VIDEO: Trailer for Reasons To Be Pretty starring Billie Piper
October 28, 2011
Michael Attenborough’s new production of Neil LaBute’s play Reasons To Be Pretty opens at the Almeida Theatre from 10 November.
Billie Piper in Reasons To Be Pretty at the Almeida
The Tony Award nominated play stars Billie Piper, Kieran Bew, Siân Brooke and Tom Burke and runs until 14 January 2012.
Reasons To Be Pretty will be the third play by Neil LaBute that Attenborough has directed during his artistic directorship of the Almeida Theatre. The play completes LaBute’s trilogy about physical appearance – the first two being The Shape of Things and Fat Pig. The Almeida began its relationship with LaBute in 2000 when it presented his bash: latter-day plays. Their close association with the playwright continued with productions of The Shape of Things, The Distance From Here, The Mercy Seat and In a Dark Dark House.
VIDEO
Reasons To Be Pretty trailer – Almeida Theatre
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Michael Attenborough To Direct Kieran Bew, Siân Brooke, Tom Burke And Billie Piper In Uk Premiere Of Neil Labute’s Reasons To Be Pretty
September 2, 2011
Michael Attenborough will direct the UK premiere of Neil LaBute’s Reasons To Be Pretty. Reasons To Be Pretty will run at the Almeida Theatre from 10 November 2011 – 14 January 2012 with press night on 17 November. Designs are by Soutra Gilmour with lighting by Mark Henderson and sound by Fergus O’Hare. The cast comprises Kieran Bew, Siân Brooke, Tom Burke and Billie Piper.
Greg (Tom Burke), is overheard admitting that his girlfriend Steph (Siân Brooke) is no beauty, but that he wouldn’t change her for the world. She is devastated; he can’t quite see what he’s done wrong. Meanwhile, Greg’s best friend Kent (Kieran Bew) alternates between boasting about how gorgeous his wife Carly (Billie Piper) is, and chasing after a hot new colleague.
Tony Award-nominated Reasons to be Pretty, which received its world premiere at MCC’s Lucille Lortel Theater, examines our perception of beauty and asks whether it is as much of a curse to be conventionally attractive as it is to be considered ugly.
Kieran Bew was last at the Almeida in Michael Attenborough’s production of The Knot of the Heart. His other theatre credits include The House of Special Purpose for Chichester Festival Theatre and Richard II at the Old Vic. On television his credits include Whitechapel, Inspector George Gently, Waking The Dead, Silent Witness and Personal Affairs, Crusoe; The Street; Whistleblower; and Spooks. His film credits include 1234 and Green Street.
Siân Brooke can currently be seen in Stephen Poliakoff’s My City, also at the Almeida. Previously her theatre credits include Mike Leigh’s Ecstasy at the Duchess and Hampstead Theatres as well as Joseph K at the Gate Theatre, Wanderlust for the Royal Court, Dido, Queen of Carthage for the National Theatre, The Birthday Party at the Lyric Hammersmith and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet and King Lear for the Royal Shakespeare Company. On television her credits include Garrow’s Law, Silk, New Tricks, Doc Martin, The Commander and Cape Roth.
Tom Burke returns to the Almeida having previous played Malcolm in John Caird’s production of Macbeth. He has most recently been seen at the Old Vic in Design For Living. Previously his theatre credits include Creditors and The Cut for the Donmar Warehouse, Glass Eels for Hampstead Theatre and Restoration for the Salisbury Playhouse. His film credits include An Enemy to Die For, Look, Stranger, Telstar and The Libertine. His television credits include Great Expectations, State of Play, Napoleon, In Love With Barbara and Dracula.
Billie Piper made her stage debut as Ann in Christopher Hampton’s Treats at the Garrick Theatre. On television, as well as playing Rose in Doctor Who, she is best known for playing Belle in The Secret Diary of a Call Girl. Her other television credits include A Passionate Woman, Mansfield Park and Shadow in the North. Her film credits include Animals United, Spirit Trap and Things To Do Before You’re 30.
