John Haidar

The BBC is celebrating this extraordinary anniversary with an ambitious season of content across TV, Radio, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sounds exploring why, 400 years on, Shakespeare's relevance and influence is as strong as ever. A wealth of programming featuring major actors and leading experts, including new documentaries, performance, music, drama, comedy, news coverage and the best of the BBC archive, as well as special items on flagship BBC shows, will celebrate the man, his world and his timeless writing.

John Haidar’s production of Hamlet ... is a briskly modern piece which fizzes with primal urges, adding a new lens to a a familiar text. Very accessible to those new to the play, and a thoughtful treatment for those who know the plot well, this Hamlet is a 'palpable hit'.

Bristol Old Vic and Altitude have announced their new stage to screen partnership, which will bring the theatre’s recent acclaimed stage production of Hamlet to cinema screens across the UK & Ireland for the first time from 6 April.

With one week to go before previews begin for Bristol Old Vic's new production of Hamlet, we take a look inside rehearsals with brand new photos.

The first trailer has been released for Bristol Old Vic's Autumn headline production Hamlet. Starring Billy Howle and bringing together the hottest young talent and theatrical heavyweights, this visceral new production runs from 13 Oct - 12 Nov. Check out the video here!

The full cast of Bristol Old Vic's Autumn headline production Hamlet has been announced, bringing together some of the hottest young talent and theatrical heavyweights for a visceral new production running from 13 Oct - 12 Nov.

As we all feel our way towards post-pandemic recovery, Bristol Old Vic continues to build the foundations for a strong future with the completion of a dazzling year of high-quality drama.

Bristol Old Vic today (Fri 4) launched a fresh initiative to help new audiences try a night out – theatre style!

Alan Stacey has today announced that he will be stepping down as Executive Director of Headlong in March 2022 after six years with the company. During his tenure Stacey has helped bring some of Headlong's most critically acclaimed work to over 900,000 people in theatres across the UK.

Guildhall School of Music & Drama presents an exciting line up of drama performances this  spring, broadcast online for free. 

The Coronet Theatre has announced that the cast for master playwright Brian Friel's Afterplay, directed by John Haidar, will be Mariah Gale and Rory Keenan.

The Coronet Theatre has announced that the cast for master playwright Brian Friel's Afterplay, directed by John Haidar, will be Mariah Gale and Rory Keenan.

Theatre Royal Stratford East has announced the free broadcast of this year's pantomime Dick Whittington to local hospitals, hospices and care homes in East London and Essex.

Pack your bags! It's time to hit the road and follow your dreams… Join Dick Whittington on his quest to find adventure, fame and fortune in London, at Stratford East's annual must-see pantomime. Will he defeat the villainous rodent who's taken control of the city?

The Coronet Theatre will present a season of cross-art international theatre in the Spring of 2020. Work comes from Germany with The Berliner Ensemble, the UK with Brian Friel directed by John Haidar, and France and Ireland from Gare St Lazare with Samuel Beckett.

Theatre Royal Stratford East is in rehearsal for this year's pantomime, Dick Whittington, directed by John Haidar.

Theatre Royal Stratford East today announces Nadia Fall's second season as Artistic Director to run from Autumn 2019 to Summer 2020.

Held together by a mesmerising performance by Tom Mothersdale, Headlong's production of Richard III races along at such a pace that it's only after it stops that you realise exactly how much ground they have managed to cover. In John Haidar's hands, one of the very longest of Shakespeare's plays is a just over two and a half hours - including interval - which means that the death toll mounts at some speed.

After decades of civil war, the nation hangs in the balance. Enter Richard, Duke of Gloucester, to change the course of history. Richard was not born to be a king; that role was destined to be filled by his brother, King Edward IV, but he's set his sights on the crown. So begins his campaign of deceit, manipulation and violence - and he's killing it. Yet, behind his ambition lies a murderous desire to be loved...

Headlong presents John Haidar's production of Richard III with Stefan Adegbola, Derbhle Crotty, Heledd Gwynn, Tom Kanji, Michael Matus, Leila Mimmack, Eileen Nicholas, Caleb Roberts and John Sackville joining the previously announced Tom Mothersdale in the title role as Shakespeare's most notorious and complex villain.