OWAIN ARTHUR in One Man, Two Guvnors
January 25, 2012
Owain Arthur joins the cast of hit National Theatre show One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
OWAIN ARTHUR in One Man, Two Guvnors
They were always going to be big shoes to fill. James Corden won rave reviews for his performance as Francis Henshall in One Man, Two Guvnors – and is now winging his way to Broadway to wow the other side of the Atlantic. And the job of leading the cast of the West End production of the show now falls to exciting British newcomer Owain Arthur, who has been understudying Corden in the starring role.
Nicholas Hytner and the production team went to see Owain give an understudy performance as Francis when the show played the Adelphi late last year, to decide on his future in the show. And what they found was an exciting new talent who is clearly going places.
Hytner is no stranger to Owain’s work having cast him in his National Theatre production of The History Boys. Owain’s other theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet for the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Comedy of Errors for the Royal Exchange Theatre and Birdsong at the Comedy Theatre.
TV work includes Holby City, Ddeg, Cei Bach, New Tricks and The Palace, and on film he can he seen in Abroad, Mr Nice and Eldra.
Nicholas Hytner’s award-winning production of One Man, Two Guvnors starts at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 2 March with a cast that includes Hannah Spearritt as Pauline and Jodie Prenger as Dolly.
LINKS
Book tickets to One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
HANNAH SPEARRITT in One Man, Two Guvnors
January 25, 2012
S Club 7′s Hannah Spearritt joins the cast of hit National Theatre show One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
HANNAH SPEARRITT in One Man, Two Guvnors
Hannah made her stage debut in The Belle’s Stratagem at Southwark Playhouse last year.
A former member of the hugely successful pop group S Club 7, Spearritt has made a number of US movie appearances including Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London and Seed of Chucky.
UK television credits include Miss Marple and Blessed, but she is best known for playing the leading role of Abby Maitland in five seasons of ITV’s action packed sci-fi series Primeval.
Nicholas Hytner’s award-winning production of One Man, Two Guvnors starts at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 2 March with a cast that includes Owain Arthur as Francis Henshall and Jodie Prenger as Dolly.
LINKS
Book tickets to One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
JODIE PRENGER in One Man, Two Guvnors
January 25, 2012
I’d Do Anything and Oliver! star Jodie Prenger joins the cast of hit National Theatre show One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
JODIE PRENGER in One Man, Two Guvnors
Jodie Prenger stars as Dolly in the acclaimed production of One Man, Two Guvnors, as it transfers from the National and the Adelphi theatres to the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Jodie came to prominence after winning the role of Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh’s revival production of Oliver! through BBC talent search I’d Do Anything. Other theatre credits include playing The Lady of The Lake in the Spamalot UK tour.
TV credits include Hustle, Justin’s House, Candy Cabs and Waterloo Road for the BBC. Extensive presenting work includes leading the search to find a Toto for a gala performance of The Wizard of Oz in Over The Rainbow, covering for Elaine Paige and Paul O’Grady on BBC Radio 2 and co-hosting on Going Out With Alan Carr, the Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show, Laurence Olivier Awards 2010 and Children in Need 2009.
In 2010 and 2011 she toured with John Barrowman on his UK concert tour and made regular concert appearances on Thank You for the Music and The Friday Night Is Music Night James Bond Special.
Nicholas Hytner’s award-winning production of One Man, Two Guvnors starts at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 2 March with a cast that includes Owain Arthur as Francis Henshall and Hannah Spearritt as Pauline.
LINKS
Book tickets to One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
One Man, Two Guvnors at Theatre Royal Haymarket
January 24, 2012
The National Theatre’s sell-out production of hit comedy One Man, Two Guvnors now transfers to the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Richard Bean’s English version of Carlo Goldoni’s classic Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters now stars Owain Arthur and Jodie Prenger.
National Theatre 2012 Season
January 5, 2012
The National Theatre of Great Britain is one of the world’s major theatre producing houses, staging over 20 theatre productions a year across three auditoriums – the Olivier, Lyttelton and Cottesloe Theatres – and presenting a mix of new plays and classics, with up to six productions in repertory at any one time.
