Charles Spencer News

A CHORUS LINE, starring John Partridge, Leigh Zimmerman and Scarlett Strallen, opened at the London Palladium February 19, 2013.

Timberlake Wertenbaker's Olivier Award winning play Our Country's Good, has announced 2 extra weeks at the St. James Theatre. Max Stafford-Clark's 25th anniversary opened 4 February and will now run until Saturday 23 March.

Following a hugely acclaimed and record-breaking sell out run at Hampstead Theatre, Neil Armfield's production of David Hare's The Judas Kiss just transferred to the West End. The cast features Rupert Everett and Freddie Fox in the lead roles of Oscar Wilde and Lord AlFred Douglas, performances which won them universal acclaim, they are joined by Cal Macaninch in the role of Robert Ross. The cast also includes Ben Hardy, Kirsty Oswald, Alister Cameron and Tom Colley.

Polly Stenham's new play No Quarter, premiered at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs on January 16, 2013. No Quarter delves into the relationship between a privileged son, who has left the real world behind, and his mother who has been dragged down with him. The production is directed by Jeremy Herrin with design by Tom Scutt, and runs until 9 February.

For Part Two of our year's round-up, reviewers Gary Naylor and Kaite Welsh have their say...

Martin Crimp returned to the Royal Court with his new work, 'Republic Of Happiness' which Dominic Cooke directs in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. Described as a "violent satire", the production opened on December 6 and features Anna Calder-Marshall, Emma Fielding, Seline Hizli, Ellie Kendrick, Stuart McQuarrie, Paul Ready, Michelle Terry, and Peter Wight.

PRIVATES ON PARADE opened at the Noel Coward Theatre on 10 December and is playing through 2 March 2013. Private Steven Flowers is posted to the Song and Dance Unit in South East Asia where serving under the flamboyant Captain Terri Dennis he discovers it takes more than just a uniform to become a man.

Producer Judy Craymer presents Viva Forever!, the new musical written by Britain's BAFTA winning writers Jennifer Saunders, (Absolutely Fabulous, French & Saunders) and featuring the multi-million-selling songs of The Spice Girls. The show began previews on 27 November with the official opening last night, 11 December, 2012, at the Piccadilly Theatre in London's West End. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Heather Headley and Lloyd Owen lead the cast in new musical The Bodyguard, directed by Thea Sharrock. Other cast members include Debbie Kurup, Mark Letheren, Ray Shell, Nicolas Colicos, Mark McKerracher, Sean Chapman, David Page and Oliver Le Sueur. They are joined by Luis Buddy, Caius Duncombe, Jayden Fowora Knight, Kwame Kandekore, Taylor Lockhart and Malakai Paul who will share the role of Fletcher, Rachel Marron's young son. Ensemble members are Nigel Barber, Jordan Darrell, Yasmin Harrison, Shanay Holmes, Holly James, Robert Jezek, Melissa Keyes, Gil Kolirin, Janet Kumah, Nick Maude, Richard Murphy, Gloria Onitiri, Ashley J Packer, Dharmesh Patel, Lucinda Shaw, Paul Smethurst, Charlotte Watts and James Wooldridge.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG began performances 16 November 2012 - 23 February 2013. Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, with triple Olivier award winner Maria Friedman are making her professional directorial debut at the Chocolate Factory.

Trevor Nunn directs the Old Vic production of KISS ME, KATE, with Music and lyrics by Cole Porter and Book by Sam and Bella Spewack, which performed in London 20 November. Choreography is provided by Stephen Mear for a cast that includes Alex Bourne, David Burt, Adam Garcia, Clive Rowe and Hannah Waddingham.

John Lithgow stars in the title role opposite Nancy Carroll in The National Theatre revival of Arthur Wing Pinero's The Magistrate at the NT Oliver.

John Lithgow stars in the title role opposite Nancy Carroll in The National Theatre revival of Arthur Wing Pinero's THE MAGISTRATE at the NT Oliver. With his louche air and a developed taste for smoking, gambling, port and women, it's hard to believe Cis Farringdon is only fourteen. And that's because he isn't. Agatha his mother lopped five years from her true age and his when she married the amiable Posket.

Legally Blonde's Sheridan Smith stars in the Old Vic's production of HEDDA GABLER by Henrik Ibsen, in a version by Brian Friel directed by Anna Mackmin. The production opened on 12 September for a run until the 10th of Novemeber.

Michael Attenborough's production of William Shakespeare's King Lear is playing at The Almeida Theatre until 3 November 2012, with press night 11 September. Designs are by Tom Scutt with lighting by Jon Clark and sound and music by Dan Jones. The Almeida's production of King Lear is part of the World Shakespeare Festival.

We caught up with the very, very busy Rob McClure, who has been seen waddling around New York City, baggy pants, cane-in-hand, twitchy mustache tickling and already capturing the crowd as the incomparable Charlie Chaplin.

Royal Court Theatre Productions and Ambassador Theatre Group's rewritten production of POSH opened last night at the Duke of York's Theatre on the West End. Read the BroadwayWorld roundup of all the reviews below - updated live as they come in.

Thea Sharrock's production of THE SUNSHINE BOYS starring Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths opened last night, 17 May, at Savoy Theatre. BroadwayWorld has gathered all of the reviews below - updating live as they come in.

The Mint Theater's production of Rutherford & Son by Githa Sowerby at the Mint's home in the heart of the theater district closes on April 8th.

The West-End production of SWEENEY TODD, starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, opened last night, March 20, at the Adelphi Theatre, following its sell-out success at the Chichester Festival Theatre. We've collected together all the reviews for your enjoyment.