Jeeves and Wooster at the Duke of York’s Theatre
June 11, 2013
P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster make a delightful return to the West End in “Perfect Nonsense”, an hilarious new comedy starring Matthew Macfadyen and Stephen Mangan at the Duke of York’s Theatre.
Tally Ho London – Jeeves and Wooster are back in town! Perfect Nonsense is a brand new play adapted from the works of quintessentially British writer P.G. Wodehouse.
Comedian Stephen Mangan stars as the charming, aristocratic fool Bertie Wooster with Matthew Macfadyen as his dutiful yet cunning valet Jeeves.
The world premiere of new stage play Perfect Nonsense is directed by Sean Foley (The Ladykillers) and written by Robert and David Goodale.
When a perfectly delightful trip to the countryside takes a turn for the worse, Bertie Wooster is unwittingly called on to play matchmaker – reconciling the affections of his host’s drippy daughter Madeline Bassett with his newt-fancying acquaintance Gussie Fink-Nottle. If Bertie, ably assisted by the ever-dependable Jeeves, can’t pull off the wedding of the season he’ll be forced to abandon his cherished bachelor status and marry the ghastly girl himself!
This absolute hoot runs at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 30 October 2013.
Theatre: Duke of York’s Theatre
I Can’t Sing! The X Factor Musical
May 24, 2013
Harry Hill’s new musical I CAN’T SING! The X Factor Musical will open at the London Palladium in March 2014. The hilarious new show will go behind-the-scenes of The X Factor TV show.
Penned by BAFTA and British Comedy Award-winning Harry Hill, with music and lyrics by Spend, Spend, Spend’s Steve Brown, the show is co-produced by Simon Cowell.
I CAN’T SING! The X Factor Musical promises to be an irreverent and anarchic look at the antics that go on in front and behind of the camera on The X Factor.
The show starts at the London Palladium on 27 February 2014, with its opening night on 26 March 2014, and is directed by Sean Foley (The Ladykillers), choreographed by Zoonation’s Kate Prince (Some Like It Hip Hop) and designed by London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony designer Es Devlin, who was Creative Director for stadium tours by Take That, Kanye West and Pet Shop Boys.
I CAN’T SING! The X Factor Musical features 19 original songs and a cast of characters that includes singing hunchback, a talking dog and a man on an iron lung!
Theatre: London Palladium
The Ladykillers at the Vaudeville Theatre
March 24, 2013
Classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers returns to the West End’s Vaudeville Theatre following a sell-out UK tour.
This hilarious adaptation of classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers is back in the West End starring Ralf Little, Simon Day and Con O’Neill.
Written by Graham Linehan (Father Ted, The I.T. Crowd, Black Books) and directed by Sean Foley (The Play What I Wrote), The Ladykillers was a box-office smash when it ran at the Gielgud Theatre during its debut season, enjoying five Olivier Award nominations including Best New Play, Best Direction, Best Set Design, Best Actress in a Play and Best Sound Design.
An all-star cast includes Ralf Little (The Royale Family), Simon Day (The Fast Show), Angela Thorne (To The Manor Born), John Gordon Sinclair (Gregory’s Girl), Con O’Neill (Blood Brothers) and Chris McCalphy (The Madness of George III).
The Ladykillers tells the classic black comedy tale of a sweet little old lady, alone in her house, pitted against a gang of criminal misfits who will stop at nothing….
Posing as amateur musicians, Professor Marcus and his gang rent rooms in the lopsided house of sweet and eccentric Mrs Wilberforce. The villains plot to involve her unwittingly in Marcus’ brilliantly conceived heist job. The police are left stumped but Mrs Wilberforce becomes wise to their ruse and Marcus concludes that there is only one way to keep the old lady quiet. With only her parrot, General Gordon, to help her, Mrs W. is alone with five desperate men. But who will be forced to face the music?
Theatre: Vaudeville Theatre
X Factor – It’s Time To Face The Musical!
March 15, 2013
Premieres London Spring 2014
Written by Harry Hill & Steve Brown and Directed by Sean Foley
Stage Entertainment UK and Syco Entertainment are delighted to announce they willopen their brand new musical comedy X Factor – It’s Time To Face The Musical!, in London’s West End in early 2014.
X Factor – It’s Time To Face The Musical! goes behind the microphone and under the judges’ desk to reveal the (not necessarily accurate) story of heartache and laughter that keeps millions tuning in every week. In turn irreverent, anarchic and yet strangely touching XFactor – It’s Time To Face The Musical! is an affectionate poke at the world’s most talked about talent show that will please fans and knockers of The X Factor in equal measure.
