Administrators have been called in to the Exeter’s Northcott theatre, after trustees were told it was insolvent. According to chairman Geoff Myers, they had “no choice” when presented with the latest financial information last week. “We took this decision with a heavy heart,[...]
Archive for the ‘theatrenews’ Category
March 2nd, 2010 - 6:49 pm § in theatrenews
Mice infested theatres
Many of our old theatres look very glamorous to the audience, but according to a recent survey by the actor’s union Equity, 75 per cent of our theatres are infested with mice, rats and fleas. The general secretary of Equity, Christine Payne, was shocked by the responses to the survey. Stage mana[...]
February 26th, 2010 - 7:01 am § in theatrenews
Sweet Nothings
Brilliantly directed by Luc Bondy, and in a new version by Divid Harrower Co, commissioned by Warwick Arts Centre, Sweet Nothings starts March 1st. Based on Arthur Schnitzler’s play Liebelei, Sweet Nothings is about the power of sexual longing and the vulnerability of those in love. A young man [...]
February 17th, 2010 - 12:00 am § in theatrenews
Love Never Dies – the sequel
Andrew Lloyd Webber has created quite a mystique regarding his new musical. It was first reported that the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, would premiere in London, New York and Shanghai at the same time. That didn’t pan out and last October it was announced that it would pr[...]
February 15th, 2010 - 2:41 am § in theatrenews
Playwright is first woman at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre
After 400 years a female playwright will have a work performed at the Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Bedlam, Nell Leyshon’s fictional portrait of the London hospital, Bethlem, for the insane, set during the mid-18th century gin epidemic. Leyshon said it is a “great privilege” t[...]
January 18th, 2010 - 7:59 am § in theatrenews
Edward Hall to take on fathers legacy
Edward Hall, the son of Sir Peter Hall the prominent theatre director, was named the new Hampstead Theatre artistic director this week, and will take over for Anthony Clark at the close of January. Hall is currently an associate at the Old Vic and Watermill Theatre, Newbury, and the National Theat[...]
January 7th, 2010 - 5:58 am § in theatrenews
Six degrees at the Old Vic
After 18 years, David Grindley has taken on the challenge of directing the Olivier Award Winning play by John Guare, Six Degrees of Separation at the Old Vic. The premise of the play is simple, that everyone is connected in some way and is based on the true story of a con artist who was able [...][...]
December 31st, 2009 - 5:46 am § in theatrenews
Most influential West End couple
Three decades ago Rosemary Squire and Howard Panter met outside of the London box office and after falling in love went on to found the Ambassador Theatre Group which is one of the largest in England. Now, the couple has the unique pleasure of not only being known as ‘Mr. and Mrs. West End,[...]
December 28th, 2009 - 7:18 am § in theatrenews
Legally Blonde Sheridan Smith given extra security
Sheridan Smith is best known to television viewers for playing Janet Keogh in the sitcom “Two Pints of lager and A Packet of Crisps”, but lately she has been making waves in the West End for her portrayal as Elle in “Legally Blonde.” In fact, she has been creating such as [...]
December 22nd, 2009 - 9:52 am § in theatrenews
Victoria Beckham becomes the show at Jersey Boys
A lucky West End theatre audience got two performances in one night on Monday at the Soho Prince Edward Theatre during a matinee of Jersey Boys when Victoria Beckham stood up in the VIP box and started doing the Peter Crouch robot dance. It seems the dance was a family affair with Victoria strut[...]
December 17th, 2009 - 8:03 am § in theatrenews
Siobhan Dillon is the word
Siobhan Dillon will be the new face of Sandy at the Piccadilly Theatre production of Grease set to run from January 25th 2010 through to July 2010. Dillon will be joined by other new cast members as well such as Matthew Goodgame as Kenickie, Lucas Rush as Roger, Michael Vinsen as Eugene, and Victo[...]
December 14th, 2009 - 6:44 am § in theatrenews
Judi Dench worried Olympics taking money from theatre and film
Movie star Judi Dench is raising commotion after learning that the government may possibly be taking money from film and theatre to pay for the upcoming 2012 Olympics. According to Dench, she is worried that as amounts keep being siphoned off, smaller theatres will have no choice by to close their[...]
December 10th, 2009 - 8:15 am § in theatrenews
Shawshank Redemption advertising sparks investigation
While a sign quoting a reviewer about how much they enjoyed The Shawshank Redemption seemed like a way to advertise and draw attention to the play at the Wyndham Theatre may have seen like a great idea at first, it quickly backfired. It turns out that the quote was actually made originally to desc[...]
December 8th, 2009 - 6:40 am § in theatrenews
Movie stars line up for theatre awards
Many film stars are in the running for the Whatsonstage.com acting gongs awards for theatre performances this year including Helen Mirren and Jude Law. Also nominated is Sadie Frost who debuted in the West End in the play Touched. Frost is up for best solo performance. In the newcomer category Di[...]
December 4th, 2009 - 5:32 am § in theatrenews
Black cat on a hot tin roof success
If you see a black cat cross your path you are supposed to be in for a spell of bad luck, but the new production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof that is completely a black ensemble has seen its fair amount of good luck on Broadway raking in about £8.5m in its short [...][...]
December 3rd, 2009 - 8:23 am § in theatrenews
Tchaikovsky skull in more theatre controversy
When Tennant’s production of Hamlet opened last year in Stratford-Avon Tennant accidentally leaked to the press that the skull used in the play as a prop was actually the remains of Tchaikovsky who bequeathed his remains to the RSC. After the ensuing publicity the RSC announced that a fake skull w[...]
December 3rd, 2009 - 8:19 am § in theatrenews
Ian Hart in West End Stage rumpus
For the star of Harry Potter, you would think quieting a chatty audience member would be a simple, almost seamless task, but for Ian Hart who played Professor Quirrell in the first Potter film, it turned into an arduous ordeal at his West End play. According to various accounts, Hart blew up in an[...]
November 18th, 2009 - 8:44 am § in theatrenews
Hair makes its way back to the West End
The time of spliffs, nudity, and sodomy are coming back to the West End in the form of Hair, which is set to come back to London in April at the Gielgud Theatre. Sir Cameron Mackintosh is behind the revival of Hair in London. Mackintosh was the original production runner when Hair first came to th[...]
November 17th, 2009 - 7:13 am § in theatrenews
Debbie Reynolds West End return
Debbie Reynolds, the Hollywood legend, is planning to bring her legacy to the UK when her new show launches at the Theatre Royal in Norwich on April 7th, 2010. From here the 15 date regional tour of Debbie Reynolds Alive and Fabulous begins with performances at the Apollo Theatre in the West End [...]
November 13th, 2009 - 5:54 am § in theatrenews
La Cage aux Folles set for New Year closure
The most glamorous musical in the West End, La Cage aux Folles is set to close January 2nd of next year after a year long run. The show is going to close with Douglas Hodge reprising his winning Olivier Award role of Albin before it makes a jump to Broadway. Hodge will play the role [...][...]