Michael Attenborough is Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre where his productions have been The Mercy Seat, Five Gold Rings, Brighton Rock, The Late Henry Moss, Enemies, There Came A Gypsy Riding, Big White Fog, Awake and Sing!, The Homecoming, In a Dark Dark House, When the Rain Stops Falling, Measure for Measure ,Through A Glass Darkly and, most recently The Knot of the Heart. Previously, he was Associate Director at Mercury Theatre, Colchester (1972-74), Leeds Playhouse (1974-79), Young Vic (1979-80) and Artistic Director at the Palace Theatre, Watford (1980-84), and Hampstead Theatre (1984-89), and was Principal Associate Director for the Royal Shakespeare Company (1990-2002). On leaving the Royal Shakespeare Company he became an Honorary Associate Artist. Attenborough’s freelance work includes productions at the National Theatre, the Royal Court, in the West End and on Broadway.
Reasons To Be Pretty will be the third play by Neil LaBute that Attenborough has directed during his artistic directorship of the Almeida Theatre. Because of extended feature film commitments, LaBute is no longer available to direct as previously announced.
Neil LaBute’s Reasons To Be Pretty is the third play in his trilogy about physical appearance – the first two being The Shape of Things and Fat Pig. The Almeida began its relationship with LaBute in 2000 when it presented his bash: latter-day plays. Their close association with the playwright continued with productions of The Shape of Things, The Distance From Here, The Mercy Seat and In a Dark Dark House. LaBute’s other plays include Autobahn, Fat Pig, Some Girls, This Is How It Goes , and In A Forest Dark and Deep. LaBute received his Master of Fine Arts degree in dramatic writing from New York University and was the recipient of a literary fellowship to study at the Royal Court Theatre and attended the Sundance Institute’s Playwrights Lab. His films include In the Company of Men, for which he won the New York Critics’ Circle Award for Best First Feature and the Filmmakers’ Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival, Your Friends and Neighbors, Nurse Betty, Possession and The Shape of Things – a film adaptation of his play by the same title. LaBute is the author of several fictional pieces that have been published in The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and Playboy among others, and Seconds of Pleasure, a collection of his short stories was published by Grove Atlantic.
NEW PRINCIPAL PARTNER
The Almeida Theatre is grateful to its Principal Partner Aspen whose new three year commitment started this summer, building on the existing long term relationship between the two companies. Aspen’s commitment to the Almeida Theatre will ensure continued bold programming, artistic endeavour and risk taking. Aspen, established in 2002, is a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance company with over 670 employees in eight countries. www.aspen.bm
The Almeida Theatre is supported by Arts Council England.
Release issued by: Premier PR
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Design for Living – Ticket Offer Save £15
September 20, 2010
Sexy, stylish new production of Noel Coward’s Design for Living at the Old Vic
SPECIAL OFFER: Save £15 on tickets to Design for Living at the Old Vic
Design for Living at the Old Vic Theatre
If you are feeling spontaneous this week you can save £15 on Noel Coward’s Design for Living at the Old Vic Theatre in London.
Anthony Page directs Coward’s 1932 comedy about the complicated three-way relationship between two men and a woman, starring Tom Burke (Telstar), Andrew Scott (Lennon Naked) and Lisa Dillon (Cranford).
The show enjoyed terrific reviews last week, with The Times and The Sunday Times both giving the show 5 STARS.
BUT HURRY – the offer is only valid for performances this week, until Saturday 25 September.
BOOK NOW: Save £15 on tickets to Design for Living at the Old Vic
Noel Coward,
Design for Living,
Old Vic Theatre,
Anthony Page,
Tom Burke ,
Andrew Scott,
Lisa Dillon ,
Opening This Week in the West End
September 13, 2010
It’s an eclectic mix of shows that are opening this week in the West End, as the autumn season of new productions begins apace. From Wonder Woman to Michael Gambon via Noel Coward and Sebastian Faulks, there’s something for everyone.
Gareth Gates in Les Mis
On Tuesday 14 September, Les Miserables returns to the Barbican Theatre, where it all began 25 years ago. A brand new production of Boublil and Schonberg’s legendary musical has been touring the UK to celebrate its 25th anniversary and completes its run at the Barbican – but for only 22 performances. The show features a dynamic young cast including Gareth Gates.
