MATT LUCAS in Les Miserables
April 27, 2011
Little Britain’s Matt Lucas stars in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London.
Comedian, screenwriter and actor Matt Lucas, along with comedy partner David Walliams, is most famous for writing and performing in LITTLE BRITAIN, originally a BBC Radio 4 show which became an internationally acclaimed TV series, receiving a number of awards and nominations including 3 BAFTA’s and an Emmy. LITTLE BRITAIN LIVE became one of the world’s largest comedy tours ever, running for over 2 years in the UK and Australia and followed on to LITTLE BRITAIN USA for HBO in the U.S. and BBC1 in the UK.
Their current BBC series, Come Fly With Me, has been recommissioned for a second series.
Matt first joined forces with David when working on ROCK PROFILE IN 1999, shortly before writing for DA ALI G SHOW and as an accomplished actor has performed in SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004), GAVIN AND STACY (2007), WIND IN THE WILLOWS (2006), KING ARTHUR’S DISASTERS (2006) and FRENCH AND SAUNDERS (2004) along with a multitude of other theatre, radio, film and television shows. Last year, Matt starred as Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Tim Burton’s blockbusting movie, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and has voiced animated film GNOMEO AND JULIET and forthcoming Christmas film ARTHUR CHRISTMAS.
Matt appeared in the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables at the O2 Arena in London in 2010 and has now joined the cast of Les Miserables in London alongside opera tenor Alfie Boe.
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
King’s Speech director Tom Hooper close to signing up for Les Miserables movie?
March 26, 2011
Following our report a few weeks ago, it now seems that Universal Pictures has convinced Cameron Mackintosh and Working Title to sign-up The King’s Speech director Tom Hooper to the forthcoming Les Miserables movie.
Apparently intense negotiations are now underway through Hooper’s agent, ICM, to agree the deal terms and get the movie into production by the end of the year.
Shooting somewhere in Europe, the movie musical will be a big-budget film adaptation of the hugely successful stage show. The movie will be produced by the show’s theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh along with Four Weddings and Bridget Jones producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner from Working Title.
The screenwriter of the project is Oscar nominated writer Bill Nicholson, who wrote the screenplays for Gladiator, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Shadowlands amongst others.
The question now is, who gets to play the leads? There is much internet speculation that Hugh Jackman may be cast in the movie. Other front-runners include Nick Jonas, who briefly starred in the UK production of Les Mis at the Queen’s Theatre last year and at the Les Miserables 25th anniversary concert at the O2.
RUMOUR CHECK-LIST
- Movie: Les Miserables
- Director: Tom Hooper
- Distributor: Universal Pictures
- Producer: Working Title, Cameron Mackintosh
- Script: William Nicholson
- Date of release: 2012
Source: Deadline (24/03/11)
Tom Hooper collects his Best Director Oscar for The King's Speech
Olivier Awards: Last Chance to Vote
March 9, 2011
Today is the last chance for theatregoers to vote for their favourite West End shows and choose a winner for this year’s Olivier Audience Award.
Recent press advertising for We Will Rock You
Voting ends just before midnight tonight, Wednesday 9 March 2011.
The short list of shows are Billy Elliot the Musical, Jersey Boy, Les Misérables and We Will Rock You. They received more votes than the 14 other eligible shows in the Audience Award category, and were voted for by members of the theatregoing public.
The winner will be announced at the Olivier Awards at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 13 March.
All four musicals have been promoting their nominations, with shows such as Jersey Boys and We Will Rock You taking out press advertising to canvas theatregoer’s votes.
LINKS
Oscar winner Tom Hooper to direct Les Miserables movie?
February 28, 2011
Tom Hooper, who won the best director Oscar last night for The King’s Speech, is also tipped to take on another potential award-winner. The Los Angeles Times reports that a big-budget movie remake of the hit stage musical Les Miserables is all systems go, and that he is to helm the project.
