Salisbury Playhouse News

English Touring Theatre today announces a casting update for the world premiere of Sandi Toksvig's new comedy Silver Lining, a co-production with Rose Theatre Kingston. Sheila Reid plays Gloria, with Rachel Davies as Maureen, Keziah Joseph as Hope, Maggie McCarthy as May, Joanna Munro as June and Amanda Walker as St Michael in the production directed by Rebecca Gatward. It opens at Rose Theatre Kingston on 8 February, before touring to Portsmouth, Oxford, Cambridge, Ipswich, Keswick, York and Salford.  

Papatango has just released rehearsal photos of Orca - Matt Grinter's winning entry from a record 1053 submissions to the 8th annual Papatango New Writing Prize. Alice Hamilton directs Aden Gillett, Simon Gregor, Carla Langley, Rona Morison and Ellie Turner in the production opening at Southwark Playhouse on 4 November, with previews from 2 November, running until 26 November. Design is by Frankie Bradshaw, with lighting by Johanna Town and sound by Richard Hammarton.

Casting has been announced for Salisbury Playhouse's family pantomime, Aladdin, which runs from Saturday 3 December to Saturday 7 January. Director Ryan McBryde and writer Andrew Pollard return following their hit Cinderella last year.

Today theatrical charity Acting for Others announces initial participants in its 13th annual bucket collection.  For two weeks, beginning 17 October, bucket collections will be held at the end of performances in almost every theatre across London and throughout the whole of the UK. Last year 86 theatres took part raising £232,791.

Papatango today announces the cast of Orca - Matt Grinter's winning entry from a record 1053 submissions to the 8thannual Papatango New Writing Prize. Alice Hamilton directs Aden Gillett, Simon Gregor, Carla Langley, Rona Morisonand Ellie Turner in the production opening at Southwark Playhouse on 4 November, with previews from 2 November, running until 26 November. Design is by Frankie Bradshaw, with lighting by Johanna Town and sound by Richard Hammarton.

Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network are delighted to announce that Harry Blake will be The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer at West Yorkshire Playhouse, commencing October 2016.

Hampstead Theatre presents Michael Frayn's Wild Honey, directed by Hampstead's Associate Artist Howard Davies. Geoffrey Streatfeild will make his Hampstead Theatre debut in the role of Platonov.

When a strange looking old man falls from the sky and into a quaint fishing village the surprised locals don't know quite what to make of him at all. Add to their surprise a sickly boy being miraculously restored to health and an irresolvable infestation of crabs being suddenly resolved, and we have the beginnings of a very marvellous story.

Further empowering their ethos of preserving 'lost' British theatre, Stage Door Records are releasing their latest cast album, Maddie, with a 20th Anniversary Deluxe edition bumper pack of a CD. Originally developed at Oxford University in 1990 during a Stephen Sondheim masterclass, emerging and ambitious producer Kenny Wax opened the show at Salisbury Playhouse in 1996 following a series of workshops. The production then went on to open in the West End the next year following superb reactions from the critics. The two-disc album includes the original recording, alongside a collection of studio demos which include cut songs and alternate versions, and three bonus tracks recorded this year.

As the leader of the free world ends his eight years in office, a black middle class family risk losing their beloved hotel and cherry orchard, where Martin Luther King once rested and Miles Davis played.

With John Malkovich's acclaimed production of Good Canary entering its final week, Rose Theatre Kingston today announces its new season for 2017.  Headlining the season is the world premiere of My Brilliant Friend, a two-part adaptation of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan quartet of novels which have become a global literary sensation.  The true identity of the author is a mystery, with Elena Ferrante a pseudonym used by the writer, but speculation over the weekend suggested that the author had been unmasked.  

ice&fire today announces the full company for the world premiere of The Island Nation, written by its Artistic Director Christine Bacon.  Ria Parry directs Claire Dargo, Ayesha Dharker, Bally Gill, Clive Hayward, Nikki Patel and Neran Persaud in the production which opens at the Arcola Theatre on 28 October, with previews from the 26 October, and runs until 19 November 2016. 

An all-star cast is set to visit the Belgrade Theatre this autumn in Emlyn William's psychological thriller, Night Must Fall.

An all-star cast will visit Exeter Northcott Theatre in October in the psychological thriller, Night Must Must Fall.

An all-star cast is set to visit the Belgrade Theatre this autumn in Emlyn William's psychological thriller, Night Must Fall.

Full casting for the Bush Theatre's programme of six new, commissioned plays This Place We Know has been announced today. Residents of the local community are also now invited to submit photography celebrating W12, to be in with a chance of having their work displayed as part of WeAreW12, a free photography exhibition curated by photographer Eileen Perrier.

Papatango today announced the creative team for Orca, Matt Grinter's winning submission from a record-breaking 1053 entries to the 8th annual Papatango New Writing Prize. Alice Hamilton will direct, with set and costumes designed by Frankie Bradshaw, lighting design by Johanna Town and sound design by Richard Hammarton. The production opens at Southwark Playhouse on 4 November, with previews from 2 November, and runs until 26 November.

Rose Theatre Kingston today announced the full company for its new production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons. Award-winning Michael Rudman directs David Horovitch as Joe Keller and Penny Downie as Kate Keller with Alex Waldmann (Chris Keller), Grace Carter (Lydia Lubey), Edward Harrison (George Deever), William Meredith (Frank Lubey), Alison Pargeter (Sue Bayliss), David Partridge (Jim Bayliss) and Francesca Zoutewelle (Ann Deever). The production opens on 2 November, with previews from 28 October, and runs until 19 November.

Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East, Kerry Michael today announces the cast for the world premiere of Bonnie Greer's new play The Hotel Cerise, directed by Femi Elufowoju, jr. Inspired by Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard the production is a key part of the theatre's focus on commissioning new work and adaptations. Ellen Thomas leads the company, with El Anthony, Madeline Appiah, Michael Bertenshaw, Nicholas Beveney, Andrew Dennis, Abhin Galeya, Lacharne Jolly, Corey Montague-Sholay, Claire Prempeh, Alexis Rodney and Angela Wynter. The production opens on 25 October with previews from 20 October and runs until 12 November.  

English Touring Theatre today announces its spring season which features the world premiere of Silver Lining, a new comedy written by Sandi Toksvig, and a tour of the critically acclaimed Olivier Award winning Shakespeare's Globe production of Nell Gwynn, starring Laura Pitt-Pulford in the title role.  It is the final season under the stewardship of Director Rachel Tackley who is leaving the company to become Executive Director of Chichester Festival Theatre.  Richard Tywman takes over, having been Associate Director (International) of the Royal Court Theatre since 2013.