Alan Plater News

A sensational new production of Alan Plater’s warm and witty musical play Blonde Bombshells of 1943 heads to Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre next month after successful runs at Bolton and Keswick.

Three powerhouse producing theatres are teaming up to present a sensational new production of Alan Plater’s warm and witty musical play, Blonde Bombshells of 1943.

The Octagon Theatre have announced a jam-packed new programme set to entertain audiences next year. Learn more about the full lineup here!

A year of shows from Scarborough's SJT has been unveiled, including a (more or less) Shakespeare, a revival of one of the theatre's most popular shows of recent years, and, of course, a brand new play by Alan Ayckbourn.

Tamsin Greig is joined by Josh Finan (The Responder, BBC One; Shook, Papatango Theatre Co - Southwark Playhouse/UK tour), Trevor Fox (My Brilliant Friend, National Theatre; The Jungle, New York/San Francisco/Playhouse Theatre/Young Vic), Danusia Samal (Maryland, Royal Court; The Great, Hula) and Jos Vantyler (King Lear, Old Vic; Love’s Labour’s Lost, Shakespeare's Globe).

Hampstead Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Florian Zeller's new play, The Forest. Running from 5 February until 12 March 2022, The Forest is translated by Zeller's long-time collaborator Christopher Hampton, and directed by Jonathan Kent, who re-unites with Zeller after his critically acclaimed production of The Height of the Storm.

Rehearsal images have been released for Hampstead Theatre’s production of Alan Plater’s Peggy For You, directed by Richard Wilson and starring Tamsin Greig in the title role, from 10 December until 29 January 2022.  

Tamsin Greig will be joined in the cast by Josh Finan (The Responder, BBC One; Shook, Papatango Theatre Co - Southwark Playhouse/UK tour), Trevor Fox (My Brilliant Friend, National Theatre; The Jungle, New York/San Francisco/Playhouse Theatre/Young Vic), Danusia Samal (Maryland, Royal Court; The Great, Hula) and Jos Vantyler (King Lear, Old Vic; Love's Labour's Lost, Shakespeare's Globe).

Stockard Channing and Rebecca Night will perform in the Pulitzer Prize-winning 'night, Mother by Marsha Norman.  This astonishing play, which had its UK premiere at Hampstead Theatre in 1985, will be directed by the theatre's Artistic Director, Roxana Silbert.  'night, Mother will run from 22 October until 4 December 2021.

Wales Millennium Centre and Wiltshire Creative have today announced initial casting for the first ever UK stage adaptation of Agatha Christie's much-loved Miss Marple thriller The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side. The Mirror Crack'd will be a European Premiere, opening at Salisbury Playhouse on 15 February before touring to Dublin, Cambridge and Cardiff. The Mirror Crack'd will have an Opening Night on 25 February.

Retired English footballer and sports broadcaster Gary Lineker OBE will lead an exciting post-show panel on Monday 20th November, discussing the football themes of Patrick Marber's The Red Lion.

Shirley Valentine is back by popular demand for three nights only! Company of Fools presents this critically acclaimed Tony-nominated one-woman show starring Denise Simone August 7-9 at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey.

Shirley Valentine is back by popular demand for three nights only! Company of Fools presents this critically acclaimed Tony-nominated one-woman show starring Denise Simone August 7-9 at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey.

The Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) has announced Willy Russell's (Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine) BLOOD BROTHERS, musical staging by Christine O'Grady, musical direction by Julianne B. Merrill, and directed by Tom Wojtunik. BLOOD BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church (30-44 Crescent St, Astoria, NY 11102. Entrance on 30th Road.) Performances begin tonight, May 2 and continue through Saturday, May 18.

The Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) has announced Willy Russell's (Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine) BLOOD BROTHERS, musical staging by Christine O'Grady, musical direction by Julianne B. Merrill, and directed by Tom Wojtunik. BLOOD BROTHERS will play a limited engagement at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church (30-44 Crescent St, Astoria, NY 11102. Entrance on 30th Road.) Performances begin Thursday, May 2 and continue through Saturday, May 18.

Willy Russell's acclaimed West End musical BLOOD BROTHERS will be produced by Pieter Toerien and Eric Abraham for Theatre on the Bay and the Fugard Theatre. It is set to open at the Theatre on the Bay in September 2013, before transferring to Montecasino Theatre in Johannesburg in November. The production will then return to Cape Town and play at the Fugard Theatre from early February 2014.

British stage, film, television and radio star James Grout, nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as Harry Chitterlow in Half a Sixpence, has died, according to The Guardian. He was 84.

Northern Stage and Live Theatre in Newcastle Upon Tyne are thrilled to announce that they are joining forces to revive Alan Plater's play CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR as a memorial production following his death in 2010. Directed by Samuel West, the production will open at Northern Stage on Wednesday 18 April, with previews from 13 April and will then tour the UK until June.

Casting has been announced for Alan Plater's CLOSE THE COALHOUSE DOOR, which is being revived by Northern Stage and Live Theatre in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Directed by Samuel West, with additional material by Lee Hall, the production will open at Northern Stage on Wednesday 18 April, with previews from Friday 13 April and will then tour the UK until June 2012.