Ann Reinking signs up for Kander & Ebb charity gala

Noises Off at the Old Vic Theatre

An all-star cast including Janie Dee, Robert Glenister, Jamie Glover, Amy Nuttall and Celia Imrie star in Lindsay Posner’s brand new production of Michael Frayn’s irresistible, multi-award-winning backstage comedy Noises Off.

My London Theatre: Interview with Janie Dee, currently starring in All’s Well That Ends Well at Shakespeare’s Globe

Multi-award winning actress Janie Dee is back on the London stage this summer, starring as the Countess of Roussillon in a new production of All’s Well That Ends Well at Shakespeare’s Globe in London (until 21 August 2011). Here she tells West End Theatre.com about her own experiences of theatrical London.

Of the 50-odd theatres that make up the West End, which of them hold the strongest memories for you?
The Novello where Betty Blue Eyes is playing now (wonderful!). It was the site of my first West End job as a swing in Cabaret and helped me so much in my early career. Then as Claudine in Can-Can with Donna McKechnie and Milo O’Shea, and more recently the extended run of Shadowlands where I played Joy Gresham opposite the exquisite Charles Dance. I know all the staff there as I do at many of the West End theatres I have worked in.

What was the last show you enjoyed in London as an audience member?
Betty Blue Eyes and Lucy Bailey’s Macbeth at the Globe last year.

What’s your favourite non-theatre thing to do in the West End and your favourite place to eat after the show?
I love taking dance classes and reflexology classes with Michael Keet in Covent Garden. Favourite restaurants are Jo Allen’s, the Oxo Tower and the Poets Corner.

Which do you love best? The first day of rehearsals, the first night of the show or the last night?
All of it but the first night of the show is usually very, very special.

What advice would you give a tourist coming to the West End in terms of what to see?
Depends on their taste but I would be confident about anything in the West End as the standard is so high.

If you were the Culture Secretary for the day what would you do?
Well, looking at Jeremy Hunt’s website he seems to have a lot more on his plate than just being Culture Secretary. We are very lucky in London and many cities in this country but it is often only visitors who partake. So I would like to introduce him to some of my friends and offer him some help in putting everyone in the country in touch with what is on offer to them in Theatres, Museums, Concerts Halls, Art Galleries and Gardens. And, of course, put funding back into Theatre, which is the greatest of all in my opinion!

Who is your theatre hero?
Oh there are so many! Michael Sheen because he is brilliant and gorgeous! Dominic Dromgoole who runs the Globe with ease and great heart. Cameron Mackintosh, who puts so much love and energy into every show and every theatre he owns. And Susan Whiddington, who runs the Mousetrap Theatre Projects charity which gives underprivileged children the opportunity to go to the Theatre for £5.

Are you excited about performing at Shakespeare’s Globe this summer?
Oh I am so excited! After seeing Macbeth there last year I couldn’t wait! It is an extraordinary space with a direct link to heaven with that open roof. All’s Well That Ends Well is a gorgeous play and I can’t wait to be putting it in front of the Globe audience for the first time.

LINKS

Shakespeare’s Globe website

Caroline Sheen returns to the West End in Favourite Things and Les Miserables

West End actress Caroline Sheen is to return to London this summer following a year-long tour of the USA starring in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Mary Poppins.

The actress, who is a cousin of actor Michael Sheen, will return to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in June to play the role of Fantine. Caroline originally played Eponine in the show ten years ago. She will join some high-profile new starters on the show this summer including Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas.

Ahead of returning to Les Mis she will sing musical interludes to accompany These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things at the Jermyn Street Theatre, where theatre critic of The Stage, Mark Shenton, will interview a host of well-known theatre names.

The show, in aid of charity the Theatrical Guild which supports backstage and front of house theatre workers, will feature Shrek The Musical and Anna Christie director Rob Ashford, director and choreographer Craig Revel Horwood, Blood Brothers and Dreamboats and Petticoats producer Bill Kenwright, producer Michael Codron, the National Theatre’s director Nicholas Hytner, West End actress and current Shakespeare’s Globe star Janie Dee, veteran theatre school director Sylvia Young, and Betty Blue Eyes and Mary Poppins songwriting team George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

The show will run at the Jermyn Street Theatre from 29 May to 4 June 2011.

Caroline Sheen has appeared in numerous West End shows including Grease, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia!, The Witches of Eastwick, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Last month she played a cabaret show alongside Evita and Zorro star Matt Rawle at the Battersea Barge in London. She is married to actor Michael Jibson, who will star alongside David Bedella this summer in the Menier Chocolate Factory’s premiere of new Stephen Sondheim’s latest musical, Road Show.

