Rae Smith News

A village. A dragon. A damsel in distress.

Rehearsals began this week for the 34-strong cast of a major tour UK tour of the National Theatre's internationally acclaimed production of War Horse, which begins performances on 15 September 2017 (with press night on 3 October) at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury and continues on a 15 city tour until February 2019. Scroll down for photos of the cast at their first day of rehearsals!

BARBER SHOP CHRONICLES, a new play by Inua Ellams, just finished a run at the National Theatre through 8 July 2017, in a co-production with Fuel and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

James Graham's critically acclaimed and prescient political drama THIS HOUSE which played to sold-out houses at the National Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End will begin its first ever national tour at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds.

Talks and events relating to Angels in America will begin with writer Tony Kushner, who will discuss the plays and his work in conversation with Ola Animashawun on 30 June. Andrew Garfield, who plays Prior Walter, and Denise Gough, who plays Harper Pitt, will then discuss their experiences of performing in the show in a talk chaired by Kate Bassett as well as award-winning director Marianne Elliot who will reflect on directing the show in conversation with Susannah Clapp, both on 3 July.

Marianne Elliott, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning director of the National Theatre's hugely successful productions of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and War Horse and producer Chris Harper's newly formed theatre company, Elliott & Harper Productions, announced the UK premiere of their first West End show today:  Simon Stephens' Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle. 

Further to a hugely successful opening at the Dorfman Theatre on June 7th, Kate McGrath at Fuel today is delighted to confirm that Barber Shop Chronicles will return to the National Theatre as part of its autumn season which was announced this morning. Dates will be announced in due course.

National Theatre has announced today the new season for June 2017 - January 2018. Take a look at the shows coming to the theatre!

As eavesdropping opportunities go, the barber shop has everything a playwright could desire: a constant stream of close encounters and a broad range of people willing to sit still and talk. That talk feeds directly into Inua Ellams' new play for the National, which follows a day in the life of male grooming parlours across six world cities: London, Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos and Accra.

The Houston Ballet brings one of the most theatrical of the Bard's plays to life in a lavish production by choreographer David Bintley. No expense was spared; no stop un-pulled in this story of love, revenge, magic, and complicated skullduggery that this play provides in abundance. Or maybe overabundance.

From tonight, May 25, through June 4, Houston Ballet presents the North American Premiere of David Bintley's magical ballet, The Tempest. In celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, Mr. Bintley has created a fantastical production based on The Bard's well-known play. Scroll down for a look at the dancers in action!

Audiences have just over three weeks left to see this provocative and controversial box office hit production led by Damian Lewis and Sophie Okonedo, directed by Ian Rickson. The final performance of the strictly limited 12 week run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket will be held on 24 June.

The National Theatre's today (17 May 2017 ) announced the 34 strong cast for its acclaimed production of War Horse which begins a major tour of the UK on 15 September 2017.

From May 25 - June 4, Houston Ballet presents the North American Premiere of David Bintley's magical ballet, The Tempest. In celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, Mr. Bintley has created a fantastical production based on The Bard's well-known play.

Casting is today announced for Girl from the North Country which previews from Monday 10 July 2017 with a press night on Wednesday 26 July 2017.

THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA?, Albee's darkly comic play about a family in crisis, runs for a strictly limited 12-week season at the Theatre Royal Haymarket until 24 June. Book tickets now from £45

The Linbury Prize is the UK's most prestigious award for Stage Design, providing a unique opportunity for graduating designers to work with some of the UK's leading theatre, opera and dance companies.

The late, great Edward Albee is certainly having a West End 'moment', but it rather places this particular revival at a disadvantage, comparing unfavourably as it does with the shattering, unforgettable Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? a few streets away.

National Theatre has just announced its newest season line-up. Check out what's coming below!

Production images for Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? are released today, ahead of the production's official opening night on Wednesday 5 April.