When Sam Shepard's play True West made its New York debut back in 1980 it was something of a flop - since then, however, it has been recognised as an insightful piece of theatre, with the likes of John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C Reilly taking on the roles of Lee and Austin at one point or another in their careers. It's taken until now for the play to have its UK premiere; Matthew Dunster's production at the Vaudeville Theatre is as much a way to celebrate Shepard's career (who died last year) as it is to make a point about our ongoing need to label people as certain things.
London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. We've already posted our Christmas picks, and now here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings (sans tinsel). Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld reviews, interviews and features!
Taking the term 'pub theatre' literally, Cinderella is an outrageous site-specific show that takes all the best of traditional British panto and tops it off with a pint. Penned by Luke Barnes (All We Ever Wanted Was Everything), this knees up of a night out brings all the characters you know, love and hate, to pull your mates, spill your pints and pour their hearts out on the Karaoke. Crammed with live music, bingo, massaoke, and a touch of midnight magic, Cinderella will have you dancing in the aisles and laughing your bloody baubles off. Think Tarantino meets Shameless, meets ELF...all in a real, local boozer.
Kit Harington - renowned for his leading role in the internationally acclaimed series Game of Thrones - and Johnny Flynn - star of the widely celebrated film Beast and US TV series Genius, star in Sam Shepard's ferociously funny, modern classic, True West, the first UK production of Shepard's work since his death last summer.
Hot off award-winning film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and reunited with Matthew Dunster, who directed his hit Hangmen, Martin McDonagh brings his latest to the Bridge - quite a coup for Nick Hytner. Yet this provocative take on Hans Christian Andersen, and on the nature of storytelling, takes too scattershot an approach to fully land.
The world premiere of Martin McDonagh's A Very Very Very Dark Matter at the Bridge Theatre is directed by Matthew Dunster. The cast comprises Johnetta Eula'Mae Ackles, Alistair Benson, Elizabeth Berrington, Paul Bradley, Noah Brignull, Jim Broadbent, Phil Daniels, Regan Garcia, Leo Hart, Graeme Hawley, Audrey Hayhurst, Kundai Kanyama, Lee Knight, Jamie McKie, Ryan Pope, James Roberts, Alice Selwyn, Austin Taylor, Amelia Walter and Annabelle Westenholz-Smith including nine children who will alternate a variety of roles. The 12-week run will conclude on 6 January 2019. The London Theatre Companyproduction is designed by Anna Fleischle with lighting by Philip Gladwell, music compositions by James Maloney, sound by George Dennis, special effects by Paul Wanklin and video effects by Finn Ross.
London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From gender-flipped Sondheim to David Hare and Martin McDonagh, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld reviews, interviews and features!
Madeleine Potter and Donald Sage Mackay complete the cast for the forthcoming West End Premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner Sam Shepard's ferociously funny, modern classic, True West. They will join the previously announced Kit Harington - renowned for his leading role in the internationally acclaimed series Game of Thrones - and Johnny Flynn - star of the widely celebrated film Beast and US TV series Genius, and who received rave reviews for his performance in the New York transfer of Hangmen, in the first UK production of Shepard's work since his death last summer. True West will play a limited season at the Vaudeville Theatre from Friday 23 November - Saturday 16 February (Press Night: Tuesday 4 December at 7:00pm).
Rehearsals begin yesterday for the world premiere of Martin McDonagh's A Very Very Very Dark Matter at the Bridge Theatre. The cast comprises Johnetta Eula'Mae Ackles, Alistair Benson, Elizabeth Berrington, Paul Bradley, Noah Brignull, Jim Broadbent, Phil Daniels, Regan Garcia, Leo Hart, Graeme Hawley, Audrey Hayhurst, Kundai Kanyama, Lee Knight, Jamie McKie, Ryan Pope, James Roberts, Alice Selwyn, Austin Taylor, Amelia Walter and Annabelle Westenholz-Smith including nine children who will alternate a variety of roles.
Shakespeare's Globe has announced the all-female cast for Morgan Lloyd Malcolm's new play Emilia, directed by Nicole Charles. The play charts the life of Emilia Bassano, the poet, mother and feminist who is thought to have inspired the 'Dark Lady' in Shakespeare's sonnets as well as the Emilia characters who appear in Othello, The Two Noble Kinsmen, The Winter's Tale and The Comedy of Errors. Emilia continues to thread her way through each of the plays in which she appears this summer season, excepting Emilia the Abbess in The Comedy of Errors.
Johnetta Eula'Mae Ackles, Elizabeth Berrington and Phil Daniels will join the previously announced Jim Broadbent in the world premiere of Martin McDonagh's A Very Very Very Dark Matter.
HOME in Manchester presents the world premiere production of The Fishermen, by Nottingham-based theatre company New Perspectives between Thursday 19 - Saturday 28 July 2018. The production then travels to the Edinburgh Festival, performing at the Assembly George Square Studios between Thursday 2 - Monday 27 August (not Mondays 13 & 20), and then touring to nine venues in England including the Arcola in London, Monday 17 - Saturday 22 September.
Kit Harington and Johnny Flynn are to star in the West End Premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner Sam Shepard's ferociously funny, modern classic, TRUE WEST. It will play a limited season at the Vaudeville Theatre from 23 November - 16 February. Book tickets here from £20!
The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2018 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this morning by Tony® Award winners Harriet Harris, Julie White and Tony® Award nominee Christopher Sieber at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online right here at BroadwayWorld.com.
The New York Drama Critics' Circle awards were presented at a private cocktail reception last night. Thursday, May 10. The award for best play carries a cash prize of $2,500. The prize is made possible by a grant from the Lucille Lortel Foundation. BroadwayWorld attended the big night and you can check out photos below!
Continuing our interview series of NT Live broadcasts, this month's focuses on Macbeth at the National Theatre.
Directed by Rufus Norris and featuring Rory Kinnear and Anne-Marie Duff, Macbeth will be broadcast live to cinemas across the UK and in selected international venues from Thursday 10 May.
Joshua Lacey and Sam Psyk share their thoughts ahead of the broadcast, one who'll be on stage on the night and one behind the scenes (and screen).
The New York Drama Critics' Circle today named Mary Jane by Amy Herzog best play of the 2017-18 season. Hangmen by Martin McDonagh was named best foreign play. No award was given for best musical. The selections were made at the organization's 83rd annual voting meeting.