National Theatre 2012 Season
13
Set in a dark and magical landscape of singing pensioners, fanatical atheists and imminent apocalypse, more
Can We Talk About This?
DV8′s new production examines how events have reflected and influenced multicultural policies, more
Juno and the Paycock
One of the great plays of the twentieth century, Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock offers a devastating more
She Stoops to Conquer
One of the great, generous-hearted and ingenious comedies of the English language, Oliver Goldsmith’s more
The Comedy Of Errors
Shakespeare’s furiously paced comedy will be staged in a contemporary world and stars Lenny Henry. more
Travelling Light
Following Vincent in Brixton and The Reporter, Nicholas Wright’s new play is a funny and fascinating more
… And now playing in the West End
The Pitmen Painters
Following celebrated seasons at the National Theatre and on Broadway, Lee Hall’s The Pitmen Painters more
War Horse
The National Theatre’s sell out production transfers to the New London Theatre. Life sized puppets depict more
The Pitmen Painters tickets at the Duchess Theatre
July 15, 2011
Breathtaking in its scope, Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall’s remarkable play about art and socialism was a huge hit for the National Theatre and on tour, and now Max Roberts’s sublime production comes to London for a limited season.
James Corden Leads Original Cast In West End Transfer Of National Theatre’s Five Star One Man, Two Guvnors
July 12, 2011
NICHOLAS HYTNER’S PRODUCTION OF RICHARD BEAN’S NEW ADAPTATION, WITH SONGS BY GRANT OLDING, OPENS AT ADELPHI THEATRE IN NOVEMBER
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE BROADCAST TO CINEMAS WORLDWIDE ON 15 SEPTEMBER 2011
Nicholas Hytner’s five star production of One Man, Two Guvnors will transfer to the West End for a 16 week run following its sell-out run at the National Theatre, subsequent UK tour and National Theatre Live cinema broadcast. Nearly 200,000 tickets go on sale on Thursday 14 July for performances at the Adelphi Theatre from 8 November 2011 – 25 February 2012. Press night will be on 21 November at 7pm.
James Corden, whose performance as Francis Henshall has been relished by critics and audiences alike at the National Theatre, will continue in the role for the West End run, joined by his ‘two guvnors’ Oliver Chris and Jemima Rooper, along with original cast members David Benson, Tom Edden, Martyn Ellis, Trevor Laird, Claire Lams, Fred Ridgeway, Daniel Rigby and Suzie Toase; with Owain Arthur, Polly Conway, Derek Elroy, David Hunter, Paul Lancaster, Gareth Mason and Clare Thomson.
Richard Bean’s adaptation, based on by Carlo Goldoni ‘s The Servant of Two Masters, with songs by Grant Olding, opened at the Lyttelton at the National Theatre in May. The production will tour to Aylesbury, Plymouth, Salford, Birmingham and Edinburgh before opening in the West End. One Man, Two Guvnors is also part of the National Theatre Live season, with a live broadcast to cinemas all over the world on 15 September 2011. One Man, Two Guvnors Associate Director is Cal McCrystal, designs are by Mark Thompson, with lighting by Mark Henderson, music by Grant Olding, sound design by Paul Arditti, fight direction by Kate Waters and choreography by Adam Penford.
In Richard Bean’s English version of Goldoni’s classic Italian comedy, sex, food and money are high on the agenda. Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6000 from his fiancee’s dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Holed up at the Cricketers’ Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple.
Richard Bean’s plays include England People Very Nice for the National The Heretic, Harvest (winner of the 2006 Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Play), Honeymoon Suite, Under the Whaleback and Toast for the Royal Court and The Big Fellah for Out of Joint at the Lyric Hammersmith and on tour. He adapted David Mamet’s House of Games and wrote a new version of The Hypochondriac for the Almeida Theatre.
