Johanna Town News

Following the announcement last month that Jermyn Street Theatre has joined forces with Digital Theatre to present the major production, 15 Heroines, today the theatre reveals the full casting for this groundbreaking project.

Offstage workers in the UK are being asked to sign contracts that will require them to repay employer furlough contributions from their wages once shows resume.

In light of the closure of theatres across the UK due to COVID-19, the Original Theatre Company's productions of Alan Bennett's THE HABIT OF ART and Ali Milles's THE CROFT, both of which were touring the UK, will now each have an online launch performance.

In light of the most recent government advice due to COVID-19, The Original Theatre Company's production of Alan Bennett's THE HABIT OF ART, which was due to open at Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne on Wednesday 18 March 2020, will now perform a closed filmed performance on Wednesday 18 March 2020 at 2pm.

Jeff Rawle (The Durrells, Hollyoaks and Drop the Dead Donkey) and Teresa Banham (Mary Wilson in The Crown, Netflix) lead the cast in Barney Norris's new adaptation of Lorca's Blood Wedding, commissioned and produced by Wiltshire Creative and Up In Arms to run at Salisbury Playhouse from 6-22 February 2020.

Eclipse Theatre and the Belgrade Theatre Coventry today announce full casting for their upcoming co-production of Janice Okoh's The Gift, the third show to emerge from Eclipse's groundbreaking Revolution Mix movement, which is spearheading the largest ever delivery of new Black British stories in theatre, film and radio. The Gift will premiere in Coventry from 18-25 January before embarking on a UK tour.

The Renaissance is in full swing with Lorenzo de' Medici's (Adetomiwa Edun) modern policies and Sandro Botticelli (Dickie Beau) is at the peak of his success. Parties are held in his honour and Florence is thriving as the home of some of the most sought-after painters of their age.

ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company's award-nominated Some Like It Hip Hop returns to The Peacock for a run from Wednesday 23 October - Saturday 9 November, following a UK tour.

Following a highly acclaimed tour in 2018, The Original Theatre Company and The Anthology Group in association with Peter Stickney and York Theatre Royal's production of Alan Bennett's THE HABIT OF ART will return and tour the UK in 2020. Directed by Philip Franks and starring Matthew Kelly as Fitz (W. H. Auden) and David Yelland as Henry (Benjamin Britten). The tour begins on 18 March 2020 at Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne.

Zoë Wanamaker and Zrinka Cvitešić lead the cast of Two Ladies, a new play by Nancy Harris to be directed by Nicholas Hytner at the Bridge Theatre. They are joined by Lorna Brown, Raghad Chaar and Yoli Fuller who complete the cast.

Papatango today announces the creative team for the world première of Samuel Bailey's Shook a?" this year's winner of the annual Papatango New Writing Prize. The company's Artistic Director George Turvey directs, with set and costume design by Jasmine Swan, lighting design by Johanna Town, and sound design by Richard Hammarton. The production opens on 1 November at Southwark Playhouse, with previews from 30 October, and runs until 23 November 2019. Following the run at Southwark Playhouse, the production tours to Hope Street Theatre, Liverpool (26 November), Theatr Clwyd (27 - 28 November), Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough (30 November) and Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (4 - 7 December).

The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo, in a new adaptation by Anna Ledwich, will premiere at Chichester's Minerva Theatre from 5 October a?" 15 November, directed by Dale Rooks.

Lorna Brown, Raghad Chaar and Yoli Fuller join the previously announced Zoe Wanamaker and Zrinka Cviteši? to complete the casting for Two Ladies, a new play by Nancy Harris to be directed by Nicholas Hytner at the Bridge Theatre.

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.

Robert Cavanah as Nic, Madeleine Worrall as Luda and Laurie Ogden as Connie join the previously announced Georgia May Foote as Vita, Hannah Bristow as Fran, Mona Goodwin as Tina, Gloria Onitiri as Celia and Stephen Hogan as Albert in the 2019 European Premiere of Meghan Kennedy's NAPOLI, BROOKLYN, beginning a UK Tour on 1 May at Malvern Theatres, running through to 8 June at Oxford Playhouse. The Tour will be followed by a limited four-week season from 13 June to 13 July at Park Theatre, London, with a national press night on Monday 17 June 2019.

The Original Theatre Company (OTC), under the Artistic Direction of Alastair Whatley, announces its most ambitious season yet, with an original commission (Caroline's Kitchen), a European premiere (Napoli, Brooklyn), a first revival (The Night Watch) and a 30th anniversary production and first revival (Valued Friends).

Sheffield Theatres' revival of Githa Sowerby's play skillfully balances drama and humour.

The full company has been announced for Laura Wade's new play THE WATSONS, adapted from Jane Austen's unfinished novel, which receives its world premiere at the Minerva Theatre from 3 November - 1 December, with a press night on 8 November. Directed by Samuel West, the cast is: Sam Alexander, Sally Bankes, Joe Bannister, Jane Booker, Elaine Claxton, Tim Delap, Leonardo Dickens, Sophie Duval, Archie Elliot, Louise Ford, John Wilson Goddard, Grace Molony, Elander Moore, Katherine Rose Morley, Paksie Vernon, Cat White and Laurence Ubong Williams.

Salisbury Playhouse marks the centenary of women being given the right to vote with the regional premiere of Her Naked Skin by Rebecca Lenkiewicz this autumn.

Shakespeare wrote more lines for Queen Margaret than he did for King Lear yet we know very little of her. Jeanie O'Harere-acquaints us with one of Shakespeare's major but rarely performed characters in her new play QUEEN MARGARET. In a production that draws on original language from Shakespeare, director Elizabeth Freestone and Jade Anouka as Margaret, retell an iconic moment in British History through the eyes of the extraordinary Margaret of Anjou. This captivating exploration of The Wars of the Roses seen through the eyes of this astonishing, dangerous and thrilling woman opens our Autumn Winter 2018/19 Season on 14 September and runs until 6 October.