Josie Rourke News

Dervla Kirwan will star as 'Valerie' in Donmar Warehouse's revival of Conor McPherson's The Weir, which begins rehearsals on March 11, directed by Josie Rourke. Kirwan is joined by Brian Cox, Peter McDonald, Risteard Cooper and Ardal O'Hanlon. The show will open on April 18, 2013.

Risteard Cooper, Brian Cox, Dervla Kirwan, Peter McDonald and Ardal O'Hanlon will star in The Weir, directed by Josie Rourke from 18 April to 8 June 2013. Following this, The Night Alive will make its world premiere on 13 June, directed by McPherson himself. The cast for The Night Alive are Caoilfhionn Dunne, Brian Gleeson, Ciaran Hinds, Michael McElhatton and Jim Norton.

The theatre programme for the Manchester International Festival 2013 has been announced. MIF13 commissions include: The Machine, The Old Woman, Macbeth, The Masque of Anarchy and The Rite of Spring.

The Stage Newspaper's annual list, The Stage 100, now in its 16th year, has once again listed the top 100 most influential people in UK theatre.

Full casting has been announced for THE SILENCE OF THE SEA, by Vercors, in a version by Anthony Weigh, part of the Donmar Trafalgar Season, running 10 January - 2 February 2013 Press night: Monday 14 January at 7pm

Following the debate about class in our society hosted by Alastair Campbell during the run of Posh, and the debate about the legacy of the Greenham Common feminists during the run of Jumpy, The Royal Court at the Duke of York's season Extras programme continues on Friday 30 November. 'The Making of Constellations' gives an exclusive and rare insight into how this Evening Standard award nominated play was put together by writer Nick Payne.

The Evening Standard Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre, and this year's nominations longlist has just been announced. Sponsored by the Evening Standard newspaper, this year's shortlist will be announced on November 12 and the winners revealed on November 25.

Brian Friel's adaptation of Ibsen's seminal work, Hedda Gabler, will open at The Old Vic tonight, 12 September. Directed by Anna Mackmin, this major new production will star Olivier award-winning actress Sheridan Smith in the title role with Darrell D'Silva as Judge Brack, Buffy Davis as Bertha, Daniel Lapaine as Eilert Loevborg, Anne Reid as Juliana Tesman, Adrian Scarborough as George Tesman, and Fenella Woolgar as Thea Elvsted.

According to a report from whatsonstage.com, Daniel Lapaine and Darrel D'Silva will join previously cast Sheridan Smith in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic. Previews begin tonight, September 5, with an opening set on September 12, 2012.

Donmar Warehouse, which is currently presenting Philadephia, Here I Come through September 22, has announced its upcoming season. What's On Stage reports that the season will feature an all-female Julius Caesar, a Joe Wright-helmed Trelawny of the Wells and a London revival of Conor McPherson's The Weir.

According to a report from whatsonstage.com, Daniel Lapaine and Darrel D'Silva will join previously cast Sheridan Smith in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic. Previews begin September 5, with an opening set on September 12, 2012.

Nick Payne, writer of acclaimed play Constellations, is the second recipient of the Harold Pinter Playwright's Award, introduced last year to support a new commission at the Royal Court Theatre.

Watch the Donmar Warehouse's exclusive and rather cool animation on the 'holy grail of physics,' with commentary from The Physicists' cast members Paul Bhattacharjee (Einstein) and Obioma Ugoala (Fantam Murillo) to help grapple with the big questions. Still trying to get your head round it all? Watch below!

As part of the current three-play Royal Court at the Duke of York's Season with Posh by Laura Wade, Jumpy by April De Angelis and Constellations by Nick Payne, four of the UK's leading playwrights will direct one of their all-time favourite plays in a series of one-off afternoon readings from 29 June at the Duke of York's Theatre in a special event supported by The Ambassador Theatre Group. Nick Payne, Polly Stenham, Roy Williams and David Eldridge will select their favourite plays and will have less than two days to bring their vision to life with a full cast to be announced for staged readings on Friday afternoons this summer.

Sheridan Smith will star in the Old Vic's production of HEDDA GABLER by Henrik Ibsen, in a version by Brian Friel directed by Anna Mackmin. The show begins previews on the 5th of September and opens on the 12th for a run until the 10th of Novemeber.

The Summer Season at the Finborough Theatre continues with rediscoveries of EVENTS WHILE GUARDING THE BOFORS GUN and MERRIE ENGLAND. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the death of playwright John McGrath, and unseen in a professional production in London since 1966, John McGrath's Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a limited four-week season from Tuesday, 22 May 2012 directed by Robert Hastie. Merrie England plays at the Finborough Theatre for a limited run of nine Sunday and Monday evening performances and Tuesday matinees, opening tonight, 27 May 2012.

The Summer Season at the Finborough Theatre continues with rediscoveries of EVENTS WHILE GUARDING THE BOFORS GUN and MERRIE ENGLAND. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the death of playwright John McGrath, and unseen in a professional production in London since 1966, John McGrath's Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a limited four-week season from tonight, 22 May 2012 directed by Robert Hastie. Merrie England plays at the Finborough Theatre for a limited run of nine Sunday and Monday evening performances and Tuesday matinees, opening on Sunday, 27 May 2012.

The Summer Season at the Finborough Theatre continues with rediscoveries of EVENTS WHILE GUARDING THE BOFORS GUN and MERRIE ENGLAND. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the death of playwright John McGrath, and unseen in a professional production in London since 1966, John McGrath's Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a limited four-week season from Tuesday, 22 May 2012 directed by Robert Hastie. Merrie England plays at the Finborough Theatre for a limited run of nine Sunday and Monday evening performances and Tuesday matinees, opening on Sunday, 27 May 2012.

The Daily Mail UK reports that Miranda Raison will star in Donmar Theatre's Physicists. The actress will play a physicist's wife and nurse in the stage version of Friedrich Durrenmatt's Cold War satire. Josie Rourke will direct the show, which begins rehearsals April 23 and starts performances May 31.

After runs in London and New York, Alexi Kaye Campbell's The Pride makes its San Diego premiere this week at Diversionary Theatre.