Blithe Spirit tickets at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London

Joe Stephenson's B Good Picture Company is planning a Q2 2022 shoot for its new biopic of Noel Coward, called Noel. Set to star Sex Education's Asa Butterfield as a young Noel Coward, the cast will also include Kate Beckinsale, Ian McKellen, Vanessa Redgrave, Stephen Fry and Charles Dance. The movie is written by Bent and Mrs Henderson Presents author Martin Sherman, with direction from up-and-coming Joe Stephenson, who directed the brilliant feature documentary about Sir Ian, McKellen: Playing the Part, and up coming doc The Good Drug. Metro will distribute. There continues to be high levels of interest in Coward, with new exhibition Noel Coward: Art & Style recently wrapping up at the Guildhall in London, and Blithe Spirit revived this autumn in the West End starring Jennifer Saunders.

Jennifer Saunders returns to London's West End this September in Richard Eyre's production of Blithe Spirit at the Harold Pinter Theatre. The AbFab actress will play Madame Arcati - a preposterous clairvoyant who conjures up the dead first wife of a novelist who then attempts to sabotage his current marriage. One of Noel Coward's most popular works, this witty and meticulously engineered comedy was written in 1941 and has is regularly revived to much acclaim. Eyre's production enjoyed a sell out run at Theatre Royal Bath in 2019 and a short West End season at the Duke of York's Theatre in 2020 which was curtailed by the pandemic. The Times called Saunders performance 'brilliantly funny' with the Daily Telegraph calling her 'a revelation' in 'a fabulous Coward revival'. Joining Saunders in the production are Geoffrey Streatfeild who will star as Charles Condomine, Lisa Dillon as Ruth Condomine, Simon Coates as Dr Bradman, Lucy Robinson as Mrs Bradman, and Rose Wardlaw as Edith. [ngg src="galleries" ids="659" display="pro_sidescroll"] One of the UK’s most popular comic actors, Jennifer Saunders recent work includes Kenneth Branagh's soon to be released Death on the Nile, Netflix mini-series The Stranger, Isn't It Romantic and the West End production of Lady Windermere's Fan. She was also due to play Mother Superior in the West End revival and UK tour of Sister Act The Musical which has now been postponed to Summer 2022. Jennifer Saunders in Lady Windermere's Fan Directed by Sir Richard Eyre, former Artistic Director of the National Theatre, the comedy features set and custume design by Anthony Ward (Mary Stuart, Oklahoma!), lighting by Howard Harrison, sound by John Leonard and illusions by Paul Kieve. Blithe Spirit is booking from 16 September 2021 until 6 November 2021 at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London.

Jennifer Saunders and Lesley Joseph will share the role of Mother Superior when the new production of Sister Act The Musical goes on tour next year.  The revamped production will be headlined by Whoopi Goldberg as Deloris Van Cartier and Saunders as Mother Superior for the London run with Brenda Edwards confirmed as the Van Cartier for the Thursday matinee and tour. The tour had been due to begin in April but will now open in Southampton in September 2021 followed by dates in Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dartford, Derry, Nottingham, Liverpool, Bristol and Dublin. Jennifer Sauders will be appearing on the following dates on tour – Mayflower Theatre Southampton from 7 to 11 September 2021, Manchester Palace Theatre from 27 Sep to 9 October 2021, Birmingham Hippodrome from 2 to 13 November 2021 and Wales Millennium Centre from 22 to 27 November 2021. Lesley Joseph will be appearing at Leicester Curve from 13 to 25 September 2021, Dartford Orchard Theatre from 10 to 15 January 2022, Millennium Forum in Derry from 7 to 12 February 2022, and Nottingham Theatre Royal from 28 March to 2 April 2022. Saunders most recently appeared on stage as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit at Theatre Royal Bath and at the Duke of York’s in London’s West End. Whilst Birds of a Feather star Joseph has received rave reviews for her performance of Frau Blucher in the West End production of Mel Brooks’ musical comedy Young Frankenstein and as Miss Hannigan in the recent tour of Annie The Musical. Jennifer Saunders & Lesley Joseph. Photo Ollie Rosser. Sister Act the Musical features music from eight-time Academy Award-winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner and additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane. Further casting to be announced. The new production of Sister Act the Musical will premiere at the Eventim Apollo in London from 20 July 2021 until 29 August 2021.

