Brad Birch News

Ten UK school and youth theatre companies will stage ten new plays at the 2018 National Theatre Connections Festival, which takes place in the Dorfman Theatre from 26-30 June.

Artistic Directors of Paines Plough James Grieve and George Perrin today revealed the full programme for ROUNDABOUT @ SUMMERHALL, kicking off at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe before a UK tour in Autumn 2018.

The plot of AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE seems ripped from today's headlines: think Flint, think Detroit. Of course, Norwegian Henrik Ibsen (an iconoclast in his day, generally regarded as "The Father of Social Realism" in western theater history) penned this prescient piece back in 1882. What the Guthrie is producing is a new adaptation by Brad Birch, first staged in 2016 in Wales. It's undergone further revision for this production. Birch's adaptation is most welcome. The familiar story is lifted up to a whole new level by the striking visuals and swift, intriguing transitions devised by director Lyndsey Turner and her design team.

The National Theatre has announced its May-September 2018 season.

Brits Off Broadway continues at 59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) with the US premiere of TREMOR, written by Brad Birch and directed by David Mercatali. Produced by Sherman Theatre (Wales), TREMOR begins performances on Tuesday, May 15 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 10.

A timely exploration of how society reacts to tragedy, this world premiere from Welsh playwright Brad Birch asks pertinent questions about how major events shape our lives, and the choices we make when trying to move on. Sherman Theatre's newly appointed Associate Director David Mercatali will direct Tremor as his first production at the venue, and the two-hander will star Lisa Diveney (The Green Green Grass- BBC) and Paul Rattray (Jamestown, Game of Thrones).

Following a highly successful run at Latitude Festival, the multi-award winning Poleroid Theatre bring BAFTA nominated playwright Kenneth Emson's Plastic to life at the Old Red Lion Theatre. Directed by JMK 2017 award winner Josh Roche (My Name Is Rachel Corrie), this powerful new play explores how the insecurities of childhood can follow us into later life in this unflinchingly honest drama about time, memory and escape.

The critically acclaimed Brits Off Broadway, host to the UK's most innovative and provocative theater in New York City, presented by 59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) returns from Wednesday, April 11 - Sunday, July 1. The single ticket prices range from $25 - $70 ($20 - $49 for 59E59 Members). Tickets to Brits Off Broadway go on sale on Tuesday, March 6 at Noon, with a special pre-sale for 59E59 Members beginning Tuesday, February 27 at Noon. Tickets are available by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or online at www.59e59.org.

New casting announced for the new National Theatre season. Full cast has been announced for Brian Friel's Translations including Colin Morgan and Ciaran Hinds, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Eric Kofi Abrefa and Thalissa Teixeira join Vanessa Kirby in the cast of Julie, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Sam Mendes directs The Lehman Trilogy, a co-production with Neal Street Productions, cast includes Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale. Full casting is announced for the award winning An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, transferring to the National Theatre in a co-production with the Orange Tree Theatre. The NT will tour to 30 venues in 27 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland, for a total of 83 playing weeks over the next year. Rufus Norris' Macbeth to tour to 18 venues across the UK and Ireland from autumn 2018. War Horse returns to the National Theatre marking the centenary of Armistice Day.

Louis Greatorex (Safe, Netflix; The Last Post, BBC1; Last Tango In Halifax, BBC1), Madison Clare (The Dark Things, Linbury Studio Theatre; War Whores, Courtyard Theatre; Close, Landor Space), Mark Weinman (Captain Amazing, Soho Theatre/Live/UK Tour; The Gamechangers, BBC2; Press, BBC1) and Thomas Coombes (Barbarians, Tooting Arts Club - winner of Best Male Performance at the Off West End Theatre Awards; Hatton Garden, ITV; Him & Her, BBC Three) will star in Plastic by BAFTA-nominated playwright Kenneth Emson. This powerful new play explores how the insecurities of childhood can follow us into later life in this unflinchingly honest drama about time, memory and escape.

After a hugely successful 2017 Edinburgh Fringe run and UK tour, Paines Plough's Roundabout plays arrive at the Orange Tree Theatre. Featuring a tense psychological thriller, a fiery tale of friendship, and a story of growing up too fast, this three-show programme has it all. Paines Plough hardly ever tour their work to London, so this is a really exciting opportunity to see three new pieces of writing, by three celebrated playwrights.

Artistic Directors of Paines Plough James Grieve and George Perrin today announced the company's full Programme 2018.

The cast for Brad Birch's Tremor at Sherman Theatre has been announced. The production, which will be directed by Sherman Theatre's Associate Director David Mercatali, will run from 12 Apr - 5 May at Wales's leading venue for new writing - which last week won The Stage's award for Best Regional Theatre.

This April, following an acclaimed debut at Latitude Festival, Poleroid Theatre in association with the Mercury Theatre Colchester present PLASTIC by Kenneth Emson. The show is directed by Josh Roche.

Long running short plays event producer The Miniaturists are launching a brand new Miniaturists Podcast series on Thursday 16th November, showcasing short plays by the most exciting emerging and established playwrights

Yesterday a major symposium was held at The RSA at which leading British playwrights discussed how theatre should respond to and reflect the changing international role of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Europe over the next decade. Scroll down for photos and footage from the event!

Collaborating with three partner venues across the United Kingdom, Royal & Derngate Northampton is launching an epic cycle of new play commissions exploring Great Britain and Northern Ireland's changing relationship with Europe.

Today, Paines Plough announced the initial programme of comedy, theatre and spoken word which will form part of the LATER programme at ROUNDABOUT @ SUMMERHALL this August. LATER will run throughout the Fringe from 9 - 27 August with multiple further acts to be announced on Paines Plough's social media feeds throughout August.

BWW speaks to Brad Birch about bringing Black Mountain to the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Co-Artistic Directors of Paines Plough James Grieve and George Perrin today announced that, in co-production with Orange Tree Theatre and Theatr Clwyd, Black Mountain by Brad Birch, Out Of Love by Elinor Cook and How To Be A Kid Sarah McDonald-Hughes will transfer to Orange Tree Theatre in January 2018.