Nick Hern News

Today, Tuesday 15th October 2019, the Royal Exchange Theatre and Bruntwood announce the shortlist for the prestigious Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. The Prize a?" the largest for playwriting in Europe a?" seeks scripts from established, emerging and debut writers to develop for the stage, in association with the Royal Exchange Theatre's creative team.

Following a critically-acclaimed sell-out run, the King's Head Theatre, Making Productions and RGM Productions are delighted to announce the smash-hit play, Coming Clean by Kevin Elyot will return to Trafalgar Studios 2. Adam Spreadbury-Maher, Artistic Director of the King's Head Theatre, will direct the production, which will run for a strictly limited four week season from 8 January to 1 February 2020, with a national press night on Friday 10 January 2020.

Papatango today announces the full cast for the world première of Samuel Bailey's Shook a?" this year's winner of the annual Papatango New Writing Prize. The company's Artistic Director George Turvey directs Josef Davies (Jonjo), Josh Finan (Cain), Andrea Hall (Grace), and Ivan Oyik (Riyad).

Leading theatre publishers Nick Hern Books are to publish three new releases by world-renowned theatre-maker Peter Brook, described by the Independent as 'our greatest living theatre director'.

Theatre503 presents the world premiere of Out of Sorts, winner of the 2018 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award 2018. Written by actor, writer, singer Danusia Samal, this brilliantly insightful and irreverent play takes on what identity means in the modern world. Directed by Tanuja Amarasuriya, the cast is Nalân Burgess, Emma Denly, Myriam Acharki, Oznur Cifci, Claudius Peters and Nayef Rashed.

Papatango today announces the creative team for the world première of Samuel Bailey's Shook a?" this year's winner of the annual Papatango New Writing Prize. The company's Artistic Director George Turvey directs, with set and costume design by Jasmine Swan, lighting design by Johanna Town, and sound design by Richard Hammarton. The production opens on 1 November at Southwark Playhouse, with previews from 30 October, and runs until 23 November 2019. Following the run at Southwark Playhouse, the production tours to Hope Street Theatre, Liverpool (26 November), Theatr Clwyd (27 - 28 November), Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough (30 November) and Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (4 - 7 December).

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is big business. She's a TV superstar, both comedy (Fleabag) and drama (Killing Eve); a Star Wars standout; and, in theory, the feminist saviour of James Bond. But never mind all that. Theatre needs her back.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge was a guest on Wednesday night's episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. During the interview,  Waller-Bridge and Jimmy play 'Think Fast.' The game involves the duo taking turns asking each other random questions and immediately answering them with the first things that pop into their heads before time runs out.

Leading theatre publisher Nick Hern Books is to release a new edition of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's award-winning play Fleabag a?' the inspiration for the international hit TV series of the same name a?' alongside the show's upcoming West End run at Wyndham's Theatre, London.

It's St George's Day, the day of the Flintock Fair and the day officials from Kennet and Avon Council arrive to evict Johnny 'Rooster' Byron for good. But the local charismatic hell-raiser has other plans.

Less than a month after the conclusion of its critically acclaimed run in London's West End, performing rights agents Nick Hern Books have today announced that hit play Emilia by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm is immediately available for performance by educational institutions.

It's St George's Day, the day of the Flintock Fair and the day officials from Kennet and Avon Council arrive to evict Johnny 'Rooster' Byron for good. But the local charismatic hell-raiser has other plans.

The Trustees of the JMK Trust today announce that Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu wins the 2019 JMK Award, this year in a new partnership with the Orange Tree Theatre, with his production of Arinze Kene's Little Baby Jesus forming a core part of the theatre's annual programming.

Troupe today announces full cast for the The Sweet Science of Bruising by Joy Wilkinson which transfers to Wilton's Music Hall, following its sold-out run at Southwark Playhouse last year. Kirsty Patrick Ward directs Owen Brenman (Professor Charlie Sharp), Celeste Dodwell (Violet Hunter), Jane How (Aunt George), Tom Lorcan (Paul Stokes), Emma McDonald (Anna Lamb) and Wilf Scolding (Gabriel Lamb) alongside returning cast, Ashley Cook (Doctor James Bell), Alice Kerrigan (Emily), Jessica Regan (Matilda 'Matty' Blackwell) and Fiona Skinner (Polly Stokes). The production opens at Wilton's Music Hall on 7 June, with previews from 5 June, and runs until 29 June.

'Playwriting' feels like a love letter to theatre and the craft of writing for the stage. It echoes encouragement to new, emerging and struggling playwrights and exudes an unexpectedly paternal affection to the reader.

Recipients of the third annual Tonic Awards were announced tonight at an awards ceremony held at The May Fair Hotel hosted by Tracy Ann Oberman. The awards celebrate the achievements of game-changing women, significant organisations, projects and productions that redefine the role of women in the performing arts, both on and off stage. The recipients of this year's awards are: Jude Kelly CBE, Alison Tickell, Open Clasp Theatre Company, Paula Garfield, Elliott & Harper Productions for Company, Shakespeare's Globe's production of Emilia, The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and Dance Umbrella.

The Tank (Meghan Finn and Rosalind Grush, Artistic Directors) will present the New York Premiere of The Tallest Man in the World by Ailis Ni Riain (Desolate Heaven with Theatre503 in London), directed by Ran Xia (Independent Study at The Tank), at The Tank (312 West 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues), March 6-17.

Troupe today announces the transfer of the Off West End Award-nominated The Sweet Science of Bruising to Wilton's Music Hall, following its sold-out run at Southwark Playhouse last year. As a Victorian music hall, Wilton's offers a new authenticity to the play which follows four female boxers in 1869. The production opens on 7 June, with previews from 5 June, and runs until 29 June.

Leading specialist theatre publisher Nick Hern Books is to publish the script of the acclaimed gender-swapped version of Company by Stephen Sondheim and Goerge Furth, alongside the current West End production.

On January 10, Theatre publisher Nick Hern Books will release an updated version of the libretto for Company. This edition features the complete revised book from the current gender-swapped West End version of the show, color production photographs, and an introduction by Sondheim's biographer David Benedict.