Meet Chenice who lives in an ITV blackspot because herGrandad’s iron lung interferes with the signal in her caravan, and the only girl in the world who has never heard of The X Factor. When she accidentally stumbles into the audition queue with her talking dog, she starts a journey to both stardom and love. Along the way she’s joined by contestants with vastly varying degrees of ability, some judges you might well recognise and Max, a handsome ukulele playing plumber and part time eco-warrior.
Featuring 19 new songs with music and lyrics from Steve Brown (Evening Standard and Critics Circle Best Musical award winner for Spend Spend Spend. TV includes Spitting Image, Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge, TV Burp), with book and lyrics by Harry Hill (Three BAFTAs, seven British Comedy Awards and a Golden Rose of Montreux) and directed by double Olivier Award winner Sean Foley (Co-founder of The Right Size; Do You Come Here Often?, The Play What I Wrote and Ducktastic. West End includes The Ladykillers and What The Butler Saw), X Factor – It’s Time To Face The Musical! promises a lid-lifting theatrical rollercoaster ride behind the scenes at the mother of all singing competitions.
The creative team is completed by
• Choreographer Kate Prince (Founder of Zoonation; Into The Hoods and Some Like It Hip Hop, LondonHandover Ceremony at Beijing 2008 Olympics)
• Designer Es Devlin (Multiple West End and Broadway credits. Creative Director for Take That, Kanye West and Pet Shop Boys stadium tours. Designer for London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony)
• Sound Designer Gareth Owen (Tony Award nominee. Credits include A Little Night Music, End of the Rainbow, Saturday Night Fever)
• Lighting Designer Hugh Vanstone (Three time Olivier Award winner. Credits include Spamalot, Shrek, Bombay Dreams, God of Carnage)
• Musical Supervisor Phillip Bateman (Billy Elliot, Our House, Vernon God Little)
Stage Entertainment is one of the world’s largest theatrical producers and venue owners, with bases across Europe and in New York. UK credits include Hairspray, Sister Act, Oliver!, Disney’s High School Musical 1 & 2 and Fame. Along with X Factor – It’s Time To Face The Musical! the company is also developing a new stage adaptation of the hit British film Made In Dagenham.
Syco Entertainment is a leading global music, television, film and digital production company. Syco is a joint venture between Simon Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment, with offices in London and Los Angeles. Syco’s television and music assets include leading global franchises The X Factor and Got Talent, as well as artists as diverse as One Direction, James Arthur, Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Il Divo, Labrinth, Loveable Rogues, Ella Henderson, Tate Stevens, Emblem3 and Fifth Harmony. Syco are also co-producers of the forthcoming One Direction movie.
The X Factor launched in 2004 in the UK airing on ITV1. The X Factor’s 2010 finale achieving a peak of 21.2 million viewers. The 2011 finale, held at Wembley Arena in front of a live audience of 12,000, was the most watched entertainment TV show of the year. The winner of 2012’s X Factor, James Arthur, has sold more than a million copies of his debut single ‘Impossible’, making it the fastest selling single of last year. Other artists to emerge from the X Factorinclude the world’s biggest pop group One Direction and Leona Lewis, who has sold more than 20 million records to date.
The X Factor launched in the US in the fall of 2011 on Fox, immediately becoming the No 1 unscripted show of the season. Season 2 of The X Factor was the #1 most social TV show of 2012, with the season premier having 1.4MM social comments, making it the most talked about premier for a TV series ever (Source: Bluefin Labs). The US version of The X Factor airs in 166 countries. Local versions of The X Factor are now produced in more than 42 territories and artists discovered by The X Factor format have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 110 No 1’s, 270 Top 10 records, and 500 Top 50 releases.
Release issued by: Target Live
Photos: What The Butler Saw – First Night photos
May 17, 2012
First Night photos from What The Butler Saw at the Vaudeville Theatre in London.
Celebrities were out in force last night for the opening of Joe Orton’s classic comedy What The Butler Saw. Stars of the show including Omid Djalili, Tim McInnerny, Samantha Bond and Georgia Moffett were joined by actors and entertainers including Jim Broadbent, Jenny Eclair, Peter Davison, Lesley Garrett, Reece Shearsmith and Neil Pearson.
Joe Orton’s legendary 1967 comedy is an insanely funny, full-throttle tour de farce directed by Sean Foley.
LINKS
Book tickets to see What The Butler Saw at the Vaudeville Theatre
Classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers gets West End adaptation
June 6, 2011
A major new adaptation of classic Ealing Comedy The Ladykillers is to come to the West End this winter starring Peter Capaldi, James Fleet and Ben Miller.
