Menier Chocolate Factory News

Casting has been announced for Agatha, a bold new production based on real life events that combines spoken word, original music and dialogue to bring personal experience to the stage. 

Following a highly successful, sold-out season at Hall for Cornwall, where box office records were smashed, making it the biggest selling production in Hall for Cornwall’s 25-year history, the world premiere production of FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS: THE MUSICAL will begin a UK & Ireland Tour on 1 September 2022 at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.  

Following breaking box office records in Bath, Richmond, Chichester and Cambridge, Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Moss Empires have announced 2022 tour dates for The Nigel Havers Theatre Company production of Noel Coward’s PRIVATE LIVES. This is the inaugural show for The Nigel Havers Theatre Company, which will be touring the country with a line-up of theatrical gems. The UK Tour of PRIVATE LIVES will visit Theatre Royal Brighton from Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 April 2022.

Having had to shut down the production of Bruce Norris' seminal play Clybourne Park at final dress rehearsal in March 2020, Trish Wadley Productions and David Adkin, in association with Park Theatre, have announced that the production, originally planned for the play's 10th anniversary year, will open at the venue in March.

Classic Stage Company has announced that Danny Wolohan will replace Andy Grotelueschen as Samuel Byck in the company’s sold-out production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins, directed by CSC Artistic Director John Doyle. 

Hannah Waddingham joined Michael Bublé for a performance of 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' on his recent Christmas in the City NBC special. Michael Bublé's Christmas in the City presented a mix of comedy, music and, the spirit of Christmas, all from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Bublé's Christmas album.

Classic Stage Company has added a performance to its sold-out production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins to benefit The Actors Fund, on Sunday, January 9, 2022, at 2pm ET. Tickets, priced at $125 each, will become available to In the Spotlight members of The Actors Fund on Tuesday, December 21, at 12pm ET.

Hampstead Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Florian Zeller's new play, The Forest. Running from 5 February until 12 March 2022, The Forest is translated by Zeller's long-time collaborator Christopher Hampton, and directed by Jonathan Kent, who re-unites with Zeller after his critically acclaimed production of The Height of the Storm.

Ria Jones is known for her roles in musicals, most recently Sunset Boulevard at Leicester Curve and Gypsy at Royal Exchange, Manchester. She now makes her straight play debut in the Menier Chocolate Factory’s revival of Alan Bennett’s Habeas Corpus. We spoke with Jones about the show.

It's good to hear collective laughter again in a theatre, but the dated characters grate rather than charm, and fewer jokes land in 2020s than in the 1970s.

Hannah Waddingham sat down with James Corden last night to discuss her Emmy-winning turn as Rebecca in Apple's hit comedy series, Ted Lasso. She also spoke about her extensive West End theatre career, bringing up a story when she had performed as Lady of the Lake in Spamplot with a mouse in her dress.

Gina Naomi Baez & Christina Bianco have released a cozy, christmas music video for their recent holiday release 'Silent Night'.  The stunning video brings the strong vocals and arrangement to another level, highlighting the well-loved classic Baez put her magical stamp on. 

Classic Stage Company will join the New York theater community by dimming its marquee and lobby lights in honor of Stephen Sondheim this Wednesday at 6:30pm, just prior to the evening performance of CSC’s current production of Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins.

Meet the cast of the North American premiere of Leopoldstadt, the newest play by Tom Stoppard, directed by Patrick Marber. This Sonia Friedman Production comes to Toronto after a much lauded and sold-out engagement at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre.

Royal Family Productions will present a workshop production of MAMA ROSE. This piece is written and stars Richard E. Waits (A Turtle on a Fence Post, RFP: Worth St.), with direction by Royal Family Creative Director Lorna Ventura and Royal Family Artistic Director Chris Henry. 

In the wake of Stephen Sondheim's passing, there has been an outpouring of grief from the Broadway community and beyond. Read them all here.

Classic Stage Company will present a new live installment of its popular series Classic Conversations in connection with its recently extended, wildly sold-out production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins, directed by CSC’s Tony Award-winning artistic director, John Doyle.

Cynthia Erivo will step into the judging panel following Craig Revel Horwood’s COVID-19 diagnosis. Erivo will join judges Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, and head judge Shirley Balla on Saturday and Sunday night.

The Forest by Florian Zeller, translated by Christopher Hampton, with direction by Jonathan Kent, will run from 4 February until 12 March. The Fever Syndrome by Alexis Zegerman, directed by Hampstead Theatre's Artistic Director, Roxana Silbert, will run from 18 March until 23 April. The Fellowship by Roy Williams, directed by Paulette Randall, will run from 17 June until 23 July.

Classic Stage Company today announced that it has added three weeks of performances to its highly anticipated production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins, directed by CSC’s Tony Award-winning artistic director, John Doyle.