The Audience 2013

BWW:UK has learnt that the author of The Audience, Peter Morgan, will be making a short speech at the start of this evening's performance to mark the passing of former prime minister Lady Thatcher, who died today.

According to the Daily Mail, Helen Mirren will star as Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience when it transfers to Broadway this time next year.

The Audience, Peter Morgan's new play about the Queen's meetings with her prime ministers, has been nominated for five Olivier Awards this year.

Lizzy the corgi, the dog in West End's THE AUDIENCE, was replaced just days before opening night at London's Gielgud Theatre because she would not obey stage directions.

Much of the furore surrounding Peter Morgan's The Audience concerns Helen Mirren's triumphant return to the role for which she won the Academy Award, in the movie The Queen (also scripted by Morgan), and rightly so; her performance is a tour de force, a master class of both voice and physicality

The Audience began previewing at the Gielgud Theatre on 15 February 2013, with press night on 5 March 2013 and is booking to 15 June 2013. Designs are by Bob Crowley with lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Paul Arditti, music by Paul Englishby and video by Ian William Galloway.

Helen Mirren returns to the stage as The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience, with Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major, Rufus Wright as David Cameron and Edward Fox as Winston Churchill. Mirren recently chatted with BBC News about returning to the role in the new piece and you can watch the full interview HERE.

Joining Helen Mirren who plays The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience are Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major, Rufus Wright as David Cameron and Edward Fox as Winston Churchill. The Equerry is Geoffrey Beevers and the role of Young Elizabeth is played by Bebe Cave, Maya Gerber and Nell Williams. David Peart plays James Callaghan who is joined by ensemble members Jonathan Coote, Ian Houghton and Charlotte Moore. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

The producers of The Audience today confirm that after Robert Hardy's sad recent withdrawal through injury, the role of Winston Churchill in Peter Morgan's new play will now be played by Edward Fox.

The producers of The Audience today announced Robert Hardy's decision to withdraw from the production. Hardy, 87, recently suffered a fall and cracked some ribs, yet continued to perform at all of the preview performances last week. Over the weekend he has decided that a schedule of eight performances a week over a long run is not sustainable and he has therefore reluctantly decided to stand down. The Producers would like to thank Robert Hardy for his extraordinary contribution to the production and they wish him a speedy recovery.

Joining Helen Mirren as The Queen in the world premiere of THE AUDIENCE are Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Robert Hardy as Winston Churchill, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major and Rufus Wright as David Cameron. The Equerry is Geoffrey Beevers and the role of Young Elizabeth will be played by Bebe Cave, Maya Gerber and Nell Williams.

Joining Helen Mirren as The Queen in this world premiere are Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Robert Hardy as Winston Churchill, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major and Rufus Wright as David Cameron. The Equerry is Geoffrey Beevers and the role of Young Elizabeth will be played by Bebe Cave, Maya Gerber and Nell Williams.

The Audience will preview at the Gielgud Theatre from 15 February 2013, with press night on 5 March 2013 and is currently booking to 15 June 2013. Designs are by Bob Crowley with lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Paul Arditti, music by Paul Englishby and video by Ian William Galloway. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at rehearsals below.

According to the Daily Mail, Helen Mirren has begun rehearsals for Peter Morgan's The Audience, about Elizabeth II. The play has already drawn a box office advance of £2 million, but regardless of popularity, The Audience must end its engagement on June 15 due to the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Private Lives, set to begin at the Gielgud Theatre on June 22.

Two further preview matinee performances (16 and 27 February 2013 at 2.30pm) have been scheduled for Stephen Daldry's production of Peter Morgan's The Audience.

Joining Helen Mirren as The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience are Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown and Rufus Wright as David Cameron, alongside the previously announced Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Robert Hardy as Winston Churchill and Paul Ritter as John Major. Final casting will be announced shortly.

According to the Daily Mail, Nathaniel Parker has been cast as Gordon Brown opposite Helen Mirren as the Queen in Peter Morgan's play The Audience at the Gielgud Theatre. Preview performances begin Feb. 15, with the show's opening slated for March 5, and the run ending June 15, 2013.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Haydn Gwynne has been cast as Margaret Thatcher opposite Helen Mirren as the Queen in Peter Morgan's play The Audience at the Gielgud Theatre. Preview performances begin Feb. 15, with the show's opening slated for March 5, and the run ending June 15, 2013. Check out the just-released poster art for the show below!

According to the Daily Mail, Haydn Gwynne has been cast as Margaret Thatcher opposite Helen Mirren as the Queen in Peter Morgan's play The Audience at the Gielgud Theatre. Preview performances begin Feb. 15, with the show's opening slated for March 5, and the run ending June 15, 2013.