Carrie Cracknell News

A theatre trip to London not in the cards this fall? Then catch the top British productions close to home as Portland's Third Rail Repertory Theatre's

National Theatre Live previously announced international broadcasts of the Rufus Norris' National Theatre production of The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann, in a new adaptation by Simon Stephens tonight, September 22, 2016; and, Carrie Cracknell's acclaimed National Theatre production of Terence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea on Thursday, October 6, 2016.

The UK premiere of punkplay by Gregory S. Moss at Southwark Playhouse is a riot of a play told at breakneck pace with a killer soundtrack, a coming-of-age story about subcultures, friendship and not-fitting-in - all on rollerskates!

Swedish director Maria Aberg came to the UK to study at Mountview aged 20. She's since become a bold force in British theatre, with work ranging from Hotel at the National Theatre and Wildefire at the Hampstead to numerous productions for the RSC. Her most recent, Marlowe's Doctor Faustus, features lead actors Sandy Grierson and Oliver Ryan sharing the roles of Faustus and Mephistopheles, deciding on the night who plays which by striking matches. The production transfers to the Barbican next month as part of the RSC's London Season.

Full casting and the creative team are announced today for the UK premiere of punkplay at Southwark Playhouse.

National Theatre Live has announced international broadcasts of the Rufus Norris' National Theatre production of The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann, in a new adaptation by Simon Stephens on Thursday, September 22, 2016; and, Carrie Cracknell's acclaimed National Theatre production of Terence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea on Thursday, October 6, 2016.

According to the Daily Mail, joining the previously announced Anne-Marie Duff and Yolanda Kettle in Ella Hickson's new play OIL at the Almeida Theatre this autumn are Leo Bill, Nabil Elouahabi and Sam Swann.

Phoebe Eclair-Powell began training as an actress at the Drama Centre London, but soon switched over to playwriting. She's worked with the National Youth Theatre on their Epic Stages programme, and her debut play WINK premiered at Theatre503 last year. Next up is FURY, shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award and winner of the 2015 Soho Theatre Young Writer's Award. This modern Medea centres on a young, single mum in a Peckham council flat and opens at Soho Theatre next week, directed by Hannah Hauer-King.

Carrie Cracknell's acclaimed National Theatre production of Terence Rattigan's, THE DEEP BLUE SEA will be broadcast live to cinemas around the world from the National's Lyttelton Theatre on 1 September at 7pm.

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From Shakespeare and Rattigan to new musicals and an Edward Snowden play, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews...

The Almeida will broadcast Artistic Director Rupert Goold's production of RICHARD III, with Ralph Fiennes as Shakespeare's most notorious villain and Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Margaret, live to cinemas in the UK and around the world on 21 July.

Gregory S. Moss's PUNKPLAY is a riot of a play told at breakneck pace with a killer soundtrack. It's a coming-of-age story about subcultures, friendship and not fitting in – all on roller skates. The play receives its UK premiere at Southwark Playhouse this autumn (September 7 to October 1), directed by Tom Hughes.

Anne-Marie Duff, who last starred on Broadway in MACBETH opposite Ethan Hawke, is slated to star in Ella Hickson's new play OIL at the Almeida Theatre this autumn.

Marion Bailey will play Mrs. Elton, with Peter T. Sullivan as William Collyer and Tom Burke as Freddie, to McCrory's Hester.

The Almeida has announced its 2016/17 season, which is bookended by Shakespeare. It kicks off with the Rupert Goold-directed RICHARD III, starring Ralph Fiennes and Vanessa Redgrave, and closes with Andrew Scott's Almeida debut in the title role of HAMLET. The season also includes a world premiere from Ella Hickson and the West End return of Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan's adaptation of George Orwell's 1984, followed by an international tour.

New work by Lee Hall, David Hare, Bryony Kimmings, Lucy Kirkwood, Nina Raine, Gillian Slovo and Alexander Zeldin, and contemporary revivals of two of the NT's most celebrated 20th century premieres - Amadeus and Angels in America - are among the forthcoming productions at the National Theatre announced today by Rufus Norris.

According to the Daily Mail, stage and screen star Helen McCrory will lead Terence Rattigan's THE DEEP BLUE SEA at the National Theatre. Baz Bamigboye writes that she will play 'Hester' in the production, which will open this June.

As 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, we will be treated to a year of exciting and innovative programming inspired by the Bard. Macbeth, directed by Carrie Cracknell and Lucy Guerin, is the first of three Shakespearean productions at The Birmingham Rep this year. Explored using a combination of the original text and dance, this adaptation focuses on Macbeth's breakdown, the supernatural forces behind it, and the ensuing chaos.

John Heffernan and Anna Maxwell Martin lead the company in Carrie Cracknell and Lucy Guerin's ambitious new staging of Macbeth at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 26 - 30 January. This powerful interpretation is the first of three Shakespeare plays to be presented at The REP in 2016 to mark the 400th anniversary of his death.

?Portrait tour concludes at London's Bush Theatre with RADAR Festival dates The UK tour of Racheal Ofori's remarkable Portrait comes to a close this month with 3 dates at The Bush Theatre's RADAR Festival. The show has been thrilling audiences around the country with its blend of wit and insight into black female racial stereotypes '. I love satirical comedy, and this piece satirises modern existence, along with a few cheeky little dance numbers for the audiences entertainment.' said Racheal. At times the show blends poetry seamlessly into the mix  'Portrait toys with issues that are quite provocative, and so I feel that using poetry helps bring these issues to light. Using poetry as a language for some of the characters is a surprise; as stereotypically one wouldn't imagine them to use such language to communicate their ideas.'