Ivor Novello News

BRIT Award winner, cultural commentator, critically acclaimed director and actor, and musical maverick Ben Drew, aka Plan B, has released his anticipated fourth studio album, 'Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose' (HBAHBL) today via Atlantic Records.

Classic Spring is delighted to announce real-life father and son, Edward and Freddie Fox, are to play fictional father and son in Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband, from 20 April at the Vaudeville theatre. Also starring, in the role of Mrs. Cheveley, is Frances Barber. Directed by Jonathan Church, An Ideal Husband will play at the Vaudeville Theatre 20 April to 14 July 2018, before opening the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season on 18 July to 4 August 2018.

Gendered power dynamics, the commodification of art, and abuse in the creative industries: Joe Penhall's new play certainly feels of the moment, and there's a particular frisson in seeing such subject matter explored at the Old Vic, which is dealing with the legacy of Kevin Spacey. Yet a potent topic remains stubbornly discursive in this rather circular piece.

The new cast of CALENDAR GIRLS The Musical met for the first time with the original Calendar Girls themselves in the beautiful village of Burnsall in the Yorkshire Dales and the original Calendar Girls couldn't be happier with this new cast. 

The campaign to transform the Citizens Theatre's iconic Gorbals home has been boosted by news that renowned film composer Patrick Doyle will present a live evening of music and conversation at the venue on Mon 14 May.

Today, the legendary, multi-award-winning, multi-platinum and million-selling artist Lisa Stansfield returns with the release of her new album, 'Deeper.' The album is available via digital download, CD, limited edition boxset and 12' vinyl in North America from today. Written by Lisa and her long-time song-writing partner Ian Devaney, produced by Ian & Mark “Snowboy” Cotgrove, and with Lisa taking the role of executive producer, 'Deeper' is the legendary soul singer's eighth studio album.  In other news, her latest single 'Never Ever' is the #1 most added song in the Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart, reaffirming yet again that the British songstress remains the reigning Queen of the dance-floor.  

Lulu returns to the West End after 30 years to join the cast of 42nd Street, the dazzling and romantic homage to the world of musical theatre in the iconic role of 'Dorothy Brock' in this five star production. In this exclusive interview, she reveals why she took the role, acting lessons and the dramatic part she wants to take on next!

Reservoir announces the signing of Ivor Novello and Grammy-nominated writer-producer Carla Marie Williams to a worldwide publishing deal. The deal includes works from Williams' catalog of hits, plus her debut all-female empowerment EP, All My Girls, a collection of tracks she wrote and co-produced that celebrate and showcase raw female talent.

Katie Boyle, Lady Saunders, Italian-born British actress, television personality, agony aunt and game-show panellist, dies peacefully at home, her agent confirms.

In 1920, the Russian writer Isaac Babel reports on a Red Cavalry campaign in Poland. In 1936, Stalin's NKVD chief Nicolai Yezhov unleashes the Great Purge. In 1989, a mysterious KGB agent spying on a woman in Dresden falls in love. In 2010, an aircraft carrying most of the Polish government crashes near the Russian city of Smolensk…

Tickets go on sale today for the Nuffield Southampton Theatres workshop production of Son of Rambow - The Musical, running at The Other Palace from 22 May - 2 June. Director of NST, Samuel Hodges, directs the musical adaptation of the hit cult film featuring an original 80s pop soundtrack by two of the UK's most successful pop writers Miranda Cooper and Nick Coler and with the book by Richard Marsh.

A series of programs discussing the "monumental" painting Gassed, the essential role of women during the course of World War I and the lasting effects of Russia's sudden exit from the Great War are among the March events at the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Lulu returns to the West End after 30 years to join the cast of 42nd Street, the dazzling and romantic homage to the world of musical theatre in the iconic role of 'Dorothy Brock' in this five star production.

On Saturday, March 10, technology will meet tradition as cutting-edge live electronica and digital technologies combine with the traditional sounds of Punjab when Flushing Town Hall presents PunjabTronix.

Classic Spring is delighted to announce real-life father and son, Edward and Freddie Fox, are to play fictional father and son in Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband, from 20 April at the Vaudeville theatre. Also starring, in the role of Mrs. Cheveley, is Frances Barber. Directed by Jonathan Church, An Ideal Husband will play at the Vaudeville Theatre 20 April to 14 July 2018, before opening the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season on 18 July to 4 August 2018.

One of the most ground-breaking arena tours of all time, Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of 'The War of the Worlds' - Alive on Stage is to make its return to arenas throughout the UK in 2018. Tickets for the Tour are on sale now from http://www.livenation.co.uk.

Multiple GRAMMY Award winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has quickly established himself as one of the world's biggest musical artists with over 26 million albums sold and 5 billion Spotify streams. His third studio album '÷' (pronounced divide) entered the Billboard 200 at #1 upon its March 2017 release, and went on to be the year's biggest album in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music, with sales equivalents exceeding 2.764 million units. 'Shape Of You' - the album's 8x-Platinum lead single - debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2017, held the top spot for a remarkable 12 weeks, and remained in the top 10 for 33 consecutive weeks, the most ever in the chart's 59-year history. Sheeran dominated Billboard's Year In Review, standing at #1 on 16 of their year-end charts including Top Artist of the Year and Hot 100 Song of the Year for 'Shape Of You,' taking the honor for the second consecutive year (Sheeran co-wrote Justin Bieber's 'Love Yourself,' 2016's Hot 100 Song of the Year). With his 2x-Platinum certified single 'Castle on the Hill' also debuting at #6 on the Hot 100 after being released in tandem with 'Shape Of You,' Sheeran also became the only artist in chart history to have two singles simultaneously debut in the Top 10. Sheeran has supported '÷'with a number of high profile, national television appearances including performances on the 59th GRAMMY Awards, Saturday Night Live, TODAY, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, and most recently the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards. Additional press highlights include Sheeran's first Rolling Stone cover, inclusion in TIME's '100 Most Influential People in the World,' CBS THIS MORNING Sunday profile, The Howard Stern Show, The Late Late Show with James Corden's Carpool Karaoke and more.

Ahead of the opening of their new venue - NST city, Nuffield Southampton Theatres today announces that Harriet Walter and Craig David will join the theatre as patrons, working alongside Samantha Bond, Laura Carmichael, Tom Hiddleston and Celia Imrie. They also join the recently announced new associates, Inua Ellams and Drew McOnie adding to the breadth of ambassadors for the theatre.

As Kathy Burke's Lady Windermere's Fan, starring Jennifer Saunders and Samantha Spiro, plays to packed houses, Classic Spring is delighted to announce that Guy Chambers' new folk opera, The Selfish Giant, will be co-produced by Royal & Derngate, Northampton, and directed by multi-award-winning director Bill Buckhurst. The limited run of lightly-staged performances will run at Royal & Derngate 4 April - 7 April, before moving to the Vaudeville from 10 - 14 April. Jonathan Church will direct An Ideal Husband, the third production in the year-long celebration of Oscar Wilde at the Vaudeville Theatre. An Ideal Husband will play at the Vaudeville Theatre 20 April to 14 July 2018, before opening the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season on 18 July to 4 August 2018.

Birdland Jazz Club will present vocalist Lorna Dallas in Home Again for one night only as part of the "Broadway at Birdland" concert series, on Monday, February 26, 2018 @7pm.