Lisa Dillon News

Richard Eyre’s production of Noël Coward’s 1941 Blithe Spirit was just settling into its West End home last year when lockdown struck. Now revived with most of its original cast, it settles into the Harold Pinter theatre for an eight-week run, featuring a stage-stealing appearance by Jennifer Saunders.

Jennifer Saunders, one of the UK's most popular comic actors, will revive her role as the preposterous clairvoyant Madame Arcati. She is joined by original cast members Geoffrey Streatfeild who will star as Charles Condomine, Lisa Dillon as Ruth Condomine, Simon Coates as Dr Bradman, Lucy Robinson as Mrs Bradman, and Rose Wardlaw as Edith.

After celebrating a sell-out run at Theatre Royal Bath as part of its 2019 Summer season, a UK tour and a short run in London of just 12 performances before the country’s first lockdown curtailed its six-week run at the Duke of York’s Theatre in March 2020, this production now returns to the West End for 8weeks from Thursday 16  September at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Noël Coward's classic comedy Blithe Spirit, directed by Sir Richard Eyre and starring Jennifer Saunders, has returned to the UK for a limited 6-week engagement at the West End's Duke of York's Theatre. 

This is perhaps an odd time for Nöel Coward's comedy about death and supernatural apparitions to land in the West End – Richard Eyre's revival transferring from Theatre Royal Bath. On the other hand, there's something comforting about Coward's portrait of the afterlife as essentially a continuation, with our personalities, desires and enmities very much intact. Plus the opportunity to socialise with Joan of Arc.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a musical with old Hollywood glamour to starry Chekhov and Coward, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

Chichester Festival Theatre's Festival 2020 has today been unveiled by Artistic Director Daniel Evans and Executive Director Kathy Bourne.

Noël Coward's classic comedy Blithe Spirit, directed by Sir Richard Eyre and starring Jennifer Saunders, will return next year for a UK tour followed by a strictly limited 6-week engagement at the West End's Duke of York's Theatre following a celebrated reception in Bath earlier this summer.

Get a first look at Theatre Royal Bath Productions' Blithe Spirit, Noel Coward's classic comedy starring BAFTA-winning comedian, actor and screenwriter Jennifer Saunders

Jonathan Church, Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Bath's Summer Season 2019 today announces further casting for its upcoming programme of eight plays.

Theatre Royal Bath today announces four additional productions - Vienna 1934-Munich 1938, The Life I Lead, Trying It On and The Man in the White Suit, to complete its Summer Season 2019 programme and further casting with Katherine Parkinson, Janie Dee as well as Vanessa Redgrave, Miles Jupp and David Edgar among the stars set to take to the stage in both treasured classics and acclaimed new works.

Jonathan Church, Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Bath's Summer Season, today announces the opening shows for its 2019 programme which will see much-loved British comedian Jennifer Saunders star as Madame Arcati in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit directed by Richard Eyre, and Rupert Everett making his directorial stage debut in Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya in which he will also play the title role in a new version by David Hare. Blithe Spirit will run from 13 June to 6 July with opening night for press on 19 June, followed by Uncle Vanya from 18 July to 3 August with opening night for press on 24 July, both in the Main House. Further casting and the full summer programme will be announced in due course.

Audiences now have just six weeks left to see the RSC's critically acclaimed 2014 pairing of Love's Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (or Love's Labour's Won), having been charming audiences at Theatre Royal Haymarket.

The Royal Shakespeare Company have burst back to the West End with their double bill of Love's Labour's - both Lost and Won. This pairing really is a remarkable achievement. Set in the summer of 1914 and the winter of 1918, director Christopher Luscombe has combined the charm and elegance of an Edwardian country estate with a wit, silliness and sense of play that would surely have made Will proud.

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a big musical revival to starry panto and Matthew Bourne's latest, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews…

Actress Lisa Dillon's numerous stage credits include King John at Rose Theatre, Kingston, Hapgood at Hampstead Theatre, Design for Living at the Old Vic, The Knot of the Heart at the Almeida, and The Taming of the Shrew for the RSC. She's back with the RSC playing Rosaline and Beatrice in Love's Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing respectively. The acclaimed double bill, set either side of the First World War, begins previews at Theatre Royal Haymarket on 9 December.

The RSC's hugely acclaimed 2014 pairing of Love's Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (or Love's Labour's Won) arrives in London this Christmas, following runs at Chichester Festival Theatre and Manchester Opera House. From 9 December 2016 to 18 March 2017, Edward Bennett and Lisa Dillon will delight audiences at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in Christopher Luscombe's elegant, effervescent productions.

Rose Theatre Kingston today announces cast for King John. Trevor Nunn returns to the Rose to direct Jamie Ballard as King John, Howard Charles as Philip the Bastard, Lisa Dillon as Constance and Maggie Steed as Queen Eleanor.

Hampstead Theatre presents Tom Stoppard's play HAPGOOD. Directed by Howard Davies, the full cast features Lisa Dillon, who will take the title role, Gary Beadle, Joe Evans, Edward Hancock, Gerald Kyd, Tim McMullan and Alec Newman. Child actors Adam Cansfield and Sasha Gray complete the cast. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Hampstead Theatre presents Tom Stoppard's play HAPGOOD, which previews from Friday 4 December 2015. Directed by Howard Davies, the full cast features Lisa Dillon, who will take the title role, Gary Beadle,Joe Evans, Edward Hancock, Gerald Kyd, Tim McMullan and Alec Newman. Child actors Adam Cansfield and Sasha Graycomplete the cast. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!