The Ladykillers comes to the Gielgud Theatre this November
Award-winning TV writer Graham Linehan (Father Ted, The IT Crowd) has penned the adaptation, which will be his first West End comedy. The play will be directed by Sean Foley (Play What I Wrote, Joan Rivers: A Work In Progress) and designed by Michael Taylor. Produced by the Liverpool Playhouse, the show will run at the Gielgud Theatre from 26 November 2011.
An all star cast will include Peter Capaldi, James Fleet, Ben Miller, Clive Rowe, Stephen Wight and Marcia Warren as Mrs Wilberforce.
The story tells of an eccentric little old lady Mrs Wilberforce who lives alone with her parrots in a strange lopsided house in King’s Cross. Her life is turned upside down by the arrival of Professor Marcus and his four friends, who between them make up the most unlikely group of criminals. Planning the heist of a security van, they decide to use Mrs Wilberforce as cover and involve her unwittingly in the plot. Things do not go well and the Professor’s plan starts to unravel in spectacular and hilarious fashion.
Peter Capaldi who is best known for his role as Malcolm Tucker in the television series The Thick Of It. James Fleet has played numerous TV, film and stage roles including Tom in Four Weddings And A Funeral and Hugo Horton in The Vicar of Dibley. Ben Miller is one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller. Clive Rowe’s credits include Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, and Feste in Twelfth Night at the Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park. Stephen Wight won the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer in the Evening Standard Awards for his performances in Don Juan In Soho at the Donmar Warehouse. Marcia Warren has won two Olivier Awards for roles in Stepping Out and Humble Boy and is best known for playing Vera in TV sitcom No Place Like Home.
The 1955 Ealing comedy featured actors including Alec Guinness, Peter Sellars, Frankie Howerd and Katie Johnson and won two BAFTA awards and was nominated for an Oscar.
LINKS
Book tickets to The Ladykillers at the Gielgud Theatre in London
New stage version of The Ladykillers announced today
June 6, 2011
- Iconic 1955 Ealing Comedy is adapted for the stage
- Father Ted and IT Crowd writer Graham Linehan writes his first West End comedy
- Directed by Sean Foley, with design by Michael Taylor
- All star cast to include: Peter Capaldi, James Fleet, Ben Miller, Clive Rowe, Stephen Wight and Marcia Warren as Mrs Wilberforce
The 1955 classic Ealing comedy is this autumn brought back to life on the stage in a production that will play at the Liverpool Playhouse from November 3rd – 19th, prior to opening at the Gielgud Theatre on November 26th with a press night on December 7th.
The Ladykillers tells the story of the eccentric little old lady Mrs Wilberforce who lives alone with her parrots in a strange lopsided house in King’s Cross. Her life is turned upside down by the arrival of Professor Marcus and his four friends, who between them make up the most unlikely group of criminals. Planning the heist of a security van, they decide to use Mrs Wilberforce as cover and involve her unwittingly in the plot. Things do not go well and the Professor’s plan starts to unravel in spectacular and hilarious fashion.
This stage production of The Ladykillers has been adapted by Graham Linehan who is best known for his work on the TV comedy series Father Ted and The IT Crowd. In partnership with Arthur Mathews, Linehan has also written for Harry Enfield, Smith and Jones, Alexei Sayle, The Fast Show and Steve Coogan. Linehan’s solo writing credits include work with Chris Morris on Brass Eye, Blue Jam and Jam and co-writing the first series of Black Books with Dylan Moran.
Director Sean Foley is a multi award winning stage director whose work in the West End includes Do You Come Here Often, Play What I Wrote, Ducktastic, Pinter’s People and Joan Rivers: A Work In Progress. Foley has also adapted and will direct The Painkiller which will star Kenneth Brannagh and Rob Brydon at the Lyric Belfast later this year.
The cast for The Ladykillers includes the BAFTA winning Peter Capaldi who is best known for his role as Malcolm Tucker in the television series The Thick Of It. He has appeared in over forty television series and films including most recently the ITV series The Suspicions of Mr Whicher.
Playing the role of Major Courtney will be James Fleet who is most famous for his role as Tom in Four Weddings And A Funeral and Hugo Horton in The Vicar of Dibley. He has also appeared in numerous stage productions including most recently Richard Bean’s The Heretic at the Royal Court.
The part of Louis will be played by Ben Miller, who is best known as one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, which has had more than ten television series since they formed in the late 1990s. Miller has also appeared in a variety of other TV series and films including Primeval (ITV), and The Parole Officer (with Steve Coogan) and Johnny English (with Rowan Atkinson).
Clive Rowe will play One Round. A hugely accomplished stage actor Rowe is also well known for his role as Duke in the BBC Children’s drama The Story of Tracy Beaker. His stage roles include Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, and Feste in Twelfth Night at the Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park. Clive has also become renowned for his pantomime dames as part of Hackney Empire’s celebrated Christmas pantos.
