Howard Brenton News

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Kick off a brand new week by catching up on the latest Broadway news!

Miss Julie returns to London wearing the outstanding threads previously seen in Tom Littler's production at Jermyn Street Theatre in 2017. The new run plays in rep with Creditors, the other August Strindberg-Howard Brenton endeavour presented by the company and acts as an echo chamber for the thematic veins of the other.

This is Edward Hall's last production as Artistic Director. After almost 10 years he is stepping down to make way for pastures new. Before he joined the Hampstead was under threat of closure, as it scraped close to bankruptcy. Nowadays, it has established itself as one of the leading new writing venues, premiering over hundred plays - some of them proving to be a massive hit.

Hampstead Theatre presents the world premiere of Howard Brenton's latest play Jude, directed by Edward Hall which will be the last production that Edward will direct during his tenure as Artistic Director of Hampstead. Loosely inspired by Thomas Hardy's novel Jude the Obscure, Jude is a modern day tale of unexpected genius and of our struggle to accommodate extraordinary talent.Isabella Nefar stars as Jude alongside Paul Brennen, Merch Husey, Caroline Loncq, Luke MacGregor, Shanaya Rafaat, Anna Savva and Emily Taaffe.

Jermyn Street Theatre's latest co-production with Keswick's Theatre by the Lake is a new version of August Strindberg's Creditors directed by the theatre's own Tom Littler.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From timely plays to the beginning of open-air theatre season, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

The world premiere of playwright and director Julia Pascal's award-winning Blueprint Medea opens at the Finborough Theatre for a three week limited season on Tuesday, 21 May 2019 (Press Nights: Thursday, 23 May 2019 and Friday, 24 May 2019 at 7:30pm).

Hampstead Theatre presents the world premiere of Howard Brenton's latest play Jude, directed by Edward Hall which will be the last production that Edward will direct during his tenure as Artistic Director of Hampstead. Loosely inspired by Thomas Hardy's novel Jude the Obscure, Jude is a modern day tale of unexpected genius and of our struggle to accommodate extraordinary talent. Isabella Nefar stars as Jude alongside Paul Brennen, Merch Husey, Caroline Loncq, Luke MacGregor, Shanaya Rafaat, Anna Savva and Emily Taaffe.

Artistic Director Tom Littler has announced new regional theatre partnerships for Jermyn Street Theatre, and complete casting for his forthcoming production of Pictures of Dorian Gray.

Portland favorites Gretchen Corbett and Sharonlee McLean take the stage beginning May 4 to star in David Hare's The Breath of Life, a two-woman play The Daily Telegraph called "bitingly funny." When Francis Beale (McLean) decides she wants one last word with her ex-husband's ex-lover (Corbett), both women are forced to confront their past, their failed relationships, dashed ideals and the lens through which they choose to view their futures. Ken Rus Schmoll (readings in six of the last ten JAW Festivals at The Armory, productions at Playwrights Horizons and New York Theatre Workshop) will direct.

Hampstead Theatre presents the world premiere of Howard Brenton's latest play Jude, directed by Edward Hall which will be the last production that Edward will direct during his tenure as Artistic Director of Hampstead. Loosely inspired by Thomas Hardy's novel Jude the Obscure, Jude is a modern day tale of unexpected genius and of our struggle to accommodate extraordinary talent.

Hampstead Theatre has announced its next two productions and full casting for Wilderness.

Artistic Director Tom Littler has announced casting for the world premiere of Mary's Babies. Two of Britain's best-known classical actors, Emma Fielding and Katy Stephens, will co-star in Maud Dromgoole's funny and compelling play about family and fertility.

In the summer of 1888, bankrupt and at his wits' end, August Strindberg and his family rented rooms in a ruinous Danish castle called Skovlyst. The castle was also occupied by a young aristocratic woman, her corrupt steward, and a menagerie of exotic animals. That summer, Strindberg wrote two masterpieces of world theatre: his intense tragedy Miss Julie and dark comedy Creditors, the play he regarded as his finest.

Nine Spitfire veterans from Southampton and Portsmouth came face to face with members of the cast from Nuffield Southampton Theatres critically acclaimed play The Shadow Factory at a special after show meeting held on the stage.

You've seen Orange is the New Black. You've seen Locked Up. You've seen Bad Girls. So, what have we got that's different? Well, for one, we've been to prison.

Nuffield Southampton Theatres celebrates the first birthday of its modern city-centre venue with the return of The Shadow Factory; the first show performed at NST City which proved to be a sell-out in 2018.

Mary Barton, a pioneer of fertility treatment, thought her husband was perfect. And doesn't every child deserve the perfect father? So Mary used her husband's sperm to impregnate up to a thousand women, and then burnt all the records. A thousand resulting children, the 'Barton Brood', have no idea about their shared father. Meeting each other. Making friends. Having babies.

The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces a major revival of David Hare's The Bay at Nice. Richard Eyre directs Martin Hutson, Ophelia Lovibond, David Rintoul and Penelope Wilton. The production opens on 19 March, with previews from 14 March, and runs until 4 May. Tickets go on sale to supporters of the Menier on 21 January, with public booking opening at 9am on 28 January.

Full casting has been announced for Trevor Nunn's world premiere production of Harley Ganville-Barker's Agnes Colander, which will receive its first London staging at Jermyn Street Theatre this February. The acclaimed Naomi Frederick will revive her performance of Agnes Colander. Her previous credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare's Globe), The Winslow Boy (Old Vic) and Brief Encounter (Birmingham Rep, West Yorkshire Playhouse and West End). She is joined by Sally Scott (King Charles III - West End and Broadway, King Lear West End), Matthew Flynn (Wild Honey Hampstead Theatre, I am a Walrus Young Vic), Harry Lister-Smith (A Woman of No Importance West End, Posh - West End) and recent LAMDA graduate Cindy-Jane Armbruster.