LINKS

Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London

The Jermyn Street Theatre website

Shakespeare’s Globe opens public booking for 2011 Theatre Season ‘The Word is God’; Eve Best and Janie Dee in new season

Shakespeare’s Globe opens public booking for its 2011 theatre season ‘The Word is God’, on Monday 14 February 2011. The season, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible and the enduring power of dramatic language, follows the unprecedented success of the 2010 Kings and Rogues programme which achieved a record 91% of full capacity attendance across the entire season, the highest in the Globe’s history.

The season will commence with a cover-to-cover reading of The King James Bible and a small-scale touring production of Hamlet, presenting a rare opportunity to experience the two foundation stones of the modern English language back-to-back. The Bible will be recited by 20 actors – including many Globe regulars – in five teams of four. Over the course of 69 hours, spread across eight days between Palm Sunday and Easter Monday, the actors will read aloud one of the greatest and most significant English texts.

Early casting for the season promises a continuation of the Globe’s ability to spot rising stars with Joshua McGuire as Hamlet, which will be directed by Dominic Dromgoole. Joshua appeared in Posh at the Royal Court in 2010, and is co-starring in the new BBC series The Hour with Ben Whishaw and Dominic West. This small-scale production opens at the Globe on Shakespeare’s birthday, 23 April, before travelling all over the UK and Europe, visiting a unique trio of England’s oldest working theatres – Theatre Royal Margate, Georgian Theatre in Richmond and Bath – before finishing in Elsinore.

The first large-scale production will be the Globe premiere of All’s Well That Ends Well, directed by John Dove with Olivier Award-winning actress Janie Dee as the Countess of Roussillon. Janie’s stage work includes A Month in the Country (Chichester Festival) and Comic Potential (Lyric Theatre / Scarborough / Manhattan Theatre Club) for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress. John Dove’s previous work for Shakespeare’s Globe includes Anne Boleyn and In Extremis.

This production will be followed by Shakespeare’s brightest and wittiest of comedies, Much Ado About Nothing, from acclaimed director Jeremy Herrin whose recent work includes The Heretic, Kin, The Priory and That Face at the Royal Court. The Globe welcomes another recipient of the Olivier Award for Best Actress, Eve Best, to the role of Beatrice. Eve’s recent work includes The Homecoming (Broadway), As You Like It (Sheffield Crucible) and Dr. Eleanor O’Hara in Nurse Jackie, on Showtime in the USA and BBC2. Completing Shakespeare’s wittiest, most endearing pair of lovers, is Charles Edwards as Benedict. Charles recently appeared as Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rose, Kingston) and he originated the role of Hannay in 39 Steps (Tricycle, Criterion and Broadway).

‘The Word is God’ theme will continue with the first Globe production of Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, the greatest tragedy in English before Shakespeare, which tells the tale of a man who sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge. Directed by Matthew Dunster, who has previously directed The Frontline and Troilus and Cressida at the Globe, Paul Hilton takes the role of Doctor Faustus. Paul’s previous work includes Rosmersholm (Almeida) and In Celebration alongside Orlando Bloom (Duke of York’s).

In August, the Globe will celebrate the British medieval tradition of the Mystery plays, with a new version by poet and playwright Tony Harrison, directed by Deborah Bruce. Following his acclaimed adaptation of The Mysteries at the National Theatre in 1985, Tony will revisit the Mystery Cycles for the unique performance space of the Globe, celebrating the spirit of street theatre and processional performance. Deborah previously worked at the Globe in 2009, directing Frank McGuinness’s adaptation of Helen by Euripides.

The story of King James’ feat in uniting England’s religious factions with a common Bible is told in Howard Brenton’s acclaimed dramatisation of the life and legacy of Anne Boleyn, directed by John Dove, which returns to the Globe following its 2010 sell-out run.

The season will be brought to a rude and rowdy climax with The God of Soho by Chris Hannan, directed by Raz Shaw – a wild satire on modern living, set in contemporary, suburban England. Chris Hannan’s previous work includes the award-winning The Evil Doers (Bush Theatre), Shining Souls (Old Vic) and Gamblers (Tricycle Theatre). Raz Shaw directed the Globe’s popular touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2009 and 2010. This bracingly modern play continues the Globe’s commitment to new writing, which draws bigger audience’s year-on-year.

In addition to its main-stage programme, The Globe will present two new small-scale productions in 2011, As You Like It from James Dacre – director of the 2010 Olivier Award winning production The Mountaintop – and Hamlet. Now in their fifth year, the Globe’s regional tours help to sustain a fading tradition of touring Shakespeare, which in 2010 reached over 35,000 people at 38 beautiful venues across the UK and Europe.

Shakespeare’s Globe filmed four of its 2010 Shakespeare productions in high definition as part of its commitment to capture its work on film. In partnership with Arts Alliance Media, these productions will appear in cinemas across the world this year, beginning in May 2011 with The Merry Wives of Windsor. During the 2011 season, the Globe will film Much Ado About Nothing, All’s Well That End’s Well and Doctor Faustus. These high-quality recordings provide the archive with accurate and lasting records of the Globe’s work, as well as extending its work into cinemas, on DVD and online.