Hooper, who picked up the directing Oscar last night along with The King’s Speech star Colin Firth as Best Actor, was also offered Iron Man 3 as a new directing project…. but we think Les Mis fits much better!
He told 24 Frames that he wouldn’t mind directing another historical or period piece after The King’s Speech, “I’m certainly on the lookout” he said.
Tom Hooper collects his Best Director Oscar for The King's Speech
RUMOUR CHECK-LIST
- Movie: Les Miserables
- Director: Tom Hooper
- Casting: ???
- Producer: Working Title, Cameron Mackintosh
- Date of release: 2012?
Source: LA Times (23/02/11)
Olivier Audience Award short list announced
February 27, 2011
The short list for this year’s Olivier Audience Award was announced today by Elaine Paige on her BBC Radio 2 show.
Gareth Gates in Les Miserables - on the short list for the Olivier Audience Award
The short list of shows are Billy Elliot the Musical, Jersey Boy, Les Misérables and We Will Rock You. They received more votes than the 14 other eligible shows in the Audience Award category, and were voted for by members of the theatregoing public.
Voting has now reopened to choose the winner, until 9 March 2011. The winner will be announced at the Olivier Awards at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 13 March.
Queen musical We Will Rock You and Billy Elliot both made it on to the short list last year but were beaten by Wicked as the Audience Award winner 2010. Wicked was not included in the awards line-up this year. The nomination of Les Misérables follows the show’s recent win at the Whatsonstage Awards for its 25th anniversary O2 concert and UK touring production. Jersey Boys is the biographical musical telling the story and featuring the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, which opened at the Prince Edward theatre in 2008.
Also on Elaine Paige’s show this Sunday, a new song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice for the new London Palladium production of The Wizard of Oz was given its world premiere. Red Shoes Blues was sung by Hannah Waddingham, who plays the Wicked Witch of the West in the show alongside Danielle Hope as Dorothy and Michael Crawford as the Wizard.
LINKS
LISTEN: Red Shoes Blues from The Wizard of Oz, sung by Hannah Waddingham
LISTEN: Elaine Paige announces the Olivier Audience Award short list
Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas cast in Les Mis
February 23, 2011
Internationally acclaimed singer Alfie Boe and Little Britain’s Matt Lucas have been confirmed as the new stars of Les Miserables in London.
Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas in the Les Mis 25th Anniversary concert
Their turns in the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 last October brought the house down and were some of the most memorable performances of the night. And now Les Miserables producer Cameron Mackintosh has confirmed that Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas are to star in the original production of Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London, from 23 June 2011.
Alfie Boe is one of the country’s leading tenors and best selling recording artists and will play Jean Valjean in the show until 26 November 2011. Matt Lucas is one of Britain’s most successful comic actors and writers, with TV credits including Little Britain and Come Fly With Me. He will play Thénardier until 10 September 2011.
They will join a cast that will also include Hadley Fraser as Javert and Gareth Gates as Marius.
LINKS
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
Alfie Boe to star as ‘Jean Valjean’ and Matt Lucas to star as ‘Thénardier’ in the West End production of “Les Misérables” at the Queen’s Theatre from Thursday 23 June 2011
February 23, 2011
Following their critically acclaimed performances in the Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2, Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that Alfie Boe will play ‘Jean Valjean’ and Matt Lucas will play ‘Thénardier’ in “LES MISÉRABLES” at the Queen’s Theatre from 23 June 2011. Alfie will play the role of ‘Jean Valjean’ until 26 November 2011 and Matt will play the role of ‘Thénardier’ until 10 September 2011.
Alfie Boe is one of the country’s leading tenors and best selling recording artists. His most recent top 10 album, “Bring Him Home”, is now certified “GOLD” with over 100,000 sales. Alfie shot to fame while starring in Baz Luhrmann’s “La Boheme” on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for his performance. His other credits include a nomination for a Classical Brit Award for his album “Onward” and a sell-out production of “The Merry Widow” at the London Coliseum. His recent opera engagements have included a return to the English National Opera to sing ‘Nadir’ in a new production of “The Pearl Fishers” and also his return to the Royal Opera House in Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette”.
