Anne Reid News

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether epic West End shows or bold fringe offerings. From political drama to immersive Agatha Christie and the unveiling of a new venue, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews...

Live At Zedel, Soho's unique live entertainment concept at The Crazy Coqs, announces their Autumn/Winter season.

Classic Spring is delighted to announce that Stephen Fry, Frank McGuinness, Franny Moyle and Merlin Holland will give pre-show talks before evening performances of A Woman of No Importance at the Vaudeville Theatre this autumn.

Classic Spring has announced that Anne Reid will play Lady Hunstanton in A Woman of No Importance from 6 October to 30 December 2017. Directed by Dominic Dromgoole, the production is the first in a year-long celebration of Oscar Wilde at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Olivier Award winner, West End and Broadway star, and director of the Huntington's Merrily We Roll Along, Maria Friedman brings her critically acclaimed solo show Lenny & Steve: The Music of Bernstein & Sondheim to the Huntington for a one-night only concert event on Monday, September 18 at 7:30pm, accompanied by her longtime collaborator, musical director and pianist Jason Carr. This special cabaret will take place at the Avenue of the Arts / Huntington Avenue Theatre. Tickets are now on sale and start at $25.

Terror Films is pleased to announce that Shudder is set to release the award winning, female directed horror film, Inner Demon. The launch begins Monday, July 10! Inner Demon will be available in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland.

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater has announced its nightly performances running June 28 - July 9, 2017. Scroll down for details!

Alistair Beaton has solid form as a political satirist as writer on Spitting Image and author of The Trial of Tony Blair. In Fracked! he turns his hand to the political hot potato of drilling for shale gas in the sedate countryside village of Fenstock. It is a story pitting the malign forces of corporate company Deerland Energy against the virtues of the reasonable and just campaign against them, spearheading by protesting pensioner Elizabeth Blackwood.

Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning and Charlotte Moore, Director, BBC Content have commissioned EDITH, a six part comedy series by Oscar-nominated writer Charles McKeown from BBC Studios featuring a stellar cast, led by Alison Steadman, John Cleese and Jason Watkins.

Last night, musical 42ND STREET opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London's West End. The show received a royal seal of approval from Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who was given a pair of golden tap shoes by the producers and writer/director Mark Bramble. The Duchess attended the show in her role as Royal Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH).

Girls dressed as guys picking up the way men pick up women. Too long have the secrets of pick-up culture been hidden by hetero-men. All singing, all dancing and all pick-up line rapping girl trio The Desperettes are here with their show 'A Guide to being a Wingman' to give everyone a chance at finding 'love'.

???????Following an acclaimed, sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre, FRACKED! OR: PLEASE DON'T USE THE F-WORD will embark on a UK tour from April 2017. Alistair Beaton's provocative new comedy takes us to an idyllic English village threatened by an energy company intent on drilling for shale gas. 

Matthew Bourne's acclaimed new production of THE RED SHOES had its Sadler's Wells press night this week and a special gala performance last night. The show runs until 29 January, 2017.

New late night variety show, The Glitter and Doom Salon opens at the Edinburgh Festival stage this week with an evolving lineup of cabaret and vaudeville artists taking part, making each night a unique experience.

The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye reports that Oliver Chris has joined the cast of Alistair Beaton's new play FRACKED! OR: PLEASE DON'T USE THE F-WORD at Chichester Festival Theatre. Richard Wilson will helm the production, currently scheduled to run at the Minerva Theatre from 8 July - 6 August.

The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments recently announced the winners of the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year and Stiles + Drewe Prize. The winners were revealed at the 10th anniversary West End Gala held at the Novello Theatre which was hosted by star of stage and screen Julian Ovenden. Scroll down for photos from the big event!

Olivier Award-winning writing duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe today announce the winners of their newly-expanded Stiles and Drewe Prize 2016. Now in its 9th year, the Stiles + Drewe Prize for Best New Song is joined by their first-ever Mentorship Award, supported by Music Theatre International (Europe).

The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments today announce the winners of the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year and Stiles + Drewe Prize. The winners were revealed at the 10th anniversary West End Gala held at the Novello Theatre which was hosted by star of stage and screen Julian Ovenden.

The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments today announce the 10thanniversary West End Gala for the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year and Stiles + Drewe Prize. To mark this special landmark occasion, the 2016 competition is being staged at the Novello Theatre in London on Sunday 15 May, hosted by star of stage and screen Julian Ovenden (Downton Abbey, Sunday in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along, Sondheim 80th Birthday Prom). In addition to this, among this year's judges will be Don Black,Jason Carr, Anne Reid MBE, Sondheim Society Patron Julia McKenzie and Olivier Award-nominated actress Sophie-Louise Dann, reuniting her with Ovenden after they performed together in Sunday in the Park with George at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Furthermore, writer and broadcaster Edward Seckerson will Chair the Student Performer judging panel. 

From tonight 27 April, Martin Barrass will return to the role of Mr Perks and Suzy Cooper has joined the cast as Mother in the Olivier Award-winning production of Mike Kenny's stage adaptation of E. Nesbit's novel The Railway Children - Live on Stage.