Peter Mumford News

A year after its first run, Caryl Churchill's Escaped Alone returns to the Royal Court Theatre. This rather strange play is split between garden chit-chat and apocalyptic horrors, though directly juxtaposing or linking Churchill's two worlds seems naively simplistic. Its dual settings do lead to an odd overall effect; while individual moments shine, the piece as a whole seems stilted.

It's that time of the year again, when the flu season gives artistic administrators big headaches, trying to fill in the blanks when a headliner calls in sick. CARMEN's been a particular headache, with mezzo Sophie Koch out of action in the title role after rehearsals had started. Luckily, Clementine Margaine--scheduled for the second cast--was able to step into her flamenco shoes for the first night--and all to follow--doing a bang-up job.

Natalie Casey will join the previously announced Amanda Holden, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tamzin Outhwaite and Nicola Stephenson in heart-warming comedy Stepping Out when it opens in London this Spring.

BAM presents the acclaimed Royal Court Theatre production of Caryl Churchill's Escaped Alone in its US premiere, running February 15-26, 2017.

The much-anticipated musical version of KING KONG has lost a member of its creative team, according to the New York Times. Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman is no longer attached to the project.

Following a sell-out run at the Royal Court Theatre in 2016, BAM Harvey Theater and the Royal Court Theatre are delighted to announce that James Macdonald's production of Caryl Churchill's Escaped Alone will transfer to New York for a strictly limited run.

In a production commissioned by the Finborough Theatre, the world premiere of Trident Moon by multi-award-winning Canadian playwright Anusree Roy in her UK debut runs at the Finborough Theatre, playing Sunday and Monday evenings and Monday and Tuesday matinees from Sunday, 9 October 2016. 

Hampstead Theatre presents Michael Frayn's Wild Honey, directed by Hampstead's Associate Artist Howard Davies. Geoffrey Streatfeild will make his Hampstead Theatre debut in the role of Platonov.

Amanda Holden, Angela Griffin, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tamzin Outhwaite and Nicola Stephenson will be Stepping Out in the West End when Richard Harris's award-winning comedy opens at London's Vaudeville Theatre with preview performances from 1 March 2017 and opening night for press on 14 March 2017.

Francesca Annis, Ron Cook and Deborah Findlay have been cast in Lucy Kirkwood's new play The Children which runs in the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs 17 November 2016 - 14 January 2017 with Press Night on Thursday 24 November. Directed by James Macdonald. With design by Miriam Buether and lighting design by Peter Mumford. "At our time of life, we simply cannot deal with this shit." 

In a production commissioned by the Finborough Theatre, the world premiere of Trident Moon by multi-award-winning Canadian playwright Anusree Roy in her UK debut runs at the Finborough Theatre, playing Sunday and Monday evenings and Monday and Tuesday matinees from Sunday, 9 October 2016. 

Hampstead Theatre today announces that its acclaimed production of Wild will be streamed worldwide, free, and live on its final night, Saturday 23 July at 7.30pm GMT, in association with The Guardian.

After a sell-out run in 2016 at the Royal Court Theatre, Caryl Churchill's critically acclaimed new play Escaped Alone will return to the Royal Court for a two week run Wednesday 25 January - Saturday 11 February 2017 and will then tour to The Lowry, Salford Quays Tuesday 7 - Saturday 11 March 2017, Cambridge Arts Theatre Tuesday 14 - Saturday 18 March and Bristol Old Vic Wednesday 22 - Sunday 26 March 2017.

World-famous sculptor Anish Kapoor will design the sets for ENO's unmissable new production of Tristan and Isolde. Directed by Daniel Kramer and conducted by former ENO Music Director Edward Gardner, Tristan and Isolde is one of the most hotly-anticipated arts events of 2016.  

MADAMA BUTTERFLY was never my favorite Puccini until the current production conceived by Anthony Minghella. Before, Butterfly always seemed too submissive, Pinkerton too brutish and their child, well, too cute. Now—particularly with the current cast, headed by the magnificent Kristine Opolais as the young geisha and the dashing Roberto Alagna as the clueless Pinkerton, her American husband--seemed to put my past reservations to rest. The result was a magnificent performance, from beginning to end.

?Northern Ballet returns to the Lyceum Theatre this spring with modern classic Swan Lake from Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 March.  A modern take on a beautifully tragic tale of love and obsession, Swan Lake, choreographed by David Nixon OBE, is told through the Company's unique blend of classical ballet and drama

KING KONG is one giant stomp closer to conquering New York City. BroadwayWorld is excited to report that an industry reading of the new musical took place today, February 19, at Baryshnikov Arts Center, starring Robert Creighton (Benny), Lora Lee Gayer (Ann Darrow), Marc Kudisch (Carl Denham) and Euan Morton (Jack Driscoll). And to add to the excitement, Tony nominee Joshua Bergasse has also joined the production as choreographer.

Take one part “Casablanca,” a taste of Bernstein's CANDIDE, some Alfred Hitchcock and you get Sir Richard Eyre's film noir concept for the Met's new MANON LESCAUT, now set in France in the 1940s, complete with Nazis. Tack on that behind-the-scenes drama of “Roberto Alagna to the rescue”--when tenor Jonas Kaufmann cancelled at the last minute--and add the visual and vocal glamour of soprano Kristine Opolais and you have, well, a messy-but-enjoyable evening at the opera.

The Met's new production of Puccini's MANON LESCAUT opens February 12 with Kristine Opolais as the seductive, tragic heroine and Roberto Alagna in a role debut as her ardent lover, the Chevalier des Grieux.