Jonathan Church News

Classic Spring has announced that Sally Bretton and Nathaniel Parker will join Edward Fox, Freddie Fox and Frances Barber in Jonathan Church's forthcoming production of An Ideal Husband.

James Graham's critically acclaimed and prescient political drama takes on a new importance in the current political climate. Are we in the midst of a political revolution? Can the country stay united? Roll back to 1974... The corridors of Westminster ring with the sound of infighting and back biting as Britain's political parties' battle to change the future of the nation, whatever it takes.

New casting announced for the new National Theatre season. Full cast has been announced for Brian Friel's Translations including Colin Morgan and Ciaran Hinds, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Eric Kofi Abrefa and Thalissa Teixeira join Vanessa Kirby in the cast of Julie, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Sam Mendes directs The Lehman Trilogy, a co-production with Neal Street Productions, cast includes Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale. Full casting is announced for the award winning An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, transferring to the National Theatre in a co-production with the Orange Tree Theatre. The NT will tour to 30 venues in 27 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland, for a total of 83 playing weeks over the next year. Rufus Norris' Macbeth to tour to 18 venues across the UK and Ireland from autumn 2018. War Horse returns to the National Theatre marking the centenary of Armistice Day.

Classic Spring is delighted to announce real-life father and son, Edward and Freddie Fox, are to play fictional father and son in Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband, from 20 April at the Vaudeville theatre. Also starring, in the role of Mrs. Cheveley, is Frances Barber. Directed by Jonathan Church, An Ideal Husband will play at the Vaudeville Theatre 20 April to 14 July 2018, before opening the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season on 18 July to 4 August 2018.

Casting has been announced for the World Premiere of Great Apes from the novel by Will Self; reimagined for the stage by Patrick Marmion. Great Apes is a new play by Patrick Marmion directed by RSC and Donmar actor Oscar Pearce (Wolf Hall, Real Thing), based on the novel by Will Self opening at the Arcola Theatre on Monday 19th March.

Theatre Royal Bath today announces the opening productions for its summer season 2018 across the Ustinov Studio and Main House. Launching at the Ustinov Studio will be the highly acclaimed, Bristol based theatre company, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory with their new production of Henry V directed by Elizabeth Freestone. Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband will transfer to Theatre Royal Bath's Main House direct from the West End, marking the first production in Jonathan Church's 2018 summer season. Priority booking will open to members on Saturday 10 February at 10am, with general on-sale from 21 February. The full programme will be announced in due course.

Rehearsals have begun for the first UK tour of This House, which opens at West Yorkshire Playhouse on 23 February (national press night 28 February).

As Kathy Burke's Lady Windermere's Fan, starring Jennifer Saunders and Samantha Spiro, plays to packed houses, Classic Spring is delighted to announce that Guy Chambers' new folk opera, The Selfish Giant, will be co-produced by Royal & Derngate, Northampton, and directed by multi-award-winning director Bill Buckhurst. The limited run of lightly-staged performances will run at Royal & Derngate 4 April - 7 April, before moving to the Vaudeville from 10 - 14 April. Jonathan Church will direct An Ideal Husband, the third production in the year-long celebration of Oscar Wilde at the Vaudeville Theatre. An Ideal Husband will play at the Vaudeville Theatre 20 April to 14 July 2018, before opening the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season on 18 July to 4 August 2018.

The cast who play a colourful host of MPs and Whips - is Ian Barritt (Batley & Morley/Woolwich West/Belfast North/Western Isles & Ensemble), William Chubb (Humphrey Atkins), Giles Cooper (Fred Silvester), Stephen Critchlow (Bromsgrove/Abingdon/Liverpool Edge Hill/Paisley/Fermanagh & Ensemble), James Gaddas (Walter Harrison), Natalie Grady (Ann Taylor), Ian Houghton (Armagh, Ambulance Man, Ensemble), David Hounslow (Joe Harper), Marcus Hutton (Ensemble), Harry Kershaw (Paddington South/Chelmsford/South Ayrshire/Henley/Marioneth /Coventry North West/Rushcliffe/Perry Barr & Ensemble), Louise Ludgate (Rochester & Chatham/Welwyn & Hatfield/Coventry South West/Ilford North/Lady Batley & Ensemble), Geoffrey Lumb (Clockmaker/Peebles/Redditch/Stirlingshire West/Clerk & Ensemble), Nicholas Lumley (Oxshott/Belfast West/St Helens & Ensemble), Martin Marquez (Bob Mellish), Matthew Pidgeon (Jack Weatherill), Miles Richardson (Speaker Act I/Mansfield/Sergeant at Arms Act II/West Lothian & Ensemble), Tony Turner (Michael c*cks), Orlando Wells (Walsall North/Plymouth Sutton/Serjeant at Arms Act I/Speaker Act II/Caernarfon/Clerk & Ensemble) and Charlotte Worthing (Ensemble). Ian Houghton, David Hounslow, Matthew Pidgeon, Tony Turner and Orlando Wells return to This House having previously appeared in the West End production.

James Graham's critically acclaimed and prescient political drama THIS HOUSE which played to sold-out houses at the National Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End will begin its first ever national tour at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds 22 February 10 March 2018 before touring the UK with exclusive Scottish dates at Festival Theatre Edinburgh (27 - 31 March). The tour is supported by the Arts Council of England Grants for the Arts.

An independent charitable trust will take on the management of The Marlowe after councillors gave the plan the green light last night (Thursday, 4 January). Detailed negotiations about how Canterbury City Council hands over the running of the theatre in Canterbury will now intensify after formal approval was given unanimously at the meeting of the full council.

An independent charitable trust will take on the management of The Marlowe after councillors gave the plan the green light last night (Thursday, 4 January).

Based on the remarkable real-life tale of two warring Allied meteorologists tasked with predicting the weather conditions for the D Day landings, David Haig's acclaimed play Pressure will embark on a UK tour before transferring to London's Park Theatre. The national press night will take place on Tuesday 3rd April, 7pm at Park Theatre, London.

One of the country's top theatre directors and producers has been named as the first Chair of The Marlowe Theatre Trust.

Dates and casting have announced for new National Theatre season!

Find out what coming to National Theatre!

The world premiere of Emily Jenkins' pioneering new play Cookies is being supported by Lily Allen, Ted Reilly, Maddy Hill and Lady Viola Grosvenor, who will act as Ambassadors to the Cyberscene Project - a venture which uses theatre to tackle cyber bullying.

Productions photos have been released today for Theatre Royal Bath's new adaptation of Alan Bennett's The Lady in the Van, directed byJonathan Church.

Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents Alan Bennett's The Lady in the Van, directed by Jonathan Church, beginning tonight 17 August for a run through Saturday 2 September.

The UK premiere of Alfred Hitchcock's supreme comedy of suspense North by Northwest, adapted by Carolyn Burns and directed by Simon Phillips, has just revealed a first look at the cast in action. Following its world premiere in Melbourne, the new stage adaptation of Hitchcock's film will run at Theatre Royal Bath until 12 August, with opening night for press on Monday 31 July. Scroll down for photos!