Barbican Theatre News

Executive Producer Jerry Gunn today announces full casting for the company's production of Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Sally Cookson returns to theatre to direct Sharon D Clarke (Nurse), Matt Costain (Paris/Prince), Chris Bianchi (Friar Lawrence/ Montague), Audrey Brisson (Juliet), Joseph Drake (Romeo), Laura Elphinstone (Mercutio), Felix Hayes (Tybalt) and Javier Marzan (Peter). The production opens on 4 March, with previews from 28 February, and runs until 14 March.

The Heart of Robin Hood comes to Broadway following productions in Winnipeg at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre) and in Toronto -- running tonight, December 23, 2014-March 1, 2015 -- at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

The Daily Mail writes that Lyndsey Turner is in talks to direct Caryl Churchill's LIGHT SHINING IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, coming to the National Theatre for its 2015-16 season.

David Mirvish and National Artists Management Company have just announced that they will present the Broadway premiere of The Heart of Robin Hood, written by David Farr, featuring original music performed on-stage by Parsonsfieldand directed by acclaimed Icelandic theatrical artist Gísli Örn Gardarsson. The production will open on Broadway on Sunday, March 29, 2015 at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). Previews begin on Tuesday, March 10, 2015. The production will play a strictly limited engagement through Sunday, August 23, 2015.

Benedict Cumberbatch will receive The Variety Award at the ceremony on Sunday 7th December at Old Billingsgate.

During the first week of November, the Mariinsky Theatre returns to the UK for an operatic showcase of Wagner's Ring in Birmingham at the historic Hippodrome and three operas originally written for the Mariinsky including the most recent Levsha (The Left-hander) by Rodion Shchedrin. With a 300-strong troop of musicians, soloists and chorus starting the tour in Cardiff with Prokofiev's Betrothal in a Monastery, Valery Gergiev proceeds to London to present Russia's national epic Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov followed by the UK premiere of The Lefthander, both in concert versions at the Barbican.

Today's Empty Space...Peter Brook Award 25th Anniversary award ceremony at the National Theatre Studio had Thelma Holt, the presenter, give the winner the cheque for £2000 to the Unicorn Theatre for its wonderful introduction to the classics as well as contemporary theatre for children. All nominees Theatre503, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, Park Theatre, Union Theatre, and the Orange Tree Theatre received a certificate and critic's speech for distinctive work.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre has confirmed that J.M. Barrie's original stage play of Peter Pan will open its 2015 season (15 May - 14 June 2015). This will be followed by The Seagull (19 June - 11 July) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers(16 July - 29 August). Following sell-out performances in 2011, Timothy Sheader's production of William Golding's Lord of the Flies will then return to the Open Air Theatre (3 - 12 September) to conclude the 2015 season, prior to a major UK tour.

The website of London's West End Theatre - WestEndTheatre.com - has launched the West End Theatre Christmas Season 2014 for the forthcoming holiday season.

peddling, written and performed by Harry Melling, and directed by the Artistic Director of HighTide Steven Atkinson, will receive its London premiere at the Arcola Theatre 4th - 28th March 2015 following sold-out performances at HighTide Festival 2014 and 59E59, New York City.

Rehearsals begin today, Thursday, October 2 in New York City for The River, a new play by Jez Butterworth, starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Donnelly and Cush Jumbo and directed by Ian Rickson. The River begins preview performances in four weeks on Friday, October 31 and will open on Sunday, November 16 at the Circle in the Square Theatre (50th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). The production will play a strictly limited 13-week engagement through Sunday, January 25, 2015.

During the first week of November, the Mariinsky Theatre returns to the UK for an operatic showcase of Wagner's Ring in Birmingham at the historic Hippodrome and three operas originally written for the Mariinsky including the most recent Levsha (The Left-hander) by Rodion Shchedrin. With a 300-strong troop of musicians, soloists and chorus starting the tour in Cardiff with Prokofiev's Betrothal in a Monastery, Valery Gergiev proceeds to London to present Russia's national epic Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov followed by the UK premiere of The Lefthander, both in concert versions at the Barbican.

Will Swenson will now return to Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil's LES MISERABLES a few days later than originally anticipated, BroadwayWorld has confirmed.

The London International Mime Festival (LIMF), the longest-established annual theatre season of its kind, returns in 2015 with innovative visual theatre from around the world - this year's artists come from America, Belgium, France, Japan and New Zealand, joining some of Britain's fast emerging talents and established names.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: It's Labor Day weekend! Go do something artsy!

According to the Daily Mail, director Lyndsey Turner and producer Sonia Friedman are in talks with National Theatre Live to film the Barbican Theatre's Summer 2015 production of HAMLET, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role. The production would screen in theaters next year.

Though only 38 years old, British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has already amassed an impressive list of credits on stage, on television, and on the big screen. Though he has yet to grace a Broadway stage, I have a feeling that that is just an eventuality as his popularity continues to skyrocket on this side of the Atlantic. Today we are taking a look at his career from the British stage in 'Hedda Gabler,' 'After the Dance,' and 'Frankenstein' to his work on film in '12 Years a Slave,' 'August: Osage County,' and 'Star Trek: Into Darkness,' to his iconic work on TV as the 'high-functioning sociopath' titular character on the BBC's 'Sherlock,' for which he is nominated a second time, in addition to his 2013 nomination for HBO's 'Parade's End.'

COMPANY CHAMELEON, the award-winning, dance/physical theatre company run by Anthony Missen and Kevin Edward Turner out of Manchester, will tour the intense, funny, painful and highly entertaining BEAUTY OF THE BEAST this autumn. Premiering at the Lowry on October 22nd, where the company are Resident Artists, UK dates will run till November 26th. See below for details.

The Helpmann Awards, which has recognised the achievements in live performance in Australia since 2001, is the Australian industry's equivalent of the Tony Awards and the Olivier Awards.