Samuel Beckett News

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether West End epics or bold fringe offerings. From starry Sondheim to political plays and a new Florian Zeller, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews...

For its fifth year of offering Portland plays by contemporary Irish playwrights, Corrib Theatre brings these three gripping, politically relevant works: Belfast Girls by Jaki McCarrick, Lifeboat by Nicola McCartney and Quietly by Owen McCafferty.

Cherry Lane Theatre's Founding Artistic Director Angelina Fiordellisi will step down as Artistic Director of Cherry Lane, where she has been developing, producing and creating new programs for playwrights, and has been a driving force since she acquired the legendary Off-Broadway theatre 21 years ago.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Dzieci Theatre will present a 5-week run of their most adventurous work, MAKBET, a Gypsy-infused take on Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter and Edward Albee are Theatre of the Absurd playwrights. Unlike modern-movement writers like Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and William Inge, who wrote realistic plays which included solutions to problems or resolved situations, the Absurdists based their plays on Existentialism, asking, 'Why do we exist?' but giving no answers. Their writings are full of questions to ponder and probe.

Irish Arts Center (IAC), the organization dedicated to projecting a dynamic vision of Ireland and Irish America for the 21st century, will present New Yorkers with an equally dynamic vision of the work, life, and themes of Samuel Beckett.

Building on the critical success of his 2011 production of Harold Pinter's Old Times, STC Artistic Director Michael Kahn will return to the British playwright's gripping realm of doubt and disquiet to direct a double bill of short plays. The Lover and The Collection will run from September 26-October 29 at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th Street NW).

The american vicarious will present the world premiere of Thomas Klingenstein's If Only. This limited Off-Broadway engagement will begin performances tonight, Saturday August 19th and continue through September 17th only, at the Cherry Lane Theater (38 Commerce Street, off Seventh Avenue, one block south of Bleecker Street).  The performance runs 80 minutes.

the american vicarious will present the world premiere of Thomas Klingenstein's If Only. Christopher McElroen will direct a cast that features Melissa Gilbert, Mark Kenneth Smaltz, Richmond Hoxie, and Korinne Tetlow.

Theater for the New City (TNC), under the artistic direction of Crystal Field, is thrilled to announce that The House of Charity, a new play from filmmaker and theater director Andre Faud Degas, will make its world premiere as part of Theater for the New City's eighth annual Dream Up Festival.

Irish Arts Center (IAC), the arts and cultural center dedicated to projecting a dynamic image of Ireland and Irish America for the 21st century, has announced its fall 2017 season. The lineup epitomizes IAC's commitment to building community with a diversity of arts institutions, artists and audiences - in New York, across America, and abroad.

There's something for everyone at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre this autumn and winter with shows ranging from festive family entertainment to political drama, and including music and dance.

LLMoves is a NYC-based company focused on integrating dance with fashion, film, photography, visual arts, technology, and music in unique collaborations.

On the heels of winning its second Ross Wetzsteon Award for Sustained Excellence at the 2017 OBIE Awards, Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA; Jeffrey Horowitz, Founding Artistic Director) have just announced its 2017-18 season.

The 'Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival' has been around for 42 years, and during that time over 500 theatre companies and schools have participated. Applicants have included companies from across the country as well as abroad from Canada, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. 'Singularity' by playwright Alex Flanigan will be performing on the festival's first day, August 8th at 6:30 pm.

Comedians Edward Aczel, Eshaan Akbar, Dan Antopolski, Mitch Benn, Markus Birdman, Jason Byrne, Keith Farnan, Stuart Goldsmith, Darren Hariott, Pete Johansson, Tony Law, Andrew Maxwell, Simon Munnery, Andrew O'Neill and Mark Watson will be performing MANWATCHING at Paines Plough's ROUNDABOUT @ SUMMERHALL at Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Fresh off its recent IRNE wins, Hub Theatre Company of Boston will continue its fifth season with the hilarious theatrical romp Waiting for Waiting for Godot by Dave Hanson Friday, July 14 through Today, July 29 at Club Cafe, 209 Columbus Avenue in Boston's Back Bay. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Today at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm.

Virginia's Signature Theatre opens its doors for its annual Open House on Sunday, August 6, for an all-day extravaganza full of live performances and arts events across six different stages.

This week Tobacco Factory Theatres launches its most ambitious ever season of productions for Aug - Dec 2017, including five in-house productions throughout the autumn and at Christmas. In addition, the theatre announces a new chapter in its history: the creation of the Factory Company which will perform two electrifying plays between February and May 2018.