Matt Lucas is one of Britain’s most successful comic actors and writers. His TV credits include “Come Fly With Me” and the multi award-winning “Little Britain”, both for the BBC. His other credits include “Shooting Stars”, “Wind in the Willows” and most recently Tim Burton’s film of “Alice in Wonderland”.
Hadley Fraser will also join the cast on 23 June to play ‘Javert’. Hadley was also in the Anniversary Concert at the O2, where he played ‘Grantaire’. His other credits include “The Pirate Queen” on Broadway and ‘Marius’ in “Les Misérables” at the Palace Theatre.
LINKS
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
Whatsonstage Awards announced
February 21, 2011
Legally Blonde picks up four awards; Shakespeare’s Globe wins best new play for Anne Boleyn
Anthony Howell and Miranda Raison in the 2010 production of Anne Boleyn
The Whatsonstage Awards were announced last night, 20 February 2011, at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London. Musical Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre won four awards including best new musical and best actress in a musical for Sheridan Smith, who played leading lady Elle Woods in the show until last month.
It was also a good night for outdoor London venues as best new play went to Howard Brenton’s Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare’s Globe, which is returning to the venue this summer, and best director went to the Open Air Theatre’s artistic director Timothy Sheader for his 2010 summer productions of Into the Woods and The Crucible.
Other big winners included Les Miserables, which grabbed best ensemble performance and best theatre event of the year for its 25th anniversary concert at the O2, and best musical revival for the national touring production which ended its run at the Barbican theatre last autumn; and best West End show went to Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, with the show’s current star Rachel Tucker winning best takeover in a role.
Best actress was awarded to Zoe Wanamaker for her performance in All My Sons at the Apollo Theatre, alongside her co-star David Suchet, who picked up best actor. Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, also won two awards, with Ramin Karimloo taking home best actor in a musical, joined by Joseph Millson as best supporting actor in a musical.
Sheridan Smith in Legally Blonde
Other highlights included Yes, Prime Minister, which beat current best play award winner and Olivier Award best play favourite Clybourne Park in the best comedy category, Meera Syal named best solo performance for Shirley Valentine, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof winning best play revival, Joanna Scotcher winning best set design for The Railway Children at Waterloo Station and American actor Jonathan Groff taking home London newcomer of the year for his role alongside Simon Russell Beale in Deathtrap at the Noel Coward Theatre.
Finally, in the only category to celebrate National theatre, Craig Revel Horwood’s new production of Chess won best regional production.
The annual awards, which are voted for by members of the public, saw 45,000 votes registered this year. See a full list of winners here.
OLIVIER AWARDS
Public voting is now under way for the Olivier Awards Audience Award, to be announced on 13 March. See WestEndTheatre.com’s new Olivier Awards microsite for further information.
Shows get the movie treatment
February 8, 2011
A buoyant West End is leading to some big-screen remakes of West End hits.
Daniel Radcliffe in The Woman in Black
Twenty-three years after Susan Hill’s terrifying novel The Woman in Black first opened on the London stage, a new movie version is to be distributed in cinemas later this year starring Daniel Radcliffe.
It marks a growing interest in developing big screen projects based on successful stage shows, with movie producers realising the potential of some theatre brands that have built up large and loyal international audiences over long periods of time.
In the last few years successful movie versions of stage hits have proved popular at the box-office including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway musicals Chicago and Hairspray, and Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.
The forthcoming The Woman in Black movie version is produced by Hammer Films, the cult British film studio that made stars out of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing with its horror movies such as Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein. Now in post-production, the film has been adapted by Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass), directed by James Watkins (Eden Lake) and also stars a heavy-weight British cast including Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer and Roger Allam.