Public booking for the theatre season opens on 14 February 2011.

Release issued by: Shakespeare’s Globe press office

LINKS

Shakespeare’s Globe website

OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Actress Winners

OLIVIER AWARDS – BEST ACTRESS WINNERS

Best Actress

2011 Nancy Carroll for After the Dance
2010 Rachel Weisz for A Streetcar Named Desire
2009 Margaret Tyzack for The Chalk Garden
2008 Kristin Scott Thomas for Chekhov’s The Seagull
2007 Tamsin Greig for Much Ado About Nothing
2006 Eve Best for Hedda Gabler
2005 Clare Higgins for Hecuba
2004 Eileen Atkins for Honour
2003 Clare Higgins for Vincent In Brixton
2002 Lindsay Duncan for Private Lives
2001 Julie Walters for All My Sons
2000 Janie Dee for Comic Potential
1999 Eileen Atkins for The Unexpected Man
1998 Zoë Wanamaker for Electra
1997 Janet McTeer for A Doll’s House
1996 Judi Dench for Absolute Hell
1995 Clare Higgins for Sweet Bird Of Youth
1994 Fiona Shaw for Machinal
1993 Alison Steadman for The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice
1992 Juliet Stevenson for Death And The Maiden
1991 Kathryn Hunter for The Visit
1989/90 Fiona Shaw for Electra, As You Like It and The Good Person Of Sichuan
1987 Judi Dench for Antony and Cleopatra
1986 Lindsay Duncan for Les Liaisons Dangereuses
1985 Yvonne Bryceland for The Road To Mecca

Actress of the Year in a New Play

1988 Pauline Collins for Shirley Valentine
1984 Thuli Dumakude for Poppie Nongena
1983 Judi Dench for Pack Of Lies
1982 Rosemary Leach for 84 Charing Cross Road
1981 Elizabeth Quinn for Children Of A Lesser God
1980 Frances de la Tour for Duet For One
1979 Jane Lapotaire for Piaf
1978 Joan Plowright for Filumena
1977 Alison Fiske for Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi
1976 Peggy Ashcroft for Old World

Actress of the Year in a Revival

1988 Harriet Walter for Twelfth Night and The Three Sisters
1984 Vanessa Redgrave for The Aspern Papers
1983 Frances de la Tour for A Moon For The Misbegotten
1982 Cheryl Campbell for A Doll’s House
1981 Margaret Tyzack for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
1980 Judi Dench for Juno And The Paycock
1979 Zoë Wanamaker for Once In A Lifetime
1978 Dorothy Tutin for The Double Dealer
1977 Judi Dench for Macbeth
1976 Dorothy Tutin for A Month In The Country

Best Actress in a Musical

2011 Sheridan Smith for Legally Blonde – The Musical
2010 Samantha Spiro for Hello Dolly!
2009 Elena Roger for Piaf
2008 Leanne Jones for Hairspray
2007 Jenna Russell for Sunday In The Park With George
2006 Jane Krakowski for Guys And Dolls
2005 Laura Michelle Kelly for Mary Poppins
2004 Maria Friedman for Ragtime at the Piccadilly
2003 Joanna Riding for My Fair Lady
2002 Martine McCutcheon for My Fair Lady
2001 Samantha Spiro for Merrily We Roll Along
2000 Barbara Dickson for Spend Spend Spend
1999 Sophie Thompson for Into The Woods
1998 Ute Lemper for Chicago
1997 Maria Friedman for Passion
1996 Judi Dench for A Little Night Music
1995 Ruthie Henshall for She Loves Me
1994 Julia McKenzie for Sweeney Todd
1993 Joanna Riding for Carousel
1992 Wilhelmenia Fernandez for Carmen Jones
1991 Imelda Staunton for Into The Woods
1989/90 Lea Salonga for Miss Saigon
1988 Patricia Routledge for Candide
1987 Nichola McAuliffe for Kiss Me Kate
1986 Lesley Mackie for Judy
1985 Patti LuPone for Les Misérables and The Cradle Will Rock
1984 Natalia Makarova for On Your Toes
1983 Barbara Dickson for Blood Brothers
1982 Julia McKenzie for Guys And Dolls
1981 Carlin Glynn for The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas
1980 Gemma Craven for They’re Playing Our Song
1979 Virginia McKenna for The King And I

OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Supporting Winners

OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Supporting Winners

Best Performance in a Supporting Role

2009 Patrick Stewart for Hamlet
2008 Rory Kinnear for The Man Of Mode
2007 Jim Norton for The Seafarer
2006 Noma Dumezweni for A Raisin In The Sun, Young Vic
2005 Amanda Harris for Othello
2004 Warren Mitchell for The Price

