Simon Russell Beale News

Like a sad, lonely island, depleted of its bounty, a single floor of the offices of Lehman Brothers is revealed, isolated, lofted above the endless business of a bustling Manhattan. It is empty, save for the boxes of files stacked on top of each other after declaring bankruptcy in 2008 and the memory of three brothers who founded the company 158 years earlier and their descendants who kept it thriving as a global investment bank.

West End hit The Lehman Trilogy is currently making its North American debut at the Park Avenue Armory. 

National Theatre has announced its listings for May - October 2019. Check out the full lineup below!

Today (Tuesday 5 March), actors Sheila Atim and Giles Terera announced the nominations for the Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard, which takes place on Sunday 7 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jason Manford.

On March 9th, Third Rail Repertory Theatre will screen The Tragedy of King Richard the Second and Antony & Cleopatra at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland. The performances were live-captured at London's National Theatre and will be screened in high-definition as part of Third Rail's National Theatre Live program, which brings the best of London Theatre to Portland audiences. 

The Tragedy of King Richard II is currently being broadcast live to cinemas from the Almeida Theatre in London as part of National Theatre Live. See an exclusive clip from the film below!

In March 2019, Park Avenue Armory - in collaboration with the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions - will present the North American premiere of The Lehman Trilogy. Told in three parts in a single evening, the production will unfold in the soaring 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall from March 22 through April 20, 2019 in a strictly limited engagement. Directed by Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy weaves through nearly two centuries of Lehman lineage, following the brothers Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer Lehman from their 1844 arrival in New York City to the 2008 collapse of the financial firm bearing their name. Adam Godley, Ben Miles, and Simon Russell Beale play the Lehman brothers, and a cast of characters including their sons and grandsons. As the inaugural production of the 2019 season, The Lehman Trilogy builds on the Armory's history of presenting bold and engaging theater productions that explore the unexpected possibilities of the cross-genre cultural institution.

The Hammer Theatre Center continues to bring thrilling cultural performances, world-class theatre, and fun-filled family acts to downtown San Jose as it announces an impressive line-up of events for spring 2019.

The National Theatre has announced its upcoming lineup for the first half of 2019.

In Spring 2019, the internationally renowned, Boston-based, early music champion, the Handel and Haydn Society, returns to New York City for two stunning concerts. These performances, housed in two of New York City's most unique and celebrated concert venues, reflect the Handel and Haydn Society's impeccable consideration for historically-informed concert traditions, immaculate expression of the Renaissance and Baroque philosophies, and characteristic taste and precision of artistry. Under its esteemed artistic director of a decade, Harry Christophers, the 204-year-old ensemble brings the fiercely emotive early opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell to the spectacular Temple of Dendur setting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Sackler Wing, as well as an all-Vivaldi recital including works for soprano, violin, and viola d'amore at the Morgan Library.

The Tragedy of King Richard the Second marks the Almeida's first National Theatre Live, broadcasting to audiences around the world on 15 January. We spoke to actor Leo Bill and caught up with Camera Director Tony Grech-Smith, to find out how those onstage and those behind the scenes (and screens) prepare.

'Forget, forgive, conclude and be agreed...' Sure, the Almeida's The Tragedy of King Richard the Second is one you won't soon forget, thanks to stand out performances from Simon Russell Beale and Leo Bill. Even staunch devotees of the original text will be able to forgive Jeff James' edit, which lifts and drives the piece. But to conclude: it's unlikely that all will agree on Joe Hill-Gibbins' chaotic and sometimes polarizing vision.

Discussing how relevant the play is to not only our time but this very week, Saskia Reeves also shares the joys of working on Shakespeare with Declan Donnellan and Joe Hill-Gibbins, 'directors who have real imagination and love the text and storytelling'.

Simon Russell Beale returns to National Theatre Live screens following broadcasts of Timon of Athens and King Lear, and his recent role in the National Theatre's critically acclaimed production of The Lehman Trilogy. Beale plays William Shakespeare's Richard II, broadcast live from the stage of the Almeida Theatre in London to The Ridgefield Playhouse screen on Tuesday, January 15 at 2pm and shown in an encore screening Thursday, January 17 at 7pm. This visceral new production about the limits of power is directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, whose previous plays include Little Revolution at the Almeida and Absolute Hell at the National Theatre. These screenings are part of the Atria Senior Living Classical Series with support from Whistle Stop Bakery and are underwritten by Jeanne Cook, Liz & Steven Goldstone and Sabina &Walter Slavin.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. We've already posted our Christmas picks, and now here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings (sans tinsel). Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld reviews, interviews and features!

Park Avenue Armory announced its 2019 season, which includes evocative new visual and performing arts commissions along with a timely and eclectic lineup of multidisciplinary world and North American premiere productions and installations.

Following a sold-out run at the National Theatre, the NT and Neal Street Productions' critically acclaimed production of The Lehman Trilogy transfers to the Piccadilly Theatre in London's West End for 12 weeks only. Book tickets here!

The Almeida Theatre today announces the full cast for Joe Hill-Gibbins's new production of Shakespeare's The Tragedy of King Richard the Second, with Simon Russell Beale in the title role.

The fascinating history behind Shakespeare's greatest plays continues with a third series of Shakespeare Uncovered, premiering Fridays, October 12-26 on PBS (check local listings) and streaming the following day at pbs.org/shakespeareuncovered and on PBS apps. The ambitious series concludes with celebrated new hosts Helen Hunt, F. Murray Abraham, Romola Garai, Brian Cox, Simon Russell Beale and Sir Antony Sher, who seamlessly weave their personal passions with history, biography, iconic performances and new analysis to tell the stories behind the stories of Shakespeare's famous works. The final season investigates “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “Measure for Measure,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Winter's Tale” and “Richard III.” 

The fascinating history behind Shakespeare's greatest plays continues with a third series of Shakespeare Uncovered, premiering Fridays, October 12-26 on PBS (check local listings) and streaming the following day at pbs.org/shakespeareuncovered and on PBS apps. The ambitious series concludes with celebrated new hosts Helen Hunt, F. Murray Abraham, Romola Garai, Brian Cox, Simon Russell Beale and Sir Antony Sher, who seamlessly weave their personal passions with history, biography, iconic performances and new analysis to tell the stories behind the stories of Shakespeare's famous works. The final season investigates “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “Measure for Measure,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Winter's Tale” and “Richard III.”