Kwabena Ansah, Caelan Edie, Deborah Findlay, Louisa Harland, Toby Jones, Patrick McNamee, Tom Mothersdale, Rebekah Murrell, Sarah Niles, Leo Rait and Sule Rimi lead the world premiere of Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp., four plays written by Caryl Churchill and directed by James Macdonald. With set design by Miriam Buether, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Jack Knowles and sound design by Christopher Shutt.
London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a landmark musical and Caryl Churchill to Wall Street and ABBA immersion, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!
Kwabena Ansah, Caelan Edie, Deborah Findlay, Louisa Harland, Toby Jones, Patrick McNamee, Tom Mothersdale, Rebekah Murrell, Sarah Niles, Leo Rait and Sule Rimi have been cast in the world premiere of Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp., four plays written by Caryl Churchill and directed by James Macdonald. With set design by Miriam Buether, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Jack Knowles and sound design by Christopher Shutt.
Held together by a mesmerising performance by Tom Mothersdale, Headlong's production of Richard III races along at such a pace that it's only after it stops that you realise exactly how much ground they have managed to cover. In John Haidar's hands, one of the very longest of Shakespeare's plays is a just over two and a half hours - including interval - which means that the death toll mounts at some speed.
After decades of civil war, the nation hangs in the balance. Enter Richard, Duke of Gloucester, to change the course of history. Richard was not born to be a king; that role was destined to be filled by his brother, King Edward IV, but he's set his sights on the crown. So begins his campaign of deceit, manipulation and violence - and he's killing it. Yet, behind his ambition lies a murderous desire to be loved...
Royal & Derngate announces another world premiere production, a musical staging of Pippi Longstocking, for the venue's Made in Northampton 2019 Christmas show. Meanwhile, the venue's 2018 Christmas production of The Worst Witch continues to tour the UK. Pippi Longstocking is adapted for the stage for the first time by Mike Akers from Astrid Lindgren's much-loved books, with original music by Stu Barker. It will be directed by The Wardrobe Ensemble's Jesse Jones and Helena Middleton who co-directed Education, Education, Education for Royal & Derngate in 2017.
Headlong presents John Haidar's production of Richard III with Stefan Adegbola, Derbhle Crotty, Heledd Gwynn, Tom Kanji, Michael Matus, Leila Mimmack, Eileen Nicholas, Caleb Roberts and John Sackville joining the previously announced Tom Mothersdale in the title role as Shakespeare's most notorious and complex villain.
London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a starry Pinter and tasty musical treat to a portrait of grief, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews!
Headlong today announces full casting for John Haidar's production of Richard III with Stefan Adegbola, Derbhle Crotty, Heledd Gwynn, Tom Kanji, Michael Matus, Leila Mimmack, Eileen Nicholas, Caleb Roberts and John Sackville joining the previously announced Tom Mothersdale in the title role as Shakespeare's most notorious and complex villain.
What a bizarre year 2018 has been. In the months that saw too much Trump, devastating Californian wildfires, an escalation in the refugee crisis, not to mention the dreaded 'B' word, it makes me more grateful than ever for the pure escapism that live theatre so often provides.
Artistic Director of Northampton's Royal & Derngate, James Dacre today announced that the venue will stage the world premiere of a brand new version by Mike Poulton of Henrik Ibsen's masterpiece Ghosts in April 2019, directed by Lucy Bailey, starring Penny Downie and Pierro Niel-Mee.
Bristol Old Vic today went on sale with its Winter/Spring 2019 programme, launching a new season of inspiring, cutting-edge and award-winning theatre, set to take Bristol by storm following its ground-breaking Year of Change.
Dealing With Clair was first staged thirty years ago at the Orange Tree Theatre. It now returns in a disturbingly well observed revival, still striking a very darkly comic and contemporary story that explores greed, morality and unsettling behaviour in the world of house buying.
John Haidar directs Tom Mothersdale as Shakespeare's most notorious and complex villain, Richard III. This inventive new staging is a co-production between Headlong, Alexandra Palace and Bristol Old Vic, with Royal & Derngate Northampton and Oxford Playhouse.
Richard Twyman will direct Gabriel Akuwudike, Roseanna Frascona, Michael Gould, Tom Mothersdale, Lizzy Watts and Hara Yannas in Martin Crimp's psychological thriller and disturbing satire on real estate Dealing with Clair, in a co-production with English Touring Theatre.
Entering the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court, you're suddenly in a dark, damp forest. Trees are all are around and there's wood chipping, leaves and sticks all over the floor as you make your way to your seats, thanks to Naomi Dawson's innovative and atmospheric design.
Finn Bennett, Tom Mothersdale and Lesley Sharp have been cast in The Woods, written by Robert Alan Evans and directed by Royal Court Associate Director Lucy Morrison. It will be performed in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs Wednesday 5 September 2018 - Saturday 13 October 2018 with press performances at 7pm Tuesday 11 September 2018 and 7.45pm Wednesday 12 September 2018. The reviews are embargoed until 11.59pm Wednesday 12 September 2018.
New casting announced for the new National Theatre season. Full cast has been announced for Brian Friel's Translations including Colin Morgan and Ciaran Hinds, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Eric Kofi Abrefa and Thalissa Teixeira join Vanessa Kirby in the cast of Julie, part of the Travelex season with thousands of tickets available at £15. Sam Mendes directs The Lehman Trilogy, a co-production with Neal Street Productions, cast includes Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale. Full casting is announced for the award winning An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, transferring to the National Theatre in a co-production with the Orange Tree Theatre. The NT will tour to 30 venues in 27 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland, for a total of 83 playing weeks over the next year. Rufus Norris' Macbeth to tour to 18 venues across the UK and Ireland from autumn 2018. War Horse returns to the National Theatre marking the centenary of Armistice Day.
Pulitzer-winning American playwright Annie Baker returns to the National where The Flick was a quiet triumph in 2016 with another work that is epic in form (three hours and change), but similarly spellbinding in its ability to draw an audience close. Though Baker flirts with horror tropes here, it's not in service of big spooks or jump scares; instead, the smallest of interactions and realisations are writ large.
The National Theatre presents John, by Annie Baker, directed by James Macdonald. The week after Thanksgiving. A bed & breakfast in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. A cheerful innkeeper. A young couple struggling to stay together. Thousands of inanimate objects, watching.