The part of Harry will be played by Stephen Wight. Stephen won the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer in the Evening Standard Awards for his performances in Don Juan In Soho at the Donmar Warehouse, he also appeared in Dealer’s Choice both at the Menier Chocolate Factory and in the West End and made his National Theatre debut in 2004 in Sing Yer Heart Out For The Lads.
Finally the role of Mrs Wilberforce will be played by Marcia Warren who has won two Olivier Awards for roles in Stepping Out and Humble Boy. She has multiple stage and screen credits including most recently the TV drama Hattie.
Press night will be held on December 7th at 7pm
Release issued by: The Corner Shop PR
LINKS
Book tickets to The Ladykillers at the Gielgud Theatre in London
OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Comedy Winners
June 14, 2010
OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Comedy Winners
Best New Comedy
2010 The Priory
2009 God of Carnage
2008 Rafta Rafta
2007 John Buchan’s The 39 Steps adapted by Patrick Barlow from an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon
2006 Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras translated by Tom Stoppard
Best Comedy
2003 The Lieutenant Of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh
2002 The Play What I Wrote by Hamish McColl, Sean Foley and Eddie Braben
2001 Stones In His Pockets by Marie Jones
2000 The Memory Of Water by Shelagh Stephenson
1999 Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle And Dick by Terry Johnson
1998 Popcorn by Ben Elton
1997 Art by Yasmina Reza
1996 Mojo by Jez Butterworth
1995 My Night With Reg by Kevin Elyot
1994 Hysteria by Terry Johnson
1993 The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright
1992 La Bête by David Hirson
1991 Out Of Order by Ray Cooney
1989/90 Single Spies by Alan Bennett
1988 Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell
1987 Three Men On A Horse by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott
1986 When We Are Married by J.B. Priestley
1985 A Chorus Of Disapproval by Alan Ayckbourn
1984 Up’N’Under by John Godber
1983 Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan
1982 Noises Off by Michael Frayn
1981 Steaming by Nell Dunn
1980 Educating Rita by Willy Russell
1979 Middle Age Spread by Roger Hall
1978 Filumena by Eduardo de Filippo, adapted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
1977 Privates On Parade by Peter Nichols
1976 Donkey’s Years by Michael Frayn
Best Comedy Performance
1995 Niall Buggy for Dead Funny
1994 Griff Rhys Jones for An Absolute Turkey
1993 Simon Cadell for Travels With My Aunt
1992 Desmond Barrit for The Comedy Of Errors
1991 Alan Cumming for Accidental Death Of An Anarchist
1989/90 Michael Gambon for Man Of The Moment
1988 Alex Jennings for Too Clever By Half
1987 John Woodvine for The Henrys
1986 Bill Fraser for When We Are Married
1985 Michael Gambon for A Chorus Of Disapproval
1984 Maureen Lipman for See How They Run
1983 Griff Rhys Jones for Charley’s Aunt
1982 Geoffrey Hutchings for Poppy
1981 Rowan Atkinson for Rowan Atkinson in Revue
1980 Beryl Reid for Born In The Gardens
1979 Barry Humphries for A Night With Dame Edna
1978 Ian McKellen for The Alchemist
1977 Denis Quilley for Privates On Parade
1976 Penelope Keith for Donkey’s Years
OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Entertainment Winners
June 12, 2010
OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Entertainment Winners
Best Entertainment
2012 Derren Brown – Svengali
2011 The Railway Children
2010 Morecambe
2009 La Clique
2006 Something Wicked This Way Comes
2004 Duckie’s C’est Barbican! devised and written by Mark Whitelaw, Ursula Martinez, Christopher Green, Marisa Carnesky, Francesca Baglione and Simon Vincenzi, scored by Ian Hill
2003 Play Without Words devised by Matthew Bourne, music by Terry Davies
2002 Shockheaded Peter created and devised by Julian Bleach, Anthony Cairns, Julian Crouch, Graeme Gilmour, Tamzin Griffin, Jo Pocock, Phelim McDermott, Michael Morris and The Tiger Lillies (Martyn Jacques, Adrian Huge and Adrian Stout)
2000 Defending The Caveman by Rob Becker
1999 The Right Size in Do You Come Here Often? written and devised by Sean Foley, Hamish McColl and Josef Houben
1998 Slava’s Snowshow created by Slava Polunin
1995 Maria Friedman – By Special Arrangement
1994 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted and staged by Patrick Stewart
1993 Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene, adapted and directed by Giles Havergal
1992 Talking Heads by Alan Bennett
1991 Five Guys Named Moe by Clarke Peters
