Gina McKee News

Sixty years young, last night the National Youth Theatre celebrated its storied past, buoyant present and - with a heartfelt plea for more financial support - essential future in a star-studded diamond gala at Shaftesbury Theatre. Those NYT participants who joined the company in this glittering anniversary year really lucked out, noted my companion, but it was hard to find a dull moment in decades of pioneering, diverse and life-changing work, as illustrated by this affectionate revue.

Paul Roseby, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (NYT) has today announced the initial line-up of alumni who will join current members on stage in London's West End on 18th September for the company's Diamond Anniversary Gala.  Taking to the stage at the Shaftesbury Theatre in celebration of the company's 60th birthday will be former members including: Matt Smith (Doctor Who), Daisy Lewis (Downton Abbey), Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Twenty Twelve, W1A), Timothy Dalton (James Bond), Jessica Hynes (Twenty Twelve, W1A) and Gina McKee (Our Friends in the North). More names are still to be announced.

Adrian Lester, Tricycle Theatre Ambassador, is joined by actors including Kenneth Branagh, Jim Carter, Gina McKee, Imelda Staunton and Meera Syal in support of the Tricycle Theatre's Capital Project which will see the theatre undergo a period of redevelopment over the coming year.

Emily Atack will now play the role of Holly Golightly in the UK Tour of Breakfast at Tiffany's from 2 May to 11 June 2016, appearing at His Majesty's Aberdeen, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Theatre Royal Bath, Glasgow Theatre Royal, King's Theatre Edinburgh and Wycombe Swan. She will be replacing Verity Rushworth, who has had to withdraw because she is expecting her first child. Emily will be sharing the role with Pixie Lott, whose dates, including the West End season, have been announced previously.

Donmar Warehouse's upcoming revival of Brian Friel's FAITH HEALER has welcomed Ron Cook to the cast, starring opposite previously announced Stephen Dillane and Gina McKee.

Don't miss: This week's Top 10 new London shows

?With her production of Red Velvet currently running in the West End, Artistic Director of the Tricycle Theatre Indhu Rubasingham today announces the extension of the highly critically acclaimed UK premiere of Florian Zeller's The Mother, in a new translation by Christopher Hampton, now completing its run on 12 March. Laurence Boswell directs Gina McKee, Richard Clothier, Frances McNamee and William Postlethwaite in the production which opened to rave reviews at the venue earlier this week.

THE MOTHER transfers to the Tricycle Theatre from Ustinov Studio in Bath, opening 26 January, with previews from tonight 21 January, and running until 5 March 2016, starring Gina McKee, Richard Clothier and William Posthelwaite in their original roles, joined by new cast member Frances McNamee. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

THE MOTHER transfers to the Tricycle Theatre from Ustinov Studio in Bath, opening 26 January, with previews from 21 January, and running until 5 March 2016, starring Gina McKee, Richard Clothier and William Posthelwaite in their original roles, joined by new cast member Frances McNamee. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Donmar Warehouse Announces the 2016 Spring Season!

The full cast is announced today for The Mother, transferring to the Tricycle Theatre from Ustinov Studio in Bath. Gina McKee, Richard Clothier and William Posthelwaite reprise their original roles and are joined by new cast member Frances McNamee. The production opens on 26 January, with previews from 21 January, and runs until 5 March.

Following successful runs at the Ustinov Studio in Bath and the Tricycle Theatre in London, Theatre Royal Bath Productions and the Tricycle Theatre will transfer Florian Zeller's Moliere award-winning play, THE FATHER, starring Kenneth Cranham and Claire Skinner, to London's Wyndham's Theatre for a limited season, Wednesday 30th September - Saturday 21st November. In the two weeks prior to the transfer, the production will play a very limited run at Cambridge Arts Theatre, 15th - 26th September.

The Ustinov Studio, Bath has announced the final production in its spring 2015 season, the UK premiere of Florian Zeller's THE MOTHER, in a new translation by Christopher Hampton, directed by the Ustinov Studio's Artistic Director Laurence Boswell.

Here are the current standings for UK / West End as of Sunday 12, October.

Gina McKee (Di & Viv & Rose, King Lear, Ivanov, Our Friends In The North, Notting Hill) plays Queen Elizabeth, alongside the previously announced Martin Freeman (Clybourne Park, The Hobbit, Sherlock, Fargo) as Richard III in Jamie Lloyd's first production of his second season at Trafalgar Transformed, Richard III, which had a press night on 8 July. The production runs through 27 September.

All the talk about this Richard III will be about Martin Freeman. It's unavoidable really. Well-known television star takes on one of the big Shakespearean roles and a role outside what might be seen as his comfort zone. Any review therefore will need to confront this head on.

Gina McKee (Di & Viv & Rose, King Lear, Ivanov, Our Friends In The North, Notting Hill) plays Queen Elizabeth, alongside the previously announced Martin Freeman (Clybourne Park, The Hobbit, Sherlock, Fargo) as Richard III in Jamie Lloyd's first production of his second season at Trafalgar Transformed, Richard III, running through 27 September, with press night on 8 July. Check out photos of the cast in action below!

Gina McKee (Di & Viv & Rose, King Lear, Ivanov, Our Friends In The North, Notting Hill) will play Queen Elizabeth, alongside the previously announced Martin Freeman (Clybourne Park, The Hobbit, Sherlock, Fargo) as Richard III in Jamie Lloyd's first production of his second season at Trafalgar Transformed, Richard III, running from 1 July to 27 September, with press night on 8 July.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: THE FEW and BOOGIE STOMP! open off-Broadway, and the New York City Ballet is hosting its starry spring 2014 gala with songs from CAROUSEL and more!

Gina McKee (Di & Viv & Rose, King Lear, Ivanov, Our Friends In The North, Notting Hill) will play Queen Elizabeth, alongside the previously announced Martin Freeman (Clybourne Park, The Hobbit, Sherlock, Fargo) as Richard III in Jamie Lloyd's first production of his second season at Trafalgar Transformed, Richard III, running from 1 July to 27 September, with press night on 8 July.