Opening Night
Closing: July 27, 2024Opening Night - 2024 West End History , Info & More
Gielgud Theatre
(Piccadilly Circus) Shaftesbury Avenue London
The incomparable Sheridan Smith returns to musical theatre in the world premiere of Opening Night from the creative minds of Rufus Wainwright, one of the most acclaimed songwriters of his generation, and celebrated director Ivo van Hove.
Based on John Cassavetes' legendary film, Opening Night follows a theatre company's preparations to stage a major new play on Broadway. But drama ignites behind the scenes when their leading lady is rocked by tragedy, and her personal turmoil forces everybody to deliver the performance of their lives.
This beautifully rich new musical premieres at London's Gielgud Theatre for a strictly limited run from 6 March 2024.
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Audio Described & Captioned: TBC
Signed: Saturday 20 April 2024 2.30pm
Opening Night - 2024 - West End Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Opening Night
Opening Night review: Sensational Sheridan Smith can't save catastrophic car crash musical
1 / 10
Talk about tempting fate... This show actually opens with a car crash. Oh, the irony. The production is more like a multi-lane pile-up, complete with overturned leaking oil tanker, giant sinkholes and possibly an earthquake, asteroid or charging rhino or two.
‘Opening Night’ Review: Sheridan Smith’s Turn Cannot Save Ivo Van Hove and Rufus Wainwright’s Monotonous Musical Adaptation
2 / 10
At the start of the second half of Ivo Van Hove’s production of his own musical version of John Cassavetes‘ ultra-Seventies backstager “Opening Night” — with music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright — the words “the aftermath” (in fashionable lower case) appear on the large screen that dominates the stage. The trouble is, the preceding storytelling has been so muddy, and the emotional temperature of the staging so leadenly unchanging, that audiences may well be asking, “The aftermath of what?”
Category
by Stephi Wild - April 11, 2024
The new musical John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT will now end its run at the Gielgud Theatre on Saturday 18 May 2024.
by A.A. Cristi - March 26, 2024
Read reviews for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT a new musical with book by Ivo Van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith.
by Aliya Al-Hassan - March 26, 2024
Now a stage musical, John Cassavetes’ 1977 film Opening Night was a commercial flop when it was released, later becoming something of a cult classic of American independent cinema. Director Ivo Van Hove specialises in bringing work to the stage that may be called “challenging”. Challenging can be hugely successful, but I’ve rarely seen a production more determined to confuse and frustrate an audience.
by A.A. Cristi - March 22, 2024
See photos of the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT a new musical with book by Ivo Van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith.
by Stephi Wild - March 12, 2024
All new photos have been released from the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT, a new musical with book by Ivo Van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith. Check out the photos here!
by Stephi Wild - February 29, 2024
Performances begin next week for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ Opening Night, a new musical with book by Ivo van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith. Smith recently appeared on the Front Row podcast from BBC, where she performed the song 'Magic' from the musical. Listen here!
by Aliya Al-Hassan - January 25, 2024
No fees to pay for Opening Night tickets.
by Stephi Wild - January 18, 2024
Full casting has been announced for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes' OPENING NIGHT, a new musical with book by Ivo van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright.
by Stephi Wild - December 14, 2023
Further casting has been announced for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes' OPENING NIGHT, a new musical with book by Ivo van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright. Find out who is starring in the show here!
by Aliya Al-Hassan - November 14, 2023
The incomparable Sheridan Smith returns to musical theatre in the world premiere of Opening Night from the creative minds of Rufus Wainwright, one of the most acclaimed songwriters of his generation, and celebrated director Ivo van Hove.
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