Christopher Staines News

The Watermill Theatre has released new rehearsal photos for THE LITTLE MERMAID, its 2025 festive family musical running from 26 November 2025 to 4 January 2026.

Transferring from a successful run in Bath a few years ago, Oliver Cotton wants to marry politics and art to work his way up to the encounter between an ageing Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederick II of Prussia. The marketing makes it out to be an explosive meeting between church and state, between a god-fearing, scripture-quoting composer and an atheist, belligerent, ruthless monarch. That’s not exactly how it goes and the theatricality of the event is rather underwhelming. Trevor Nunn directs Brian Cox in a lengthy and inconsistent script that swiftly turns into a vehicle for anecdotal politics and bite-size philosophy. Too long into the action, we discover that the catalyst is Bach’s indomitable rage. He found out that a blind young girl was brutally raped by the military and he chooses to hold the king accountable.

See brand new rehearsal photos of the cast of Oliver Cotton’s play THE SCORE starring legendary stage and screen actor Brian Cox (HBO’s multi-award-winning Succession) as Johann Sebastian Bach and Nicole Ansari-Cox as Bach’s wife Anna.

Further cast members joining legendary stage and screen actor Brian Cox (HBO's multi-award-winning Succession) as Johann Sebastian Bach and Nicole Ansari-Cox as Bach's wife Anna in Oliver Cotton's play THE SCORE have been announced.

Theatre Royal Bath Productions production presents the world premiere production of THE SCORE, starring legendary stage and screen actor Brian Cox (HBO’s multi award-winning Succession) as Johann Sebastian Bach. Check out all new photos here!

As rehearsals begin this week for the Theatre Royal Bath Productions production of the world premiere production of THE SCORE, starring legendary stage and screen actor Brian Cox (HBO's multi award-winning Succession) as Johann Sebastian Bach, the complete cast and creative team are announced. Find out who is appearing in the production here!

Moving Stories Theatre Company has announced a brand-new adaptation of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure opening at the world renowned Minack Theatre in July 2023, supported by the Arts Council England's National Lottery Project Grants.

With everything that continues to go on around us, it is incredible that we are still managing to be creative and produce new work, such as The Rhythmics, which has just been released as a studio album.

The album for brand-new life affirming musical THE RHYTHMICS, is now available via Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Apple Music and many other digital platforms.

From the 27th to the 29th of November, the Grand Theatre delighted Luxembourg with the lovely play Abigail's Party. Comedies in English are not that common around the Grand Duchy, so it was no surprise to learn that all three performances were sold out weeks before the opening night.

It's been over forty years since Mike Leigh's gauche hostess Beverly slow-danced her way into theatrical history, but what happened to Abigail? The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and Derby Theatre have joined forces to commission Abi, a contemporary response to the classic comedy Abigail's Party.

It's been over forty years since Mike Leigh's gauche hostess Beverly slow-danced her way into theatrical history, but what happened to Abigail? The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and Derby Theatre have joined forces to commission Abi, a contemporary response to the classic comedy Abigail's Party.

The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch is bringing Mike Leigh's cult classic, Abigail's Party home to its Essex roots this autumn. Set in 'theoretical Romford', this delicious 70s comedy notorious for its references to cheesy-pineapple and Demis Roussos is co-produced with Derby Theatre, Wiltshire Creative and international partner Les Theatres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

It's been over forty years since Mike Leigh's gauche hostess Beverly slow-danced her way into theatrical history, but what happened to Abigail? The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and Derby Theatre have joined forces to commission Abi, a contemporary response to the classic comedy Abigail's Party.

The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch is bringing Mike Leigh's cult classic, Abigail's Party home to its Essex roots this autumn. Set in 'theoretical Romford', this delicious 70s comedy notorious for its references to cheesy-pineapple and Demis Roussos is co-produced with Derby Theatre, Wiltshire Creative and international partner Les Theatres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

Casting has been announced for George Bernard Shaw's THE PHILANDERER at the Orange Tree Theatre. Rupert Young (High Society at the Old Vic, Sir Leon in BBC's Merlin) plays Leonard Charteris, the philanderer of the title. He's joined by Helen Bradbury, Joe Idris-Roberts, Michael Lumsden, Dorothea Myer-Bennett, Christopher Staines, Mark Tandy and Paksie Vernon.

Gatsby opened to the public on Monday 26th October for the first of its exclusive showcase performances at the Arts Theatre. It runs on four consecutive Monday nights until the 16th November. Photographer Roy Tan was there, recording the event from the moment the band were warming up as the audience filled the auditorium right through to the curtain call.  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

While Emily Blunt is seemingly everywhere, promoting her much acclaimed new film Sicario, her brother, Sebastian, is quietly in rehearsals for the upcoming staging of 'GATSBY'. The Arts Theatre plays host to the musical adaptation of Fitzgerald's iconic Jazz-Age novel from October 26th and throughout November on Monday nights, presented by Ruby In The Dust.

To mark the Centenary of Arthur Miller's birth and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Richard Beecham will direct a revival of Miller'sPlaying for Time in the Crucible. Beecham directs Kate Adams (Helene), Noa Bodner (Esther), Pascale Burgess (Elzvieta), Imogen Daines (Etalina),Emma Darlow (Liesl), Holly De Jong (Schmidt), James Duke (Mengele / Kapo / Cellist / Paul), Amanda Hadingue (Alma Rose), Melanie Heslop(Marianne), Rebecca Jenkins (Varya), Kate Lynn-Evans (Mandel), Maeve O'Sullivan (Greta / Olga), Sian Phillips (Fania), Danny Scheinmann (Schmuel / Captain Heinz / Second Chess Player / First Trooper), Augustina Seymour (Paulette/ Music Captain), Christopher Staines (Commandant Kramer / 1st Chess Player / SS Guard / Kapo / Pianist) and Alexia Traverse-Healy (Mala / Tchaikowska). Completing the cast are 17 members of Sheffield People's Theatre - the theatre's intergenerational acting company from across the region.