Kimberley Sykes

The Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs), the UK's first award show to celebrate the excellence and influence of Black performers and creatives in the theatre industry, were held last night.

“Two households, both alike in dignity”, and so begins arguably Shakespeare’s most popular tragedy. In 424 years since its premiere it’s safe to say not all productions have been alike in status - unlike the famous Capulet and Montague houses of Verona. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet might as well be the most beloved and regarded couple of the past five centuries. But is Romeo and Juliet a love story? In short, no, not really. It’s a political tragedy that features immature teenage infatuation.

Today, ahead of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre's opening night for the new season, production images are released for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Kimberley Sykes directs Shakespeare’s timeless story of two young people torn apart by a divided society and forbidden love.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre have today confirmed full casting for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, which plays 31 July – 25 September. Joining the cast are Brendan Charleson (Mr Bascombe), Jo Eaton-Kent (Mrs Mullin), Sam Mackay (Jigger Craigin), Ediz Mahmut (Young Enoch) and Christina Modestou (Carrie Pipperidge).

Other acts previously announced including Luisa Omielan, Aisling Bea, Jimmy Carr and Paul Chowdhry, and Canned Laughter present a comedy fundraiser in support of the Trussell Trust featuring Lolly Adefope, Kemah Bob, Jen Brister, Bridget Christie, Ed Gamble, Rosie Jones, Jamali Maddix, Rose Matafeo, Mawaan Rizwan, and Suzi Ruffell.

MOREoutdoor events also include a 20th anniversary screening of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! and a screening of The Shining both presented by The Luna Cinema.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre have today confirmed full casting for Romeo and Juliet, which opens the 2021 season on Thursday 17 June.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre have today confirmed the casting for the title roles in Romeo and Juliet, which opens the 2021 season on Thursday 17 June.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre led the industry last summer, being the first major London theatre to re-open amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Welcoming audiences of over 30,000, the theatre was widely celebrated as being at the forefront introducing new measures to safeguard theatre audiences, performers and staff.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Juliet Gilkes Romero’s urgent and provocative play, The Whip - which places Britain’s slave-owning past in the spotlight - is now available for audiences to listen to on YouTube in a new audio recording. 

The Royal Shakespeare Company has today announced that Juliet Gilkes Romero's urgent and provocative new play, The Whip, will receive its online premiere this October as part of Black History Month. The new audio recording is commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and directed by Kimberley Sykes.

Marquee TV will be celebrating the work of the Royal Shakespeare Company by showcasing a selection of performances from the Company's 2019/20 season.

Actress Katherine Pearce makes her Royal Shakespeare Company debut this season, featuring in both King John and The Whip, a new play by Juliet Gilkes Romero.

The RSC visit the Canterbury venue with As You Like It, The Taming Of The Shrew and Measure For Measure between Wednesday 29 January and Saturday 8 February. It is the first time the RSC has performed three plays in repertoire at the theatre.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre have today confirmed the lead creatives for Romeo and Juliet and Carousel, which play during their 2020 season. Creating Romeo and Juliet (27 June a?" 25 July), director Kimberley Sykes is joined by Naomi Dawson (designer), Shelley Maxwell (movement director), Lee Curran (lighting designer) and Giles Thomas (sound designer and composer). Joining the already announced director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Drew McOnie to create Carousel (31 July a?" 19 September) are Tom Scutt (set and costume designer), Tom Deering (musical supervisor), Aideen Malone (lighting designer) and Nick Lidster for Autograph (sound designer).

As the 19th Century dawns, politicians of all political persuasions gather in London to abolish the slave trade once and for all. But will the price of freedom turn out to be a multi-billion pound pay off to the slave owners, even though such a bailout could drive the country into economic and political ruin?

After spending most of the year in its hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, the Royal Shakespeare Company's newest As You Like It kicks off their London Season at the Barbican Centre. Directed by Kimberley Sykes, the production is a delicate and inventive voyage into a Forest of Arden that feels truer than Shakespeare's fictional real world. It never forgets that it's a comedy at heart, and Lucy Phelps' precise physicality plays into the genre. She has Rosalind win the audience's fondness wink by wink, pulling them towards her side through chuckles and playful nudges.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From highly anticipated musicals to mountaineering and Welsh apocalypse, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

On announcing the season Gregory Doran, RSC Artistic Director, said: a?oeCreated in Stratford-upon-Avon, shared around the world, crossing borders of creativity, community, culture and technology, our new season celebrates Shakespeare's unique contribution to world culture, whilst at the same time asking us to consider our own place within society, our families and community. Whether experiencing our work on stage in Stratford-upon-Avon, on nationwide tours, in schools and local communities, through live cinema screenings or via the latest digital innovations, the shared experiences and emotional connections forged through live theatre feel as urgent and necessary today as they ever havea??.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre have today announced their 2020 season which opens with their first newly commissioned musical, 101 Dalmatians (16 May a?' 21 June), based on Dodie Smith's iconic story set in the heart of Regent's Park with book by Zinnie Harris and music and lyrics by Douglas Hodge. The production is directed by Timothy Sheader, with puppetry designed and directed by Toby Olié. Also confirmed are Katrina Lindsay (Set and Costume Designer), Liam Steel (Choreographer), Sarah Travis (Musical Supervisor and Orchestrator), Howard Hudson (Lighting Designer) and Tarek Merchant (Musical Director). Casting is by Jill Green, with children's casting by Verity Naughton.