Lolita Chakrabarti News

The highly anticipated West End premiere of Life of Pi, Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s award-winning book has roared into the West End. 

Hiran Abeysekera makes a welcome return to the show in the central role of Pi, alongside Mina Anwar as Ma, Nicholas Khan as Father, Payal Mistry as Rani, Tom Espiner as Father Martin and Commmander Grant-Jones, Raj Ghatak as Mamaji and Pandit-Ji, Syreeta Kumar as Mrs Biology Kumar and Zaida Khan, David K.S. Tse as Mr Okamoto, Kirsten Foster as Lulu Chen, Habib Nasib Nader as Cook and Voice of Tiger.

As theatre comes roaring back, this autumn and winter see plenty of exciting new productions, including big West End musicals and intriguing plays. Here are the shows that we’re most looking forward to seeing.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company is preparing to welcome fully vaccinated patrons back for the 2021/22 Season.

“It isn’t where you came from; it’s where you’re going that counts” said jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. It’s almost as if Hymn embodies this quote. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti (of Red Velvet and the staged version of Life of Pi fame) over lockdown, the play had its premiere in a sold-out live-streamed run in February.

The cast is made up of all RADA graduates with Branagh playing Andrew Crocker-Harris. He will be joined by Kemi Awoderu (Taplow), Joseph Kloska (Frank Hunter), Lolita Chakrabarti (Millie Crocker-Harris), Wendy Kweh (Dr Frobisher), Victor Alli (Peter Gilbert) and Sarah Eve (Mrs Gilbert).

Acclaimed actor and director, Kenneth Branagh is set to direct and star in Terence Rattigan's play The Browning Version.

The 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours have been announced. Among this year's honorees are some theatrical luminaries, as well as influential figures in the worlds of dance, music, literature, and more. 

Shakespeare Theatre Company's Artistic Director SIMON GODWIN announced the Company's 2021/22 Season in a virtual townhall meeting for season subscribers, donors, Board members, and STC staff. The Tony theatre will resume live performances in September with a season that will showcase 'vivacious stories, audaciously shared' explains Godwin.

Shows will include and breathe..., Hymn, Once Upon a Time in Nazi Occupied Tunisia, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Spring Awakening, and The Key Workers Cycle.

Shaun McKenna’s compelling and timely new thriller Rocky Road is a gripping exploration of grief, obsession and revenge.

Tyger Drew-Honey and Kirsten Foster star in the world premiere of ROCKY ROAD, a compelling new thriller by the award-winning playwright, Shaun McKenna. Broadcast live from Jermyn Street Theatre via Stream.Theatre on Friday 30th April and Saturday 1st May.

Need something new to read, watch, or listen to? Check out this week's list of new and upcoming releases!

Following acclaimed, sold-out live-streamed and on-demand runs, Hymn will be broadcast on Sky Arts on Sunday 18 April 9pm.

Need something new to read, watch, or listen to? Check out this week's list of new and upcoming releases! This week's list includes new music from Andy Karl and Orfeh with Andrew Logan, a debut album from Joshua Henry, a new Randy Rainbow parody, and more!

Following an acclaimed, sold-out run of live streamed performances, a recording of Hymn will be available to stream on-demand for a limited time from Wednesday 3 – Tuesday 9 March.

Two men meet at a funeral in Lolita Chakrabarti's intense and uncompromising new play, which proves a lively yet thoughtful piece on family and friendship and features her husband, Adrian Lester, in the cast.

The Almeida Theatre announces live streamed performances of Lolita Chakrabarti's Hymn. 

In the spirit of eternal optimism, here is a handful of London show titles promised for the year ahead that have us giddy with anticipation to be in a playhouse once again.

Almeida Theatre has announced a socially distanced season of three world premieres for Christmas 2020 and into 2021.