLT
OFFSTAGE BROADWAY GOSSIP
COMPENDIUM
SHOWS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE – CLARE RAYNER
Features
TURNER PRIZE – KATHLEEN TURNER
BARBICAN’S LOST MUSICALS: JUBILEE
THE APOCALYPSE OF THE HORSEMAN
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
REMARKABLE CAREER – JULIE WILSON
ALAN BATES PROFILE
MARTIN McDONAGH INTERVIEW
READ
LINKS
PDF: Read Applause magazine, issue 11, August 1997
ISSUU: Read Applause magazine, issue 11, August 1997