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

2011 Michelle Terry for Tribes
2010 Ruth Wilson for A Streetcar Named Desire
2002 Marcia Warren for Humble Boy
2001 Pauline Flanagan for Dolly West’s Kitchen
2000 Patricia Hodge for Money
1997 Deborah Findlay for Stanley
1995 Dora Bryan for The Birthday Party
1994 Helen Burns for The Last Yankee
1993 Barbara Leigh-Hunt for An Inspector Calls
1992 Frances de la Tour for When She Danced
1991 Sara Crowe for Private Lives
1984 Marcia Warren for Stepping Out
1983 Abigail McKern for As You Like It
1982 Anna Massey for The Importance Of Being Earnest
1981 Gwen Watford for Present Laughter
1980 Suzanne Bertish for Nicholas Nickleby
1979 Doreen Mantle for Death Of A Salesman
1978 Elizabeth Spriggs for Love Letters On Blue Paper
1977 Mona Washbourne for Stevie

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

2011 Adrian Scarborough for After the Dance
2010 Eddie Redmayne for Red
2002 Toby Jones for The Play What I Wrote
2001 Ben Daniels for All My Sons
2000 Roger Allam for Money
1997 Trevor Eve for Uncle Vanya
1995 Ken Stott for Broken Glass
1994 Joseph Mydell for Perestroika
1993 Julian Glover for Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2)
1992 Oleg Menshikov for When She Danced
1991 David Bradley for King Lear
1984 Edward Petherbridge for Strange Interlude
1983 Alan Devlin for A Moon For The Misbegotten
1982 David Healy for Guys And Dolls
1981 Joe Melia for Good
1980 David Threlfall for Nicholas Nickleby
1979 Patrick Stewart for Antony And Cleopatra
1978 Robert Eddison for Twelfth Night
1977 Nigel Hawthorne for Privates On Parade

Best Supporting Performance

2003 Essie Davis for A Streetcar Named Desire
1999 Brendan Coyle for The Weir
1998 Sarah Woodward for Tom & Clem
1996 Simon Russell Beale for Volpone
1989/90 Michael Bryant for Hamlet, The Voysey Inheritance and Racing Demon
1988 Eileen Atkins for Cymbeline, The Winter’s Tale and Mountain Language
1987 Michael Bryant for King Lear and Antony And Cleopatra
1986 Paul Jesson for The Normal Heart
1985 Imelda Staunton for A Chorus Of Disapproval and The Corn Is Green
1976 Margaret Courtenay for Separate Tables

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical

2011 Jill Halfpenny for Legally Blonde – The Musical
2010 Iwan Rheon for Spring Awakening
2009 Lesli Margherita for Zorro
2008 Tracie Bennett for Hairspray
2007 Sheila Hancock for Cabaret
2006 Celia Imrie for Acorn Antiques – The Musical!
2005 Conleth Hill for The Producers
2004 The Chorus of Jerry Springer – The Opera
2003 Paul Baker for Taboo
2002 Martyn Jacques for Shockheaded Peter
2001 Miles Western for Pageant
2000 Jenny Galloway for Mamma Mia!
1999 Shuler Hensley for Oklahoma!
1998 James Dreyfus for Lady In The Dark
1997 Clive Rowe for Guys And Dolls
1996 Sheila Gish for Company
1995 Tracie Bennett for She Loves Me
1994 Sara Kestelman for Cabaret
1993 Janie Dee for Carousel
1992 Jenny Galloway for The Boys From Syracuse
1991 Karla Burns for Show Boat

Camp Calendar Casting

All hail David Pugh, producer of Calendar Girls and clearly a casting genius. In what’s becoming the Vagina Monologues of its day, the Calendar Girls cast is having another clear out and importing a dizzyingly camp and comedic troupe of new actresses.

Disrobing from 3 November, the new cast will include camp icon and longtime Coronation Street actress Julie Goodyear; model, presenter and actress Kelly Brook; respected Olivier award-winning actress Janie Dee; ex news reader and I’m A Celebrity contestant Jan Leeming; and an array of great British female comedy talent, including wild-eyed Helen Lederer, the Fast Show’s Arabella Weir and TittyBangBang’s Debbie Chazen.

The new cast will perform at the Noel Coward Theatre until 9 January, when the show will move to a new theatre to make room for the Royal Court’s celebrated production Enron.

Discount tickets to Calendar Girls at the Noel Coward Theatre London

Special ticket offers

January means a host of special offers on London theatre tickets. This month westendtheatre.com features a range of discounted shows including £20 off Dirty Dancing, £16 off Joseph – featuring Gareth Gates, £20 off Sunset Boulevard, £26 off Carousel, £20 off Billy Elliot £26 off Woman in Mind starring Janie Dee – plus offers from the National Theatre.

For the latest special offers visit: www.westendtheatre.com/offers