Design for Living
Noel Coward is never far from the West End, and Wednesday 15 September sees the opening night of Design for Living at the Old Vic Theatre in Waterloo. Anthony Page directs Coward’s 1932 comedy about the complicated three-way relationship between two men and a woman. The play stars Tom Burke (Telstar), Andrew Scott (Lennon Naked) and Lisa Dillon (Cranford) and runs until 27 November.
On the same day Krapp’s Last Tape starts previews at the Duchess Theatre starring one of Britain’s most accomplished actors, Michael Gambon. The Dublin Gate Theatre transfer of Samuel Beckett’s classic enjoyed rave reviews at the Gate directed by Michael Colgan. The 50 minute show is playing two shows a night, keeping Mr Gambon nicely occupied.
Lynda Carter
On Friday 17 September the fabulous Lynda Carter, aka Wonder Women, pops to town for two shows of her Lynda Carter: At Last solo sing-fest. Best known to millions as TV superhero Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter: At Last is a musical evening to celebrate her recent solo album. Following dates in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, Lynda Carter will appear in London on 17 and 18 September 2010 at the Garrick Theatre.
Also on Friday, the Chichester Festival Theatre’s sell-out production of Yes, Prime Minister starts previews at the Gielgud Theatre starring Henry Goodman and David Haig. The original writers of the BBC series, Antony Jay & Jonathan Lynn, have reunited for this hilarious 30th anniversary production, promising much topical wit and political spin-doctoring: Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey Appleby are back and this time to face the country in financial meltdown!
Ben Barnes and Genevieve O'Reilly, Birdsong
The following day, Saturday 18 September, Trevor Nunn is back in the West End directing Rachel Wagstaff’s adaptation of the best-selling Sebastian Faulks novel Birdsong. The play starts previews at the Comedy Theatre starring British movie star Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia), Nicholas Farrell, Iain Mitchell, Genevieve O’Reilly and Lee Ross, and tells the moving story of one man’s journey through an all consuming love affair and into the horror of the First World War.
BOOKING INFO
Book tickets to Design for Living at the Old Vic Theatre
Books tickets to Les Miserables 25th anniversary production at the Barbican Theatre
Book tickets to Krapp’s Last Tape at the Duchess Theatre
Book tickets to Yes, Prime Minister at the Gielgud Theatre
Book tickets to Birdsong at the Comedy Theatre
Book tickets to Lynda Carter: At Last at the Garrick Theatre
New Old Vic season launched
July 14, 2010
Kevin Spacey pulls out the stops for his 7th year at the Old Vic with three heavy-weight directors
Hollywood actor and Old Vic artistic director Kevin Spacey has announced a new season of plays at the Old Vic Theatre in London.
Now in his seventh year at the theatre, Spacey revealed that he has attracted three of Britain’s leading directors to helm three revivals during 2010 and 2011.
Anthony Page, whose credits include last year’s Waiting for Godot on Broadway, will direct Noël Coward’s Design For Living, playing at the theatre from 3 September to 27 November 2010. The play will star Tom Burke (Telstar), Andrew Scott (Lennon Naked) and Lisa Dillon (Cranford). Written in 1932, the comedy concerns the complicated three-way relationship between two men and a woman.
Richard Eyre, who recently directed Kim Cattrall in Private Lives at the Vaudeville Theatre, will direct Georges Feydeau’s 1907 French farce A Flea In Her Ear, in a version by John Mortimer, from 4 December 2010 to 5 March 2011. The production will star Tom Hollander (In The Loop) and Lisa Dillon.
Finally, Thea Sharrock, who has enjoyed enormous success for her current National Theatre staging of Terence Rattigan’s After The Dance, will return to the playwright in his centenary year with a revival of his final play, Cause Célèbre, from 17 March to 11 June 2011.
Sharrock will also direct Alison Steadman in a new production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit, coming to the Apollo Theatre from March 2011.
Spacey commented on the new season: “These are three great plays that all rather brilliantly explore the attitudes of their time and offer wonderful roles to actors.”
Current shows at the Old Vic and the Old Vic in the West End:
Book tickets to Design For Living at the Old Vic Theatre
Book tickets to A Flea In Her Ear at the Old Vic Theatre
Book tickets to Cause Célèbre at the Old Vic Theatre
Book tickets to The Tempest at the Old Vic Theatre
Book tickets to As You Like It at the Old Vic Theatre
Book tickets to see The Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Vaudeville Theatre
