Maureen Beattie

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has released new artwork for its forthcoming production of As You Like It, directed by Omar Elerian, which runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 17 June – 5 August 2023. 

First seen in 1980, Tom Kempinski's powerful two-hander about a famous violinist stricken with multiple sclerosis and her therapist is a perfect choice for the intimacy of the Orange Tree Theatre.

February is the shortest month and there's an awful lot of amazing theatre to be fitted in. Head off the winter blues with some fantastic theatrical treats including the return of Sam Mendes' The Lehman Trilogy, the West End transfer of OKLAHOMA! and the very first show at Southwark Playhouse's new venue.

The Orange Tree Theatre has announced their production of Tom Kempinski’s 1980 drama Duet For One. Richard Beecham makes his OT debut directing Tara Fitzgerald (Stephanie Abrahams) and Maureen Beattie (Dr Feldmann) in this new adaptation accompanied by live music.

Vanessa Redgrave has played her final performance in the West End production of My Fair Lady. The actress, who played Mrs. Higgins in the limited engagement, writes that she 'needs a rest following a stretch of Covid.' Heather Jackson takes over the role in the production's final weeks.

Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union, has elected its President, Council (the union’s main policy forming body), Appeals Committee and Standing Orders Committee for the 2022-2024 term, with Lynda Rooke elected to serve as Equity's President for the first time.

Today's top stories include the Broadway transfer of A  Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical. The musical will open on Broadway this fall, playing at the Broadhurst Theatre. Plus, Fran Drescher dishes on The Nanny musical, first look at Skylar Astin in Little Shop of Horrors, and more!

Expectations have been high for My Fair Lady. It is easy to see why it was such a hit on Broadway; brimming with English period tropes of top hats, Ascot races, lovable cockneys and snobbish toffs. Bartlett Sher's revival now comes to the West End. It looks stunning, but does not always hit the high notes.

New production footage has been released today of the company of My Fair Lady. The company features Harry Hadden-Paton as Henry Higgins, Amara Okereke as Eliza Doolittle, Stephen K Amos as Alfred P Doolittle, Dame Vanessa Redgrave as Mrs Higgins, Malcolm Sinclair as Colonel Pickering, Maureen Beattie as Mrs Pearce, and Sharif Afifi as Freddy Eynsford-Hill.

Bartlett Sher’s glorious multi award-winning production of Lerner & Loewe’s much loved My Fair Lady which will transfer to the London Coliseum for a limited summer engagement in what will be the first major West End revival of the show for 21 years.

My Fair Lady is on its way to the London stage. Bartlett Sher's glorious multi award-winning production of Lerner & Loewe's much loved My Fair Lady will transfer to the London Coliseum for a limited summer engagement in what will be the first major West End revival of the show for 21 years.

With just days to go until Bartlett Sher's dazzling revival of My Fair Lady raises the roof on London's Coliseum, it’s Vanessa Redgrave who says it best. 'There are many shows,' she smiles. 'But there is only one My Fair Lady.'

New rehearsal images have been released today of the company of My Fair Lady. The company features Harry Hadden-Paton as Henry Higgins, Amara Okereke as Eliza Doolittle, Stephen K Amos as Alfred P Doolittle, Dame Vanessa Redgrave as Mrs Higgins, Malcolm Sinclair as Colonel Pickering, Maureen Beattie as Mrs Pearce, and Sharif Afifi as Freddy Eynsford-Hill.

Stephen K Amos will play the role of Alfred P. Doolittle. Stephen is a BAFTA award-winning comedian whose stage work includes My Night With Reg and One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. Malcolm Sinclair will play the role of Colonel Pickering. Malcolm has performed in more than 50 theatrical productions and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2019 Olivier Awards for his performance in Pressure at The Ambassador's Theatre. 

Pitlochry Festival Theatre has announced that after the success of the opening season of its new audio-digital venture Sound Stage, it will be premiering two new audio plays over the Autumn – the first being, in association with the leading independent audio production company Naked Productions, award-winning novelist and playwright Cathy Forde’s new play Helping Hands.

Everyone talks to themselves…don’t they? This thought-provoking double bill from the Citizens Theatre takes things one step further and explores what happens when you dare to interact with previous and future versions of yourself.

After an 18-month hiatus, when output has been limited to digital platforms and socially distanced outdoor pop-ups, the Tron Theatre has announced re-opening plans and a new programme of live performance.

A new comedy that takes Year of the Rona and replaces it with Year of the Jan. It’s a show for anyone who wanted to run down the street screaming NO every time we had another zoom call to make; for those who saw the families on Gogglebox more than their own; and for all us who want to put that last year behind them and get back in the theatre, to return to that sense of being together as a community. A hilarious show guaranteed to make us feel closer to each other than we have all of last year.

The National Theatre of Scotland is set to continue its new work over the coming months, with an innovative mix of streamed theatre and digital projects, including two new productions from leading Scottish creatives Hannah Lavery and Adura Onashile, both addressing urgent contemporary and historical issues around race in Scotland today.

The UK government has revealed plans to reopen theatres, without social distancing, from 1 November. Equity has released a statement, saying that this can only be possible if the government provides some more of financial safety net, subsidy, and support.