Nicholas Hytner News

NATIONAL THEATRE: JANUARY - MARCH 2010 Simon Russell Beale and Fiona Shaw lead the cast of Boucicault's LONDON ASSURANCE, directed by Nicholas Hytner in the Olivier

As part of the Wilton Music Hall's 150 Anniversary celebration, internationally celebrated actress Fiona Shaw will reprise her acclaimed performance in TS Eliot's The Waste Land in a limited engagement performance at the venue from December 30, 2009 to January 10, 2010 at the venue.

Stage and screen star Helen Mirren has joined the cast of the upcoming thriller 'Red', Variety reports. Already announced for the cast are Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis. Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Gregory Noveck, and Mark Vahradian, 'Red' is written by Erich and Joe Hoeber and directed by Robert Schwentke. Shooting is set to begin January 2010 with an expected release date of November 19th, 2010.

Glyndebourne on Tour booking opens -Robin Ticciati's final season as Music Director Now in its 41st year, Glyndebourne on Tour (GOT) presents three productions for its 2009 touring programme. Booking is now open.

People's Light & Theatre Company kicks off their 35th Anniversary Season with the American Premiere of NATHAN THE WISE translated by Edward Kemp from the play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. NATHAN THE WISE runs from September 16 - October 11, 2009, on the Main Stage. Artistic Director Abigail Adams directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern.

The National Theatre in the U.K. is reporting that actor Richard Griffiths will replace Michael Gambon in the thier production of Alan Bennett's The Habit of Art. Griffiths will be taking over the role of poet WH Auden opposite Alex Jennings as Benjamin Britten. Michael Gambon is said to be withdrawing from the production due to health reasons. The Nicholas Hytner-directed production is slated to begin previews on November 5.

Dame Helen Mirren, the Best Actress Oscar winner for her portrayal of England's Queen Elizabeth in the hit film 'The Queen,' portrays the tragic Queen Phedre in the acclaimed production of the Greek tragedy PHEDRE, making its only U.S. stage appearance now through September 26, 2009 at the Shakespeare Theatre Company (610 F. St. NW) in Washington, DC.

The Guthrie announced today that it will continue its participation in the pilot season of NT Live - an initiative by the UK's National Theatre to broadcast high-definition performances of its plays to more than 300 venues worldwide - with screenings of Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well (October 24 and 25 at 1 p.m.), Mark Ravenhill's exhilarating adaptation of Terry Pratchett's witty adventure story Nation (February 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m.) and Alan Bennett's new play The Habit of Art (May 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m.).

The National Theatre could quite possibly be the only institution not suffering from the residue of last year's economic setback. They report 817,000 paid attendances for the 25 productions (17 of which were original) that ran throughout the 2008-2009 the financial year. This figure marks the highest total attendance in the last seven years, at 93 percent of capacity for a total of 1,106 performances.

Select productions for London's National Theatre's 2010 season have been announced.

People's Light & Theatre Company kicks off their 35th Anniversary Season with the American Premiere of NATHAN THE WISE translated by Edward Kemp from the play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. NATHAN THE WISE runs from September 16 - October 11, 2009, on the Main Stage. Artistic Director Abigail Adams directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern.

Shakespeare's ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, in a highly acclaimed production by Marianne Elliott, will be filmed live at the National Theatre in London on 1st October and broadcast by satellite to cinemas worldwide. All?s Well is the second play in the pilot season of NT Live, the National?s ground-breaking initiative which launched in June with the hugely successful broadcast of Phèdre with Helen Mirren, which was seen by 50,000 people in 19 countries around the globe. ALL'S WELL will be the first play broadcast from the largest of the National's three theatres, the Olivier, with its fan-shaped auditorium and open stage.

Peter Gallagher has been announced to co-star in a new pilot for USA Network, Covert Affairs. The show centers on Annie Walker (Piper Perabo), a multilingual CIA trainee who joins the agency while reeling over a mysterious ex-boyfriend who appears to be of particular interest to her bosses. Gallagher will play CIA director Arthur Campbell, a regal man and former Naval officer who loves a good fight, great Scotch and a filthy joke.

The American Theatre Wing has announced that Tony Award-nominee Brian d'Arcy James (currently playing the title role in Shrek), is the next guest on their popular interview show, 'Downstage Center.' Hosted by American Theatre Wing Executive Director Howard Sherman, 'Downstage Center' features weekly in-depth interviews with the leading artists and professionals working on stage today.

People's Light & Theatre Company kicks off their 35th Anniversary Season with the American Premiere of NATHAN THE WISE translated by Edward Kemp from the play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. NATHAN THE WISE runs from September 16 - October 11, 2009, on the Main Stage. Artistic Director Abigail Adams directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern.

Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. announces a one-week extension -- now through July 26 -- of its critically-acclaimed production of William Shakespeare's KING LEAR, starring Stacy Keach in the title role, directed by Robert Falls.

Direct from the stage of the National Theatre in London, Academy-Award winner HELEN MIRREN in PHEDRE. Adapted by TED HUGHES from the play by JEAN RACINE

Direct from the stage of the National Theatre in London, Academy-Award winner HELEN MIRREN in PHEDRE. Adapted by TED HUGHES from the play by JEAN RACINE

The National's sell-out production of Nick Stafford's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's book transferred to the West End in March this year where it has been playing to packed houses ever since. Last week, just 12 weeks after its opening at the New London Theatre, War Horse recouped its transfer costs, having had a record breaking week of sales in May of over £330,000.

There was a sense of communal bonding at Steppenwolf's Downstairs space on its usually dark Monday evening. Steppenwolf Theatre Company was lucky enough to air the recent simulcast of National Theatre's production of Racine's 'Phedre' to a sold-out crowd of Greek tragedy (and British theatre) enthusiasts.