James Corden last appeared at the National Theatre in Nicholas Hytner’s original production of The History Boys, which transferred to Broadway, toured internationally and was adapted for the screen. Since then, his extensive television work includes the multi award-wining Gavin and Stacey, Horne and Corden (both of which he co-wrote) and Fat Friends. On film his credits include 3 Musketeers, Gulliver’s Travels, How to Loose Friends and Alienate People and Starter for Ten. Corden has also appeared on television co-presenting The Brit Awards and A League of Their Own as well as James Corden’s World Cup Live.
Since he became Director of the National in April 2003, Nicholas Hytner has directed Henry V, His Dark Materials, The History Boys, Stuff Happens, Henry IV, Southwark Fair, The Alchemist, The Man of Mode, The Rose Tattoo (with Stephen Pimlott), Rafta, Rafta… , Much Ado About Nothing, Major Barbara, England People Very Nice, Phèdre, The Habit of Art, London Assurance and Hamlet.
For the West End run of One Man, Two Guvnors there will be 400 tickets available at £15 or £12 for each performance. There will be no booking fees for tickets purchased from the National Theatre Box Office and See Tickets.
Following its run at the National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner’s production of One Man, Two Guvnors will tour the UK with its original cast led by James Corden visiting Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury (27 September – 1 October); Theatre Royal, Plymouth (4 – 8 October); The Lowry, Salford (11 – 15 October); New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham (18 – 22 October) and King’s Theatre, Edinburgh (25 – 29 October).
Release issued by: Premier PR
LINKS
The Pitmen Painters Arrive In The West End Direct From National Theatre And Broadway Triumphs
June 24, 2011
Presented by Bill Kenwright, following celebrated seasons at the National Theatre and on Broadway, Lee Hall’s The Pitmen Painters will at last enjoy a West End season, opening at the Duchess Theatre on Wednesday 5 October with press night on the Tuesday 11 October at 7pm.
The climax of an extraordinary journey, which started at Newcastle’s Live Theatre and continued on to the National, Broadway, and all round the UK, The Pitmen Painters is highly amusing, deeply moving and always entertaining as it examines the lives of a group of ordinary men who do extraordinary things.
In 1934, a group of Ashington miners hired a professor to teach an art appreciation evening class. Rapidly abandoning theory in favour of practice, the pitmen began to paint – prolifically. Within a few years avant-garde artists became their friends and their work was acquired by prestigious collectors; but every day they continued to work, as before, down the mine…
Full of humour, drama and revelation, Lee Hall’s The Pitmen Painters, which won the Evening Standard Award for Best New Play, has never been so relevant, as public cutbacks take their toll and the debate about the importance of the arts reaches a crescendo.
IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE, WITH CUTBACKS HITTING THE ARTS, LEE HALL’S AWARD WINNING PLAY HAS NEVER BEEN SO RELEVANT
Lee Hall wrote the screenplay for Billy Elliot and adapted it for the West End in 2005, winning an Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Billy Elliot opened on Broadway in November 2008. His plays include Spoonface Steinberg (Ambassadors), Cooking with Elvis (Live Theatre, Assembly Rooms and West End), and an adaptation of Herman Heijerman’s The Good Hope for the National Theatre.
Inspired by a book by William Feaver, this is the original production directed by Max Roberts, with set and costume design by Gary McCann, lighting by Douglas Kuhrt and sound by Martin Hodgson, and featuring many of the actors who starred at the National Theatre and on Broadway.
Release issued by Target Live
LINKS
Book tickets through the National Theatre website
Shafting the incumbent: When shows gazump
June 22, 2011
In the business world, it always feels slightly wrong when a company heralds the arrival of a fabulous new executive whilst their predecessor is still sat at their desks.
James Cordon in One Man, Two Guvnors, to transfer to the Adelphi Theatre
And it happens in the theatre world too. In casting, there’s rarely a chance for the hoofer sweating away night-after-night to announce their departure before the press release goes out about the bright young thing taking their place (Legally Blonde recently announcing that Carley Stenson is to replace Susan McFadden as Elle Woods caused much gasping, least of all from the rest of the cast, who read it first on Twitter!)