Dame Judi Dench swiftly moves on from the horror of Tom Hooper's film adaptation of CATS with a starring role in a new adaptation of Noël Coward's farce Blithe Spirit. Dench returns to form as Madame Arcati, an eccentric medium and clairvoyant. The story centres on novelist Charles Condomine who invites Arcati to perform a séance in the hope of gathering new material for his book. The scheme backfires when he is haunted by the ghost of his annoying and temperamental first wife, Elvira, who attempts to disrupt his marriage to his second wife, Ruth, who cannot see or hear the ghost. This latest film adaptation sets Charles, played by Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast, Downton Abbey), as a screenwriter, with Isla Fisher (Arrested Development, Nocturnal Animals, Home And Away) playing Ruth and Leslie Mann (The 40-year old Virgin, This Is 40) cast as Elvira. Coward's 1941 comedy is a constant presence on stage with the great and good taking on the role of Arcati including Angela Lansbury, Penelope Keith and Alison Steadman. Jennifer Saunders is currently playing Madame Arcati at the Duke of York's theatre in London's West End.   Directed by theatre and film director Edward Hall, the film is due for release in May 2020. Blithe Spirit is booking until 11 April 2020 at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London. Blithe Spirit tickets are available now.

First glimpse of Jennifer Saunders and the cast of Lady Windermere's Fan at the Vaudeville Theatre. Kathy Burke's hit production is led by Double Olivier Award-winner Samantha Spiro as Mrs Erlynne and Kevin Bishop as Lord Darlington with Jennifer Saunders playing the Duchess of Berwick. The Absolutely Fabulous star returns to the stage for the first time in 25 years and manages to wring every drop of comedy from the role. Rising star Grace Molony (The Country Girls, Chichester) plays Lady Windermere, with Joshua James (Young Chekhov, National Theatre) playing Lord Windermere. Lady Windermere’s Fan is one of four plays presented by Dominic Dromgoole's Oscar Wilde Season at London's Vaudeville Theatre. [ngg src="galleries" ids="686" display="pro_horizontal_filmstrip"]  Buy tickets to Lady Windermere's Fan Lady Windermere’s Fan runs until 7 April 2018 at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Jennifer Saunders will join Samantha Spiro and Kevin Bishop in Lady Windermere's Fan at the Vaudeville Theatre. Comedian, screenwriter and actor Jennifer Saunders marks her return to the West End stage for the first time in over twenty years when she guest stars as the Duchess of Berwick. Jennifer is best known for writing and starring in the sketch show French and Saunders, for which she and Dawn French received a BAFTA fellowship in 2009 and the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, which won international acclaim, a BAFTA and an Emmy. Samantha Spiro, playing Mrs Erlynne, won an Olivier Award for her performance in Merrily We Roll Along at the Donmar Warehouse, whilst her other credits include The House They Grew Up In (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare’s Globe), Di and Viv and Rose (Vaudeville Theatre) and Chicken Soup with Barley (Royal Court). Kevin Bishop will play Lord Darlington, he's best known for Channel 4’s The Kevin Bishop Show and the BBC’s remake of the classic comedy Porridge. Kevin's theatre credits include his one-man show Fully Committed at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Once In A Lifetime at the Young Vic. Buy tickets to Lady Windermere's Fan Directed by award winning acctress/director Kathy Burke, Lady Windermere's Fan forms part of Domonic Dromgoole's Oscar Wilde Season at the Vaudeville Theatre. Lady Windermere’s Fan runs from 12 January 2018 until 7 April 2018 at the Vaudeville Theatre.

The producer of Mamma Mia! has commissioned Jennifer Saunders to write the book for the new Spice Girls musical. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="New musical to be based on the Spice Girls' back catalogue of songs"][/caption] Judy Craymer, who has become a multi-millionaire by producing the stage and movie versions of the ABBA show, will produce new West End musical Viva Forever using the girl group's songs. The show is slated to open in the West End in 2012. The musical will follow a similar pattern to Mamma Mia!, using the band's back catalogue but woven into a new story. It won't be a bio-musical of the singers. Judy Craymer said in a statement that, "having Jennifer Saunders on board is the best possible start Viva Forever can have. Jennifer is brilliant at writing about these themes and the Spice Girls' songs connect powerfully in a smart and moving way." Billed as a romantic comedy musical, the contemporary tale will be about a group of young women, with a particular focus on one girl and her mother - mirroring the storyline of Mamma Mia! The show will also uphold the spirit of the Spice Girls, using essences of their personalities within the key characters and centring on camaraderie, love and loyalty. Jennifer Saunders, who has won five BAFTA awards, has forged a successful career as a comedienne, scriptwriter and actress including a long comedy partnership with Dawn French as well as writing BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. She said she is "thrilled and terrified at the same time" about the project. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Jennifer Saunders' cameo in Spice World - the Spice Girls movie"][/caption] The show is also backed by Universal Music, the Spice Girls' manager Simon Fuller and the Spice Girls themselves. Simon Fuller, credited as being the most successful British music manager of all time, said earlier in the year that, "what Judy has achieved with her all-conquering box office smash hit Mamma Mia! and what the Spice Girls created with their powerful record-breaking mix of 'girl power' and hit songs, has influenced pop culture more than anyone can imagine". Craymer recently told the Daily Mail that the story will reveal the darker side of search-for-a-star TV talent shows, although hopefully not Spice Girl Emma Bunton's recent attempt at the genre, channel Five's unsuccessful Don't Stop Believing.