Arthur Darvill News

London is never short of temptations, whether epic West End shows, engrossing dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a juicy revival to a new political play and a classic musical reborn, here are some of this month’s most eye-catching openings. Don’t forget to check back for BroadwayWorld’s reviews, interviews and features!

The Young Vic set the complete cast for the UK premiere of Oklahoma!  Daniel Fish’s striking revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic musical which originally premiered at the Richard B. Fisher Center in 2015 ahead of its New York premiere at St. Ann’s Warehouse in 2018. Find out who's in the cast and how to get tickets.

Rare Earth Mettle doesn’t need any more publicity. Headlines started talking about Al Smith’s play before its previews were cold in the grave, and reviews have flocked in agreement of its generally disappointing outcome. An exploding controversy, a hasty statement from the top floors of the Royal Court, and even quicker name-change later, the production remains a cutting critique that unfortunately loses itself in its search for style and forceful sarcasm.

Carlo Albán, Marcello Cruz, Arthur Darvill, Jaye Griffiths, Lesley Lemon, Racheal Ofori, Ian Porter and Genevieve O'Reilly have been cast in the world premiere of Rare Earth Mettle written by Al Smith and directed by Royal Court Associate Director Hamish Pirie. With set design by Moi Tran, lighting design by Lee Curran, composition by Carlos Gutiérrez Quiroga, sound design by Ella Wahlström, movement direction by Yami Löfvenberg, dialect coaching by Carter Bellaimey and assistant direction from Camila Ymay González. 

Hadley Fraser some while ago established himself as one of the most protean actors around: a talent equally at home both in big-name musicals (Les Mis, Young Frankenstein) and Shakespeare (playing Aufidius to Tom Hiddleston’s Coriolanus and Polixenes in The Winter’s Tale, alongside Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench). Now, with theatre in the capital kickstarting anew, Fraser is due to open Aug 11 at the Noel Coward Theatre in 2: 22 – A Ghost Story, which is that modern-day rarity – a stage thriller.

The lineup has been confirmed for the second concert of the series for Monday Night at the Apollo – which will be performed in front of a socially distanced audience at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue on Monday 14 June, and simultaneously livestreamed to viewers at home.

Greg Barnett is going from performing on the stage to producing (and hosting) his own show at The Apollo. We chats to him about producing in a pandemic, the rise of online theatre and why From Now On is such an anthem for modern times.

BWW contributor Eleni Cashell explains how Once helped her heal after heartbreak.

Many of the UK's most successful artists and entertainment professionals have joined together to create the Theatre Community Fund in support of theatrical artists and professionals whose livelihoods and creative futures are threatened in the wake of Covid-19.

The BBC's series of short new plays specially created during lockdown continues with three very different pieces.

Audible Inc., the world's largest producer and provider of spoken-word entertainment and audiobooks, today announced the star-studded cast of the first-ever, exclusive audio adaptation of New York Times best-selling graphic novel series, The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC.

As a means of bringing joy and creativity into homes during these uncertain times, the Rose has today announced their latest initiative, 'Readings from the Rose'.

As a means of bringing joy and creativity into homes during these uncertain times, the Rose has today announced their latest initiative, 'Readings from the Rose'.

The cast of over 50 UK actors taking part in Unprecedented: Theatre from the State of Isolation has been announced.

Polly Findlay's brilliant gender-bending production of Treasure Island for the National Theatre was a hit back in 2014 and now comes to a screen near you as part of their National Theatre At Home series.

The National Theatre's next streaming production will be Treasure Island!

We caught up with composer and comedian Vikki Stone to chat about the release of her concept album #ZoologicalSociety.

#Zoological Society is a concept album set in a zoo and the story is told from the perspective of the animals. With music and lyrics by Vikki Stone, book by Vikki Stone and Katie Mulgrew and the orchestrations by Vikki Stone and Simon Nathan with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra.

Royal & Derngate today announced that it is releasing a concept album on 27 March for a new digital musical commissioned for online and social media distribution called #ZoologicalSociety and written by multi-award-winners Vikki Stone and Katie Mulgrew. The release will be launched with a live concert performance at BEAM 2020, the UK's leading showcase of new British musical theatre, taking place at Royal & Derngate. In line with the announcement, a short film by award-winning animator Tim Wheatley has been released to introduce each of the musical's characters and the album will be available to stream or to download from all leading streaming services including Spotify, Amazon and Apple alongside Royal & Derngate's website.

Carlo Albán, Ashleigh Castro, Marcello Cruz, Arthur Darvill, Lesley Lemon, Giselle Martinez, Racheal Ofori, Genevieve O'Reilly, Golda Rosheuvel and Rick Warden have been cast in the world premiere of Rare Earth Mettle written by Al Smith and directed by Royal Court Associate Director Hamish Pirie. With set design by Moi Tran, lighting design by Lee Curran, composition by Pablo Drexler, sound design by Helen Atkinson, movement direction by Yami Löfvenberg, dialect coach Kara Tsiaperas and assistant direction from Camila Ymay González.