And there is nothing more brutal and shameless than a keen show busting to get into a West End venue. Even bastions of good taste such as the RSC aren’t shy of a little venue-stealing, announcing last month that Matilda would crash into the Cambridge Theatre in October despite Chicago’s long-running status at the venue, thereby prompting lots of speculation about the future of that show.
The National has also followed suit, leaking news last week that their James Cordon hit One Man, Two Guvnors will transfer to the Adelphi, current home of Love Never Dies, in November. The news sent “Love Must Die”-hards into spasms of delight and left Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group to then have to follow with a closing notice.
LND is especially interesting because Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group only part-owns the theatre: rumours have circulated for some time that the other owner of the Adelphi, the Nederlander Organization, has been unhappy with the income they are generating from the show (a significant part of a venue’s revenue comes from sales of merchandise and catering, and so depends on getting people through the doors).
I suppose it has to be the way. If you left the incumbent to make the announcement it would never happen, at least not quickly enough for the upstart. But there must be a way to do it with dignity. I tell you, showbusiness… it’s ruthless!
Tony Award Winners: War Horse, Book of Mormon sweep Tony Awards; Mark Rylance named Best Actor
June 13, 2011
At a star-studded ceremony last night, Sunday 12 June 2011, at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, the American Theatre Wing’s 65th annual Tony Awards were announced. British play War Horse triumphed at the awards winning 5 gongs, including Best Play. British actor Mark Rylance won a Best Actor awards for his performance in the Royal Court’s Jerusalem.
Mark Rylance wins a Best Actor Tony for Jerusalem. Photo: CBS
The Book of Mormon, which has proved an unlikely smash-hit on Broadway, swept the awards with 9 wins out of its 14 nominations, including Best New Musical, and Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score for its authors Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, and Robert Lopez.
Neil Patrick Harris hosted a fun and unusually irreverent night, which opened with a tongue-in-cheek “did they really say that?” song-and-dance number, arguing that the range of Broadway shows on offer meant that the Great White Way was no longer “just for gays”.
The National Theatre’s production of War Horse, which is currently running at the New London Theatre in London and also at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York, won 5 awards including Best Play for author Nick Stafford, Best Direction of a Play for Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, Best Scenic Design of a Play for Rae Smith, Best Lighting Design of a Play for Paule Constable and Best Sound Design of a Play for Christopher Shutt. A special Tony Award was also given to the Handspring Puppet Company, who have produced the life-size horse puppets for the show.
Neil Patrick Harris presented this year's awards
Other big winners last night included two revivals, Anything Goes, which won 3 awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Larry Kramer’s 1985 hit The Normal Heart, which also won 3 awards including Best Revival of a Play.
Big name stars who brought home awards included our very own Mark Rylance, who beat Al Pacino for the Best Actor in a Play award for his bravado performance in Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem, his second Tony awards following his 2008 win for Boeing-Boeing, Ellen Barkin in The Normal Heart, and Frances McDormand winning Best Actress in a Play for Good People.
The most impassioned acceptance speech of the night came from AIDS activist Larry Kramer, whose play The Normal Heart scooped 3 awards and who said: “I could not have written it had not so many of us so needlessly died.. Learn from it, and carry on the fight. Let them know that we are a very special people, an exceptional people. And that our day will come.”
Brits who were nominated but missed out on awards this year included Jerusalem author Jez Butterworth, Joanna Lumley and costume designer Mark Thompson for La Bete, Kneehigh’s production of Noel Coward’s Brief Encounter and its leading lady Hannah Yelland, Vanessa Redgrave for Driving Miss Daisy, Adam Godley for Anything Goes, Brian Bedford for The Importance of Being Earnest and Tom Stoppard’s play Arcadia.
The awards were broadcast live by CBS in the States.
See the full list of 2011 Tony Award winners here.
LINKS
Tony Award winners 2011
Tony Award nominations 2011
Book tickets to Broadway shows
