Alan Bennett News

Arcola Theatre presents THE RIVALS by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in a new production directed by Selina Cadell at Arcola Theatre from today 15 October to Saturday 15 November 2014.

According to the Daily Mail, THE HISTORY BOYS stars Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Samuel Anderson and Frances de la Tour have signed on for the upcoming film adaptation of the West End's THE LADY IN THE VAN, starring Maggie Smith.

Soho Playhouse presents the award-winning and internationally acclaimed JEWISH CHRONICLES, written and performed by Daniel Cainer. Based on true-life stories, it is a musical and lyrical journey like no other, weaving an irresistible tapestry of family legend and musical folklore. JEWISH CHRONICLES will run at Soho Playhouse from tonight, October 8 thru November 16, 2014.

Gary Naylor sees two beautifully written, splendidly acted timeless plays that say as much about England today as they did in the 1980s. Funny, clever and relevant - what more can one ask?

Following its Edinburgh Fringe sell out success, Kingmaker comes to St James' Theatre this month for a strictly limited run.

Soho Playhouse presents the award-winning and internationally acclaimed JEWISH CHRONICLES, written and performed by Daniel Cainer. Based on true-life stories, it is a musical and lyrical journey like no other, weaving an irresistible tapestry of family legend and musical folklore. JEWISH CHRONICLES will run at Soho Playhouse from October 8 thru November 16, 2014. Performances are Wednesdays at 3pm, Saturdays at 3pm, Sundays at 5pm and Mondays at 7:30pm. Tickets are $45.00 and can be purchased at 212-691-1555 or www.SoHoPlayhouse.com.

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the world premiere of Salad Days, and as part of the Finborough Theatre acclaimed Celebrating British Music Theatre series, Stewart Nicholls directs the first professional UK revival in over 50 years of Julian Slade's musical Free As Air, playing Sunday and Monday evening and Tuesday matinee performances from Sunday, 5 October 2014 (Press Night: Monday, 6 October 2014 at 7.30pm)

Voted the nation's favourite play, Alan Bennett's multi award-winning The History Boys will return in 2015, visiting Swindon's Wyvern Theatre from Monday 1 to Saturday 6 June 2015 as part of a major new UK tour for 2015. On sale now.

The Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company kicks off their 2014 - '15 season with the first major New York revival of Lee Blessing's A Walk In The Woods, starring Kathleen Chalfant and Paul Niebanck, and directed by Keen Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein.

Following its Edinburgh Fringe sell out success, Kingmaker comes to St James' Theatre this September for a strictly limited run.

Gary Naylor sees a funny, sad, heartwarming performance that captures the life of Shirley McNamara, the Queen of the Mersey, a character that loomed large in the life of her daughter, Julie, and one now facing the inevitable final chapter of a life very well lived.

Arcola Theatre presents THE RIVALS by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in a new production directed by Selina Cadell at Arcola Theatre from Wednesday 15 October to Saturday 15 November 2014.

Alan Bennett's masterpiece, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, documents senior boys and the educators responsible for filling their minds with knowledge. When the Headmaster of an all boys school brings in Irwin, a young and ambitious teacher who believes education is applicable only to the exam for which he is preparing the boys to take, Hector, the tenured eccentric general studies teacher who believes in cultivation, is rocked and sent to fight for his job. A debate on education is not the only theme here; sex, unrequited love, religion, failure, friendship, scandal, and an existential breakdown to name a few are all found in this loquacious play.

As schools are opening their doors and welcoming students back, class at the Mad Cow Theatre Company is also back in session with a production of Alan Bennett's 2005 Tony Winning Play, THE HISTORY BOYS. My review on the production, running through September 7th, will be up early next week. In the meantime, I was able to interview some of the cast members. Instead of your basic interview with straightforward questions, I kept with the spirit of Bennett's scholastic play by passing out the blue books with three open-ended questions about some of the themes from the play. Although these answers will not be graded, I am sure if Irwin took a glance at them he would not be regarding them as "abysmally dull".

Happy Birthday, James Corden! In 2004, Corden played the role of Timms in the original London stage production of Alan Bennett's play The History Boys, as well as in the Broadway, and Sydney productions. In 2011 he attracted international attention as the lead in the award-winning comedy play One Man, Two Guvnors, which transferred from the National Theatre to the West End and then to Broadway, and was also cinecast worldwide via National Theatre Live. For his ongoing Broadway run of the play, Corden won the 2012 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

The Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company today announced that their 2014 - '15 season will begin with the first major New York revival of Lee Blessing's A Walk In The Woods starring Kathleen Chalfant and Paul Niebanck, directed by Keen Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein. It will be followed in the spring by a rare revival of John & Jen, the musical with music by Andrew Lippa, lyrics by Tom Greenwald, and a book by Lippa and Greenwald.

Mad Cow Theatre has announced its run of Alan Bennett's The History Boys in The Harriett Theatre, from today, August 8 - September 7, 2014.

Happy Birthday, Sam Mendes! Sam Mendes is best known for whis work as the artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, and his direction of the film American Beauty and the Broadway production of Cabaret on Broadway starring Alan Cumming. His production of Oliver! became the longest running show ever to play at the London Palladium. Additional stage credits includeTennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie, Stephen Sondheim's Company (which had the first ever African American 'Bobby'), Alan Bennett's Habeas Corpus and his farewell duo of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night, which transferred to the Brooklyn Academy Of Music and Gypsy on Broadway starring Bernadette Peters.

Due to popular demand and great reviews when it played in SF, 'The Habit of Art - A Very British Comedy' by Alan Bennett is coming back for a return engagement for 19 performances only, running today, July 31 - Aug. 23, 2014 in this exclusive Theatre Rhinoceros production in SF. Previews: Thurs., July 31 - Fri., Aug. 1, Sat. Aug. 2 (3:00 pm).

Mad Cow Theatre has announced its upcoming run of Alan Bennett's The History Boys in The Harriett Theatre, from August 8 - September 7, 2014.