Sean Holmes News

Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream seems to be this season's go-to comedy and, from Nicholas Hytner's lightly immersive offering at the Bridge Theatre to the smaller productions dotted around London, it's delighting audiences young and old.

Shakespeare's Globe has announced the full cast for William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Sean Holmes. Sean joined the Globe as Associate Artistic Director after almost a decade as Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare's evergreen comedy of chaos and order, opens on Friday 28 June in The Globe Theatre. Bottom will be played by Jocelyn Jee Esien, returning to the Globe following her titular role of Dr Faustus.

It's the end of an era at the Lyric Hammersmith, as it is Sean Holmes' final season as artistic director - but it has begun in terrific style with the premiere of a new play with music, written by Matt Jones and Bloc Party singer-songwriter Kele Okereke. It is directed by Southpaw Dance Company's artistic director Robby Graham, and stars Tyrone Huntley and Billy Cullum as Obi and Alex, a gay couple contemplating marriage whilst battling secrets from their pasts.

Shakespeare's Globe is delighted to announce the Summer Season 2019. Celebrating and interrogating our 'sceptred isle' through Shakespeare's history plays, a year-long journey begins with Richard II, opening 22 February in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, continuing into the Globe Theatre this summer with Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V. The season also includes A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, and the return of 2018's As You Like It. Robin Hood tales will form the core of the Read Not Dead series this year, and festivals throughout the summer include Women & Power and Poland is Hamlet. This year's Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank production will be Romeo and Juliet, opening on 28 February, with 20,000 free tickets available to state secondary schools. The Shakespeare's Globe Touring Ensemble will once again present a trio of plays for the audience to choose from: The Comedy of Errors, Pericles, and Twelfth Night.

Shakespeare's Globe has announced casting for the Winter Season 2018, its plans for a year-long cycle of history plays from February 2019, and Globe Associates, to include Sean Holmes, who is to become Associate Artistic Director.

Lisa Burger, Chair of the Lyric Hammersmith and Sian Alexander, Executive Director of the Lyric Hammersmith are delighted to announce the appointment of Rachel O'Riordan as the theatre's new Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive.

Today the Lyric Hammersmith announces its Spring 2019 season, the final productions programmed by outgoing Artistic Director Sean Holmes. The season celebrates Holmes' tenure - bringing back one of his most successful shows, reflecting the Lyric's partnerships with the UK's leading theatre companies, and embodying a reputation for daring new work alongside a commitment to nurturing the creativity of young people.

The Lyric Hammersmith's Board of Directors has appointed four new trustees Sade Brown, Liz Elston Mayhew, Julie Molloy and David Sharkey and following local elections this year welcomes three new LBHF councillors, Cllr Jonathan Caleb-Landy, Cllr Bora Kwon and Cllr Patricia Quigley.

The Lyric Hammersmith and one of the UK's leading performing arts schools, ArtsEd, are proud to announce the launch of a new bursary scheme on the Foundation Acting course at ArtsEd. This bursary, funded by ArtsEd, will allow one Young Lyric member to complete the 10-month Foundation course starting in September 2018.

The Lyric Ensemble, which was established in September 2017, premieres their newly devised play Abandon from 20 - 30 June at the Lyric Hammersmith.

The New York Philharmonic announces Foreign Bodies, a one-night-only multidisciplinary event conducted and hosted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, concluding his tenure as The Marie-Jos e Kravis Composer-in-Residence. The concert, Friday, June 8, 2018, at 8:00 p.m., will feature Esa-Pekka Salonen's Foreign Bodies, accompanied by the World Premiere of a live video installation by Tal Rosner; Dan el Bjarnason's Violin Concerto, with Pekka Kuusisto in his New York Philharmonic debut; and Obsidian Tear, a dance work choreographed by Wayne McGregor performed by members of the Boston Ballet (Philharmonic debut) and set to Mr. Salonen's Nyx and Lachen verlernt. Foreign Bodies will be casual and multi-sensory; drinks and conversation will flow as attendees mingle with the performers, who will give additional impromptu performances throughout the event.

The Lyric Hammersmith today announces that Sean Holmes will step down in October 2018, after almost a decade as Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive. Sean joined the Lyric in January 2009.

This riotous reinterpretation of one of Shakespeare's best loved plays is given a unique and irreverent twist and features original live music. Following the production's hugely successful run at both the Lyric Hammersmith and Royal Exchange Manchester in 2012, the production was revived in 2016 at the Lyric and then toured to Brisbane Festival and Dublin Theatre Festival. This new tour will visit Hull, Clwyd, Southampton, Exeter, Oxford, Doncaster and Cambridge.

A young girl in a football tee steps on stage and begins to sing a melodic tune. Her voice is angelic, lulling you into a fall sense of comfort - until she begins to choke on herself, coughing up copious amounts of blood.

Following a sell-out season at the Abbey Theatre as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations of the 1916 Easter Rising, as well as a successful Irish and US tour, The Plough and the Stars comes to the Lyric Hammersmith as a co-production with the Abbey Theatre.

The Lyric Hammersmith is pleased to announce that Mimi Poskitt has been appointed Senior Producer at the theatre from Monday 30 April 2018. Mimi joins the Lyric from West Yorkshire Playhouse where she has been Senior Producer for the past three years. She has previously worked as a freelance producer and founded the multi award winning theatre company, Look Left Look Right.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams to a new epic and a lush romance, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld reviews, interviews and features!

The Lyric Hammersmith and Filter's critically acclaimed production of A Midsummer Night's Dream today announces the casting for the UK tour, which opens at the Lyric Hammersmith on Friday 13 April 2018. The cast and band includes Allyson Ava-Brown, George Fouracres, Daniel Fraser, David Ganly, Harry Jardine, Matt King Smith, Amy Marchant, Kayla Meikle, Alan Pagan, Michael Palmer and Dharmesh Patel.

Following a sell-out season at the Abbey Theatre as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations of the 1916 Easter Rising, as well as a successful Irish and US tour, The Plough and the Stars comes to the Lyric Hammersmith as a co-production with the Abbey Theatre.

London Theatre Consortium (LTC) have organised a symposium to address the challenge of the current national curriculum syllabi focusing on representation and diversity in the classroom and improving career pathways into the performing arts. The LTC Creative Learning Symposium; A Future Curriculum for Drama Education will be held on Monday 5th February, 5.30pm - 8.30pm at the Lyric Hammersmith.