Inspired by the creative and box-office success of War Horse, Steven Spielberg has also started work on a big screen adaptation of First World War story. Already an enormous hit for the National Theatre – first at their South Bank home and currently at the New London Theatre – the movie goes back to Michael Morpurgo’s novel and features a screenplay by Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall and Love Actually’s Richard Curtis. Dreamworks, which now sits within Disney, has moved forward the planned release date of the film to 28 December 2011 such is the excitement surrounding the project.
The War Horse movie cast features rising young star Jeremy Irvine as Albert, Benedict Cumberbatch, who is currently starring in Frankenstein at the National Theatre, as Major Stewart, David Thewlis as Lyons and Emily Watson as Albert’s mother. Plus man of the moment Tom Hiddleston – who is also starring in the movie of Terence Rattigan’s The Deep Blue Sea.
A number of new stage-to-screen projects are also in development, including Will Smith’s new movie version of Annie with his daughter Willow, and two Cameron Mackintosh film adaptations: Les Miserables – the world’s longest-running musical, in association with Working Title and Universal, and My Fair Lady. The later is being worked on with Sony and current stars tipped for leads of Eliza and Professor Higgins are Cary Mulligan and Colin Firth.
Also Glee creator Ryan Murphy is rumoured to be working on a remake of the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show – based on the cult stage musical - following his Rocky Horror homage in the latest series of Glee.
Finally, and perhaps most exciting of all for theatre fans, smash-hit musical Wicked is set for a movie version, with Universal currently scouting for directors to take it on. The musical movie version is not to be confused with the mini-series planned for ABC in the US produced by Salma Hayek and based on the original Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
It is safe to say that stage to screen adaptations will never over shadow the reverse trend of screen-to-stage shows, with a enormous number of current West End and Broadway hits based on movies, including Legally Blonde, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing – and forthcoming shows The Wizard of Oz, Ghost and Shrek.
But new movie adaptations of hit shows, alongside initiatives such as the National Theatre’s live cinema programme and recent cinema screening of the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary concert at the O2, continue to widen the audience and appeal of West End theatre around the world.
LINKS
Book tickets to The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre and SAVE £20
Book tickets to War Horse at the New London Theatre
The Woman in Black movie Facebook page
Hancock, Suchet and Walter lead honours
January 2, 2011
Veteran stage and screen actors Sheila Hancock, David Suchet and Harriet Walter have been awarded New Year honours, along with Les Mis lyricist Herbert Kretzmer.
Sheila Hancock
Sheila Hancock and David Suchet have both been awarded CBEs, and Harriet Walter is to be made a dame, 11 years after becoming a CBE.
Hancock, 77, has enjoyed a 50 year career that includes a recent stint in Sister Act at the London Palladium and as a judge on BBC talent show “Over the Rainbow” to cast a Dorothy for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s forthcoming production of The Wizard of Oz at the Palladium. She was awarded an OBE in 1974 for services to drama and has appeared in numerous stage, film, TV and radio roles, from the RSC to EastEnders and Carry On films.
Harriet Walter is best known as a stage actor, performing for companies such as the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, including her recent performance as Cleopatra opposite Patrick Stewart at the RSC and as Mary Stuart in the West End at the Donmar Warehouse and on Broadway. She told the Guardian in London that she has, “reservations about some parts of the honours system”, but despite fearing that it is not a fair system, felt that it would allow her to speak up in defence of the theatre and “square the circle” by acknowledging the award.
David Suchet is best known in the UK and around the world for playing Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot on television, and is also a seasoned stage performer with recent appearances including All My Sons at the Apollo Theatre alongside Zoe Wanamaker and Complicit at the Old Vic in 2009 opposite Richard Dreyfuss.
Also acknowledged in the honours is lyricist Herbert Kretzmer, who co-wrote the lyrics to the world’s longest running musical, Les Misérables, and is to become an OBE.
