Menier Chocolate Factory News

Sheffield Theatres today announces that Tom Edden will play Fagin in Artistic Director Daniel Evans' production of Lionel Bart's Oliver!. The production runs from Friday 29 November 2013 until Saturday 25 January 2014 at the Crucible Theatre.

Hackney Empire announced today on its website that the producers of MOLLY WOBBLY'S TIT FACTORY, originally scheduled to run tonight, Sept 20, through October 5, 2013, have been forced to cancel the show 'due to their unforseen financial difficulties.'

Roundabout Theatre Company presents The Winslow Boy, starring Tony nominee Michael Cumpsty as 'Desmond Curry', Academy & Tony Award nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as 'Grace Winslow', Alessandro Nivola as 'Sir Robert Morton' and Tony Award winner Roger Rees as 'Arthur Winslow'.

The London premiere of a musical comedy by Paul Boyd --? Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory -- will be at Hackney Empire from tonight 20 September to Saturday 5 October 2013. The Press performance will be on Sunday 22 September at 5.00pm.

The Menier Chocolate Factory presents the European premiere of The Lyons by Nicky Silver & directed by Mark Brokaw.

Bringing London's renowned West End theater culture to select U.S. cinemas this fall, NCM Fathom Events, CinemaLive and Digital Theatre present Maria Friedman's award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's 'Merrily We Roll Along' on Wednesday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. This one-night cinema event will also feature 20 minutes of exclusive backstage content including interviews with cast, crew and special guests.

The full cast for To Sir With Love, joining the previously announced Olivier Award winning actor Matthew Kelly (Florian), is Mykola Allen (Denham), Harriet Ballard (Monica), Peta Cornish (Gillian), Kerron Darby (Seales), Ansu Kabia(Ricky), Paul Kemp (Weston), Heather Nicol (Pamela) and Nicola Reynolds(Clinty).

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning performer known around the world for her iconic original performance as Eponine in both the West End and Broadway editions of international stage sensation LES MISERABLES, copiously convivial chanteuse Frances Ruffelle. Discussing her legacy with the iconic mega-musical and her relationship with the show's director, John Caird, Ruffelle opens up about a life in the theatre, telling tales of her time spent treading the boards in the various incarnations of LES MISERABLES - winning the Tony for her Broadway performance - as well as working on the original London production of Stephen Schwartz's CHILDREN OF EDEN with Caird and fellow InDepth InterView participants Matthew Bourne and Ruthie Henshall in addition to shedding light on fascinating workshop experiences - STARLIGHT EXPRESS, SUNSET BOULEVARD and WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND among them - and her more recent roles, such as her run as the title character in PIAF and featured part making up the intricate ensemble of William Finn's entertaining revue MAKE ME A SONG. Ruffelle also discusses her solo album work and future recording plans and also comments upon the pop success of her daughter, UK star Eliza Doolittle. Most importantly, Ruffelle peels back the layers of the return engagement of her successful solo show BENEATH THE DRESS and clues us in on what we can expect from her upcoming dates at celebrated cabaret venue 54 Below. Plus, Ruffelle fills us in on her next cabaret piece and its inspiration, as well as shares the 411 about her new films coming out in the next couple of months. All of that, thoughts on Broadway versus the West End, sharing the screen with Anne Hathaway in the mega-hit big screen edition of LES MISERABLES, thoughts on some of her recent TV roles as well as much, much more in this all-access pass with a particularly lovely and lively star.

The critically acclaimed London tangent of New York's award-winning concert series If It Only Even Runs a Minute will return for two performances only on Sunday October 20th. This, London's third edition of the series, also marks the concert's move from the Landor to the Hippodrome Casino in the heart of the West End.

Fra Fee, Cassidy Janson, Ben Lewis, Scarlett Strallen and David Thaxton have been cast in the Menier Chocolate Factory's Christmas musical Candide with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur and additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein.

Ian Rickson will direct Brendan Coyle, Rupert Grint, Daniel Mays, Colin Morgan, Ben Whishaw and Tom Rhys Harries in a major West End revival of Jez Butterworth's award-winning Mojo, reuniting director and writer who previously collaborated on the play's world premiere at the Royal Court in 1995. Mojo will preview at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 26 October 2013 with press night on 13 November and is booking to 25 January 2014. Tickets for Mojo go on public sale today.

Ian Rickson will direct Brendan Coyle, Rupert Grint, Daniel Mays, Colin Morgan, Ben Whishaw and Tom Rhys Harries in a major West End revival of Jez Butterworth's award-winning Mojo, reuniting director and writer who previously collaborated on the play's world premiere at the Royal Court in 1995. Mojo will preview at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 26 October 2013 with press night on 13 November and is booking to 25 January 2014. Tickets for Mojo go on public sale today. Designs are by Ultz with lighting by Charles Balfour, music by Stephen Warbeck and sound by Simon Baker. Mojo is produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions who also produced Butterworth and Rickson's internationally-acclaimed Jerusalem.

Olivier Award nominee and Theatre World Award winner Linzi Hateley, Clare Foster, and the legendary Louise Gold headline a cast of West End leading ladies at the St. James Theatre, tonight September 7th 2013.

London-based KiwiFruits Productions continues their sell-out season of exclusive concerts, returning to the St James Theatre with 'SONDHEIM: Women' celebrating over five decades of the great anthems of Broadway composer and lyricist, the incomparable Stephen Sondheim.

The cast for the World Premiere of Stephen Ward, directed by Richard Eyre, will comprise Alexander Hanson as Stephen Ward, Charlotte Spencer as Christine Keeler, Charlotte Blackledge as Mandy Rice Davies, Anthony Calfas Lord Astor, Daniel Flynn as John Profumo, Joanna Riding as Valerie Hobson, Ian Conningham as Ivanov, Chris Howell as Murray, Ricardo Coke Thomas as Lucky Gordon and Wayne Robinson as Johnny Edgecomp. Other cast members are Martin Callaghan, Kate Coyston, Jason Denton, Julian Forsyth, Amy Griffiths, Paul Kemble, Emma Kate Nelson, Carl Sanderson, Emily Squibb, John Stacey, Helen Ternent and Tim Walton.

In To Sir With Love, joining the previously announced Olivier Award winning actor Matthew Kelly (Florian), are Mykola Allen (Denham), Harriet Ballard (Monica), Peta Cornish (Gillian), Kerron Darby (Seales), Ansu Kabia (Ricky),Paul Kemp (Weston), Heather Nicol (Pamela) and Nicola Reynolds (Clinty).

CinemaLive and Digital Theatre have just announced Maria Friedman's award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG as the first production to be distributed as part of the West End Theatre Series.

Following on from Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music, Sweet Charity, Pippinand Merrily We Roll Along, the Menier Chocolate Factory is delighted to announce that its Christmas musical will be Candide with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur and additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Park and Leonard Bernstein.