Timothy Bird News

Birmingham Repertory Theatre, in association with Ramps On The Moon, presents THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, written by Nikolai Gogol, adapted by David Harrower and directed by Roxana Silbert. The play will tour the UK from 19th March to 25th June 2016.

With an original publication date back in 1836, Nikolai Gogol's satirical play The Government Inspector is certainly not new writing. Some 180 years on, the text centring on greed and political anarchy in Russia is still being performed. The storyline has had a wealth of incarnations over the years in film, theatre and TV; including a particularly memorable episode of Fawlty Towers. Ultimately a comedy, the play tells of a town expecting a visit from a Government Inspector and before this happens, the Mayor has to try and tidy up/hide all of his wrong doings towards the discontented local people. When a well-dressed and seemingly charming gentleman Khlestakov arrives, the townsfolk all jump to the conclusion that he is the Inspector. But is he?

The World Premiere of Exposure The Musical - Life Through A Lens will run at the St. James Theatre, for a limited season, from 16 July until 27 August 2016, with press night on Thursday 28 July 2016. 

A vibrant new staging of the great Russian comedy, The Government Inspector, opens at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in March before touring to Ipswich, Leeds, Nottingham, Stratford East, Liverpool and Sheffield.  Directed by Roxana Silbert and adapted by Olivier Award-winning playwright, David Harrower, this fresh, modern version of The Government Inspector, with innovative projection and set design reinvigorates Gogol's satirical masterpiece for 2016.

UK Theatre has announced the winners of the UK Theatre Awards 2015 - the only awards to honour outstanding achievement in performing, producing and management in theatres throughout the United Kingdom.

The nominations for the UK Theatre Awards 2015 have now been announced. The Awards will be presented on Sunday 18 October, and details of the compere for the event and other special guests will be announced in due course.

Tyrone Huggins' compelling play, The Honey Man, opens at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 16 to 21 February before a UK tour.

Based on the 1994 film, the Glasgow/UK stage version of Backbeat is making its US premiere at the Ahmanson with all the fire, guts and gusto that engender a genuinely moving dramatic story. This is not a musical, but a drama with music. Let's face it: the Beatles more than any other musical group in history changed our outlook ...and our entire culture. We not only listened to their music, but copied their haircuts, their dress, their attitude and came into sync with every move they made, some good, some bad. For those unfamiliar with how they got started, it was not really in Liverpool, but in a sleazy underground club in Hamburg. Germany in the early 60s. Backbeat fills in these background details, but much more than a docudrama, relates a powerful story about John, Paul, George, Pete Best - drummer before Ringo (Adam Sopp) - and more importantly Stu Sutcliffe (Nick Blood). Stu was an intimate artist friend of John. John literally forced Stu into the group in the early days and so his story rightfully commands as much attention in Backbeat as the legendary boys themselves. Stu's story is sad. He, unlike the others, got cheated of fame and glory.

In 1994 Anthony Rapp was working at a Starbucks and about to audition for Rent a new musical by a young guy named Jonathan Larson. An inspiring story about friends and artists struggling in New York's Lower East Side, it was based loosely on Puccini's La Bohème. Anthony got the part, but Jonathan died suddenly the night before the musical's off-Broadway premiere.

In 1994 Anthony Rapp was working at a Starbucks and about to audition for Rent a new musical by a young guy named Jonathan Larson. An inspiring story about friends and artists struggling in New York's Lower East Side, it was based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme. Anthony got the part, but Jonathan died suddenly the night before the musical's off-Broadway premiere.

Josie Lawrence and Gay Soper join Louise Gold and Caroline Quentin to take on the role of Pippin's grandmother Berthe in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Pippin, a colourful, imaginative and darkly humorous coming-of-age story with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, The Baker's Wife, Godspell) and book by Roger O. Hirson.

Arizona Theatre Company welcomes the lighthearted new musical Daddy Long Legs directed and written by John Caird, the Tony award-winning director of Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby, with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon of the Tony-nominated Jane Eyre.

Following on from Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music and Sweet Charity, the Menier Chocolate Factory is currently presenting Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson's Pippin. Pippin began previews on Tuesday, 22 November, opens officially on 7 December, and will run through 25 February, 2012. Buzz about West End and Broadway transfers of the production has already begun, with Stephen Schwartz fully supportive of both ideas. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at Pippin at Menier Chocholate Factory!

Following on from Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music and Sweet Charity, the Menier Chocolate Factory will present Pippin - music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Roger O. Hirson. Pippin begins previews on Tuesday, 22 November, with the Press Night on Wednesday, 7 December. It runs until Saturday, 25 February, 2012.

Arizona Theatre Company welcomes the lighthearted new musical Daddy Long Legs directed and written by John Caird, the Tony award-winning director of Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby, with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon of the Tony-nominated Jane Eyre.

Harry Hepple, Ian Kelsey, Matt Rawle and Frances Ruffelle will be featured in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Pippin, a colourful, imaginative and darkly humorous coming-of-age story with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, The Baker's Wife, Godspell) and book by Roger O. Hirson.