David Birrell News

Leeds Playhouse has revealed the full cast for Brassed Off, a major new staging directed by Olivier Award‑nominated and UK Theatre Awards winner Amy Leach.

You can now get a first look at the thirteenth cast for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall. See photos here and learn more about the production!

The thirteenth cast has been announced for Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall, Plus the production will extend until 26 April 2026. The new cast will begin performances from 18 March this year.

1984 will play Theatre Royal Brighton from Tue 29 October – Sat 2 November 2024, as part of a U.K tour.  Take a first look at the brand new trailer in the video here!

What did our critic think of 1984 at Theatre Royal Bath?

Seventy-five years on from the publication of George Orwell’s groundbreaking novel 1984, Theatre Royal Bath Productions’ new stage version by Ryan Craig and directed by Lindsay Posner, which will play Theatre Royal Brighton from Tue 29 October – Sat 2 November 2024, as part of a U.K tour. 

Seventy-five years on from the publication of George Orwell’s groundbreaking novel 1984,  ’ thrilling new stage version by Ryan Craig and directed by Lindsay Posner, will play Theatre Royal Bath from 20 – 28 September 2024, followed by dates in Malvern, Poole, Guildford, Cambridge, Brighton, Richmond and Liverpool. Production photography is out now. 

Seventy-five years on from the publication of George Orwell’s groundbreaking novel 1984, casting has been announced for Theatre Royal Bath Productions’ new stage version by Ryan Craig and directed by Lindsay Posner, which will play Theatre Royal Bath from 20 – 28 September 2024, followed by dates in Malvern, Poole, Guildford, Cambridge, Brighton, Richmond and Liverpool.

New production images have been released for the UK and Ireland tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC, ahead of its London run at Sadler’s Wells. Check out the photos here!

All new photos have been released from rehearsals for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC. Check them out here!

A brand-new video has been released of some of the cast of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC singing a special medley at The Ivy.

The full cast has been announced for the Sadler’s Wells season and UK and Ireland Tour of the Chichester Festival Theatre production of RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S SOUTH PACIFIC.

The production is led by Gina Beck (Matilda, Show Boat, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera) as Nellie*, Julian Ovenden (Bridgerton, Downton Abbey, Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel, BBC Proms) as Emile, Joanna Ampil (Cats, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon) as Bloody Mary, Keir Charles (Quiz, Back To Life) as Luther Billis and Rob Houchen (Les Misérables, The Light in the Piazza) as Cable. 

Following the news that Gina Beck is pregnant, Chichester Festival Theatre has announced that in the forthcoming production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, she will rehearse and open the role of Nellie Forbush as planned with performances from 5 July and a press night on 13 July. From 5 August, Alex Young will share the role of Nellie and take over full-time from 23 August for the remainder of the run.

Artistic Director Daniel Evans and Executive Director Kathy Bourne announce today that Chichester Festival Theatre will reopen its doors with its summer musical: Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, running from 5 July – 4 September.

Following the world premiere at Stratford a?"upon-Avon, Kiln Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company today announce the full cast for the London run of A Museum in Baghdad. Director Erica Whyman reunites David Birrell (Professor Leonard Woolley), Houda Echouafni (Layla Hassan), Emma Fielding (Gertrude Bell), Ali Gadema (Kidnapper, Prime Minister), Rendah Heywood (Ghalia Hussein), Zed Josef (Salim), Nadi Kemp-Sayfi (Nasiya), Debbie Korley (Sam York), Riad Richie (Mohammed Abdullah), and Rasoul Saghir (Abu Zaman). The production opens at Kiln Theatre on 28 April, with previews from 22 April, and runs until 23 May.

As the 19th Century dawns, politicians of all political persuasions gather in London to abolish the slave trade once and for all. But will the price of freedom turn out to be a multi-billion pound pay off to the slave owners, even though such a bailout could drive the country into economic and political ruin?

Hannah Khalil's new play grapples with some big issues for over two hours, but the biggest issue of all for any play - the drama between the characters - is absent for much of that time.

This Autumn, the Royal Shakespeare Company stages a story of a nation in turmoil: King John. The timeliness of this play is not lost on director Eleanor Rhode or the company, with the news 'informing [their] conversation pretty much every day as [they] make the show'.

King John's themes are horribly present in today's febrile political climate making it exactly the right time to revive one on Shakespeare's less performed plays.