Harry Hill News

Cynthia Erivo will play The Hawaii Theatre Center next year! The Broadway superstar will present her solo show 'Ballads of Broadway' on March 16, 2019.

Hackney Empire has announced the return of Olivier Award nominated actress, television star and comedian Tameka Empson (EastEnders, The Big Life, 3 Non Blondes) for its landmark 20th anniversary pantomime from writer and director Susie McKenna in a sparkling new production of Aladdin opening this Christmas. Tameka Empson makes a much-anticipated return to the Hackney stage where she performed regularly between 2004 and 2009 before being cast as Kim Fox-Hubbard in EastEnders. Aladdin will mark her first stage appearance since joining the soap and will see her return to the role of the Empress alongside Hackney Empire's Olivier Award-winning Grande Dame Clive Rowe. Aladdin will run from 24 November 2018 to 6 January 2019, with opening night for press on 5 December.

Trump is a small puppet with BIG aspirations... and now he has nabbed a starring role in the West End!

Prepare to laugh your way through autumn at Storyhouse Chester as the leading city arts venue stages its first ever Comedy Weekend.

Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres (NST), Samuel Hodges, today announces full casting for the world premiere of Women in Power. NST Associate Director Blanche McIntyre directs Lydia Bewley, best known for The Inbetweeners, Plebs and E4's comedy Drifters, Elizabeth Boag, Anna Fordham, Lisa Kerr, Anne Odeke and Alicia Mckenzie. The production, in association with Oxford Playhouse, sees some of the UK's most influential female voices, Wendy Cope, Jenny Eclair, Suhayla El-Bushra, Natalie Haynes, Shappi Khorsandi, Jess Phillips MP and Brona C Titley, come together to write this musical comedy based on the Greek classic, The Assemblywomen. The production opens on 13 September at NST City, with previews from 6 September and runs until 29 September. It will then run at Oxford Playhouse from 3 - 6 October.

Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres (NST), Samuel Hodges, today announces full casting for the world premiere of Women in Power. NST Associate Director Blanche McIntyre directs Lydia Bewley, best known for The Inbetweeners, Plebs and E4's comedy Drifters, Elizabeth Boag, Anna Fordham, Lisa Kerr, Anne Odeke and Alicia Mckenzie. The production, in association with Oxford Playhouse, sees some of the UK's most influential female voices, Wendy Cope, Jenny Eclair, Suhayla El-Bushra, Natalie Haynes, Shappi Khorsandi, Jess Phillips MP and Brona C Titley, come together to write this musical comedy based on the Greek classic, The Assemblywomen. The production opens on 13 September at NST City, with previews from 6 September and runs until 29 September. It will then run at Oxford Playhouse from 3 - 6 October.

Hackney Empire has announced the return of Olivier Award nominated actress, television star and comedian Tameka Empson (EastEnders, The Big Life, 3 Non Blondes) for its landmark 20th anniversary pantomime from writer and director Susie McKenna in a sparkling new production of Aladdin opening this Christmas. Tameka Empson makes a much-anticipated return to the Hackney stage where she performed regularly between 2004 and 2009 before being cast as Kim Fox-Hubbard in EastEnders. Aladdin will mark her first stage appearance since joining the soap and will see her return to the role of the Empress alongside Hackney Empire's Olivier Award-winning Grande Dame Clive Rowe. Aladdin will run from 24 November 2018 to 6 January 2019, with opening night for press on 5 December.

Get ready for a night of laugh-out-loud fun as the next big thing in British comedy heads to town.

Hackney Empire's Olivier Award-winning Grande Dame of pantomime Clive Rowe is set to return to the East End stage for the theatre's 2018 pantomime. A landmark year for the panto, Rowe will play the Dame in writer and director Susie McKenna's 20th anniversary production which will see a new staging of the family favourite Aladdin, and will mark two decades at the helm of the now legendary show with composer Steven Edis. Rowe will be making his Hackney comeback following his last appearance in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2015. Aladdin will run from 24 November 2018 to 6 January 2019, with opening night for press on 5 December.

Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Samuel Hodges, today announces Labour MP, Jess Phillips will join the writing team for the world premiere of Women In Power. The production sees some of the UK's most influential female voices, including Wendy Cope, Jenny Eclair, Suhayla El-Bushra, Natalie Haynes, Shappi Khorsandi and Brona C Titley, come together to write this musical comedy based on the Greek classic, The Assemblywomen. Directed by NST Associate Director Blanche McIntyre, the production opens on 6 September at NST City and runs until 29 September.

BWW Reviewer Natalie O'Donoghue selects her top family shows to see this Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

London's shortest superstar - she' s just 15 inches tall in heels - celebrates signing on as the hostess of a glamorous new night club residency in the capital!

Assembly Festival (1st - 27th August 2018) announced its FULL programme goes on sale at 10am today (Thu 17 May 2018). This year there are 208 shows - 60 theatre acts, 60 comedy shows and the biggest programme of cabaret Assembly Festival has ever staged.

Ealing Comedy Festival is back for its 25th consecutive year with a stellar line up of internationally renowned comedians and homegrown talent to keep you entertained throughout July.

Latitude Festival is pleased to announce a diverse range of new names added to the line up across the arts stages, joining headliners Harry Hill, and Bridget Christie, as well as music headliners The Killers, Alt-J, and Solange. The 13th edition of the festival takes place on Thursday 12th - Sunday 15th July 2018 in the stunning grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk. Tickets are available here.

Tonight Leicester Comedy Festival hosted its annual award ceremony at The Haymarket Theatre (Leicester) honouring the comedians, venues and promoters that make the festival one of the largest and most successful in Europe. The ceremony was hosted by Mark Dolan and attended by Nicholas Parsons who collected the Legend of Comedy Award.  Previous legends have included Victoria Wood, Barry Cryer, Rik Mayall, Ken Dodd and Sir Norman Wisdom.

Due to demand, The New Group has announced a three-week extension for Jerry Springer - The Opera, with Matt McGrath appearing as Jerry Springer beginning March 13.  Terrence Mann, currently appearing in the role of Jerry Springer, plays his final performance March 11 due to an existing commitment beyond that date.

New & emerging comedians from across the UK have been announced to take part in a series of prestigious comedy competitions and events at Leicester Comedy Festival 2018. The comedians will take part in competitions including Silver Stand Up, Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year, The UK Pun Championships or the new Circuit Breakers showcase set up following a crowd funding campaign. All the shows will take place as part of the 25th anniversary of Leicester Comedy Festival which takes place from 7-25 February 2018. Full details about the festival can be obtained by visiting www.comedy-festival.co.uk

The New Group has announced today that Terrence Mann and Will Swenson will star in the company's Off-Broadway premiere of Jerry Springer - The Opera, as 'Jerry Springer' and 'Warm-Up / Satan,' respectively.