Johan Persson News

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company, in partnership with Picturehouse Entertainment, has confirmed that the date of the final Branagh Theatre Live cinema broadcast of this season will be The Entertainer at 19:00 on Thursday 27 October 2016. Tickets for the broadcast of The Entertainer and details of participating cinemas can be found at branaghtheatrelive.com

The International Dance Festival Birmingham (IDFB) 2016 at the Hippodrome opened with a progressive programme of works from NDT2 – the junior division of Netherlands Dans Theater which focuses specifically on talent development for dancers aged 18-23. The IDFB puts Birmingham in the unique position of being the only city in the UK to have a dance festival as its biggest festival. It seems fitting therefore that, rather than opening with a more commercial piece, the Birmingham Hippodrome would begin their IDFB celebrations with the progressive NDT2.

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From two buzzy Shakespeare productions and satirical opera to dance at the Old Vic, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews…

Nick Payne's latest production Elegy is a short 70-minute piece, which raises complex and emotional issues. Following on from his previous work Constellations, which won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play, Payne's plot focuses on Lorna and her partner Carrie as they struggle with an unnamed disease which effects Lorna's brain.

Coinciding with International Dance Day, Latitude Festival has announced its dance line-up for this summer. Sadler's Wells returns to the Waterfront Stage for a ninth year, with highlights including an excerpt from !VAMOUS CUBA! and Hofesh Shechter's THE BAD. Latitude has also announced that the Jane Horrocks-starring IF YOU KISS ME, KISS ME joins the theatre line-up, and Louis Theroux will be in conversation with Adam Buxton.

David Haig, Luke Norris and Daniel Kaluuya star in the revival of Joe Penhall's BLUE/ORANGE at the Young Vic, directed by Matthew Xia. The production runs May 12 to July 2, and works from a slightly updated version of Penhall's Olivier Award-winning play. Blue/Orange, which centres on a man confined to a psychiatric ward, examines race, ethics, sanity and prejudice in a sharp state-of-the-nation examination. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.youngvic.org

Still gushing over Lin-Manuel Miranda and Hamilton winning a Pulitzer Prize? Didn't have time to check in on your favorite Broadway stars? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company presents Romeo and Juliet, the fifth production in the inaugural Plays at the Garrick season. The production reunites the stars of Branagh's Cinderella, Lily James (Juliet) and Richard Madden. Romeo and Juliet will play at the Garrick Theatre from 12 May until 13 August with press night on 25 May. The production will be broadcast live to cinemas on 7 July. Check out a first look inside rehearsals below!

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's 2016 season begins with Samuel Adamson's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's novel, RUNNING WILD. A co-production withChichester Festival Theatre, RUNNING WILD previews from Friday 13 May (press night 19 May) and plays until Sunday 12 June. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Theatre in the West End. The transfer follows a sold-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, and the show is booking until October 8. Smith takes on Barbra Streisand's iconic role of Fanny Brice, the Brooklyn singer and comedienne who became a Broadway sensation under producer Florenz Ziegfeld. The cast also features Darius Campbell as Nicky Arnstein, Marilyn Cutts as Mrs Brice,Maurice Lane as Mr Keeney, Valda Aviks as Mrs Meeker, Gay Soper as Mrs Strakosh, Natasha J Barnes as Emma/Mrs Nadler, Bruce Montague as Florenz Ziegfeld, and Joel Montague as Eddie Ryan.

Last night, the Sheridan Smith-starring revival of FUNNY GIRL opened at the Savoy Theatre in the West End. The transfer follows a sold-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, and the show is booking until October 8. Smith takes on Barbra Streisand's iconic role of Fanny Brice, the Brooklyn singer and comedienne who became a Broadway sensation under producer Florenz Ziegfeld. The cast also features Darius Campbell as Nicky Arnstein, Marilyn Cutts as Mrs Brice, Maurice Lane as Mr Keeney, Valda Aviks as Mrs Meeker, Gay Soper as Mrs Strakosh, Natasha J Barnes as Emma/Mrs Nadler, Bruce Montague as Florenz Ziegfeld, and Joel Montague as Eddie Ryan.

Tony Award winners Janet McTeer and Liev Schreiber will return to Broadway this Fall in the Donmar Warehouse production of Les Liaisons Dangereusesby Christopher Hampton, directed by the Donmar's Artistic Director Josie Rourke. The production begins performances on Saturday, October 8, 2016 and will open on Sunday, October 30, 2016 at the Booth Theatre (222 W 45th St). This is a 15-week only engagement through Sunday, January 22, 2017.

Daniel Evans' sell-out Sheffield Crucible production of Show Boat has transferred to the West End and is now in previews, with press night on Monday 25 April 2016.  Show Boat is booking at the New London Theatre to 7 January 2017.  BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Nicole Kidman could be on the brink of a Broadway return.

With previews in full swing at the Savoy Theatre, director Michael Mayer continues to polish the new revival of FUNNY GIRL, starring Sheridan Smith, which premiered at Menier Chocolate Factory.

Hot off its premiere at The Royal Court, London and Market Theatre run, South African Mongiwekhaya's latest play, I See You will open at the Fugard Studio Theatre on May 5 and run until 28 May.

In any awards ceremony, there is always one category that is almost a dead cert. Sometimes I resent the fact that this is the case and really feel for those others in the category who quite frankly don't stand a chance; even though they too worked their socks off to get the nomination. The category I'm referring to this year is Best Actress in a Musical.

Transferring to the West End after a sell-out National Theatre run, Duncan Macmillan's PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS opened last night at Wyndham's Theatre. Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the show is a collaboration between the National and Headlong. It's recently extended its run and is now booking to June 18.

Following critical acclaim at the Savoy Theatre, the Chichester Festival Theatre revival of Guys and Dolls transfers to the Phoenix Theatre whilst simultaneously touring the UK this spring. The West End production opened 19 March and is booking until 30 October, whilst the UK tour is running simultaneously, opening in Liverpool on 16 March and touring throughout the UK until 30 July, closing in Woking. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the tour cast in action below!