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Posts Tagged "lyric hammersmith"

15 Dec
2011

Thursday Theatre News: Wind in the Willows, One Man Two Guvnors, Jaime Winstone and Kara Tointon

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Firstly, news of a new musical, which is always, er, music to my ears… The Wind in the Willows is the next project for Julian Fellowes, George Stiles and Anthony Drew, the award-winning team behind Mary Poppins.

Fellowes, now best-known for creating Downton Abbey, (but don’t forget he was also responsible for wonderful work like Gosford Park, The Young Victoria and The Importance of Being Earnest) will write the musical’s book. Writing duo Stiles and Drewe are developing the music and lyrics. The pair have worked together for 28 years, creating successful shows like Betty Blue Eyes, Just So and Peter Pan. I’m looking forward to being able to tell you more about this show; as yet, there are no dates or venues for its London premiere.

Second, details of a transfer. It seems London just can’t get enough of the uber-successful One Man, Two Guvnors. First, it transferred from the National to the West End. Then, rumours the team had booked tickets to Broadway. And today, we have news it’s moving again, this time to the Theatre Royal Haymarket. There’ll be a change of lead as Owain Arthur takes over from James Corden as the One Man of the title. The rest of the casting is yet to be announced.

Finally, the Lyric Hammersmith’s 2012 programme has been announced. Edward Bond returns to the theatre with a trilogy of short plays called The Chair Plays. In addition, there’ll be a collaboration between Spymonkey and Kneehigh Artistic Director Emma Rice, called Oedipussy; Lovesong; Filter’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and Three Kingdoms (part of the London-wide World Stages London festival).

Cast News:

15 Apr
2010

Thursday Theatre News: Fela!, Ditch, and Broadway Stars in the West End

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I’ve learnt about two exciting new London shows this week: the Broadway musical Fela! – about Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti – comes to the National Theatre in November this year; and Ditch, which comes to the tunnels under Waterloo Station next month.

The first, Fela!, comes with a pretty impressive pedigree: associate producers on the project include Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. Written by Tony Award-winner Bill T Jones it tells the story of the Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Nigerian-born artist, musician, polygamist, commune founder and political activist, who died in 1997, through a winning blend of jazz, funk and African rhythms, dance, theatre and music.

Ditch is a new play by Beth Steel, and is being co-produced by HighTide in the Old Vic’s  Tunnels 228-332 under Waterloo Station. It tells of a near-future Britain where much of the country is underwater. The government has been reduced to a group of fascist fighters, and dwindling numbers of men patrol the moors for “illegals” in a rural outpost of the state. Ditch is the first of the Old Vic’s tunnel-based plans for 2010, which also include productions, installations, pop-up events and film screenings, with tickets either free or pretty damn cheap.

Americans are celebrating lots of success on the London theatre scene at the moment. After all the top reviews the Broadway revival of Hair got earlier today, it’s more good news from across the pond: an all-American cast for the Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Paradise Found. The new musical is based on Joseph Roth’s novel The Tale Of The 1002nd Night, and is about the exploits of the Shah of Persia. The Tony Award-winning Mandy Patinkin is joined by more US names: Kate Baldwin, Shuler Hensley, Judy Kaye, George Lee Andrews (The Phantom Of The Opera, A Little Night Music), Lacey Kohl, John McMartin (Grey Gardens, Into The Woods), and Nancy Opel (Toxic Avenge, Urinetown).

In a more British show, A Thousand Stars Explode In The Sky at the Lyric Hammersmith features three of the UK’s finest writers: David Eldridge, Robert Holman and Simon Stephens. It’s a show about the family secrets that are revealed before the world comes to an end… Cast member Jemma Redgrave has sadly pulled out for personal reasons, but the cast remains strong. I really like Nigel Cooke and Ann Mitchell, and it’ll be good to see Harry McEntire back on the London stage after his appearance in the hit musical, Spring Awakening.

10 Dec
2009

Thursday Theatre News: TV Stars Swamp London’s Stages!

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Kerry Ellis as Elphaba in Wicked; she's taking over as Nancy in Oliver! next year. Photo by Tristram KentonFor those of you who like to see your favourite stars of the small screen on stage when you visit London, there’s lots of pleasing cast news for London’s theatres this week.

Romola Garai, who was so fantastic in the BBC’s recent adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, is appearing at the Lyric Hammersmith from January next year. She’ll be playing Masha in a new production of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, alongside an exciting-sounding cast including Jim Bywater, Nigel Cooke and Clare Dunne.

If, like me, you’re currently enjoying the BBC’s adaptation of Small Island, you can see the gorgeous Ashley Walters (who plays David in the show) at the Royal Court next year. Walters, who used to be in So Solid Crew, is appearing in Off The Endz, Bola Agbaje’s new play about three 20-somethings growing up on a London estate.

And Toby Stephens, who’s played many memorable characters on TV (Mr Rochester in the 2006 Jane Eyre for one!) is headed to the Old Vic from April next year. Stephens is appearing in a new production of Tom Stoppard’s 1982 play, The Real Thing.

Lastly, one other TV star heading for the London stage is Griff Rhys Jones, who takes over from Omid Djalili as Fagin in Oliver! from Monday night. Break a leg, Griff!

That’s not Oliver’s! only cast change: I’m excited to hear Kerry Ellis is taking over from Jodie Prenger as Nancy next March. Ellis is best known for playing Elphaba in Wicked, for which she won the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Takeover in a Role. I think she’s rather ace.

And talking of the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards – have you voted yet? Make sure you have your say before the winners are announced on 14 February next year.

Excited about seeing any of these stars? Do you know about something I’ve missed?! Add your thoughts to the comments below…

19 Nov
2009

Thursday Theatre News: Hair, Petticoats and Star-Studded Lamps

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Dreamboats and Petticoats returns to the West End in JanuaryThis week’s news is dominated by the news about Hair coming back to London’s West End!

We’re too young to know anything about the original(!) but we’ve heard our parents talking about it, recognise the songs (Aquarius and Let The Sunshine In) and it all the stories about it from the 60s sound incredible. (Plus, anything starring Elaine Paige, Richard O’Brien, Tim Curry and Paul Nicholas must’ve been amazing!)

It’s also exciting to have the first entire Tony-award-winning Broadway cast opening a musical in London. We’ve got to wait til April, but it’s down in our diaries to get tickets!

In other theatre news, Dreamboats and Petticoats, the musical inspired by an album of 50s songs, is due to reopen in January. From a successful touring show, this musical was so popular at the Savoy this summer, it extended its run by seven weeks!

And now it’s coming back: book your tickets to see it at the Playhouse from 6 January. Anyone out there seen it and want to tell us about it? We’re yet to catch this one.

If you’re looking for a shorter-term theatre fix, Panto season is very nearly upon us! We’ve had news from the Lyric that the rehearsals for Jack and the Beanstalk are well under way. Backstage, the Dame’s seven (count them!) dresses are almost finished, and the 4-metre-tall Giant is getting close to being brought to life…

Over at the New Wimbledon Theatre, we’ve heard news their panto has added another jewel to its star-studded Aladdin’s lamp. Anita Dobson (fresh from baring all in Calendar Girls, but best-known to the world as Angie Watts from EastEnders in the 80s) is the final star to share the role of the Genie of the Lamp alongside Ruby Wax, Pamela Anderson and Paul O’Grady.

Do you have plans to see any of London’s fantastic Pantos? Let us know which baddie you’ll be booing and hissing at over the Christmas season…