After selling off all of the American Live Nation venues for over $90 million, the UK theatre operator is now set to sell off all of their theatres within the UK as well. The news made the front page of The Stage and shocked the theatre world in the UK. The Live Nation sale announcement [...][...]
Archive for June, 2009
June 25th, 2009 - 10:05 am § in theatrenews
The West End is still a big money spinner
With the current recession, growing rate of unemployment, tight budgets, and other problems that are plaguing the economic climate of Britain most people would not expect the theatre to be standing very strong. [...]
June 24th, 2009 - 12:40 pm § in theatrenews
Theatre Technician’s Strike May Be Avoided… New Pay Offer!
A strike threat, by theatre technicians nationwide may have been narrowly avoided. Buctu has agreed it will ballot its members with details of the new pay deal offered by the Theatrical Management Association. Should the offer be accepted by Buctu’s members, it will mean a 2 percent increase[...]
June 24th, 2009 - 10:06 am § in Coming Soon
Paul McGann will meet Helen at the Globe
Shakespeare’s Globe will welcome Paul McGann back to the London stage this summer in an updated version of Helen by Frank McGuinness. The star studded cast not only includes McGann, but also Pennie Downie, Philip Cumbus, Jack Farthing, William Purefoy, Ukweli Roach, Andrew Vincent, Tom Stuart,[...]
June 22nd, 2009 - 10:08 am § in Coming Soon
Frank, Sammy & Dean return to the West end
For those who have never had the chance to make it to Las Vegas but love the stories of the old rat pack and the good old days, the Frank, Sammy & Dean- The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas show is set to make another visit to the West End stage in the autumn [...][...]
June 22nd, 2009 - 10:06 am § in Coming Soon
Matt Lucas to open Prick Up Your Ears
Beginning on September 20th a new comic will take the stage at the Comedy Theatre as Matt Lucas will debut the newest Simon Bent play called Prick Up Your Ears which is based on the life of past playwright Joe Orton. For those who cannot wait, previews will be held on September 17th. Lucas will[...]
June 19th, 2009 - 5:32 am § in Coming Soon
Is The West End Ready For Mariah Carey?
You can’t say the lady lacks determination. In spite of (or perhaps because of) some pretty bad reviews in the past, Mariah Carey says she is confident that she can be a star on the stage. The word is out that she has signed a contract for £15,000 per week for a starring role in a production openi[...]
June 17th, 2009 - 5:28 am § in Features
Women Starting To Take The Lead As Playwrites
It is only appropriate that a play about suffragettes should be the first play written by a living woman to be presented in the National Theatre in London. Her Naked Skin, written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, appeared there last year in the Olivier auditorium to high acclaim from both critics and the the[...]
June 15th, 2009 - 5:25 am § in Reviews
Fine Performances In Been So Long
A fine combination of talents serves to make this musical remake of the 1998 play Been So Long an evening of very satisfying entertainment. Directed by Che Walker, the “laureate of Camden Town”, with music by Arthur Darvill, it allows a lot of scope for songs performed by Omar, the widely acclaimed[...]
June 13th, 2009 - 5:22 am § in theatrenews
West End Theatre’s In Serious Need Of A Lick Of Paint
In 1974 Brooks Atkinson, an American drama critic, wrote, “Nothing is really important except the performance on stage. The sole function of a theatre is to provide a place where people can assemble and enjoy the schedule.” This viewpoint is coming into question now, specifically by the guardians [...]
June 12th, 2009 - 12:42 pm § in Coming Soon
Royal Court Goes With Totally British Season
The Royal Court Theatre has announced that its autumn season will focus heavily on the talent of British playwrights welcoming plays from Tom Crouch, Michael Wynne, Mike Bartlett and Lucy Prebble into its schedule as the venue celebrates the 40th anniversary of its upper studio area. Each of [...]
June 12th, 2009 - 12:39 pm § in Reviews
Interactive Kursk At The Young Vic,
Worth a visit this summer, is the production spectacle of Sound & Fury, a London theatre company, who have recreated the story of the doomed Russian submarine Kursk so that the performance is an interactive audience experience.[...]
June 9th, 2009 - 12:38 pm § in Reviews
Jerry Hall Reveals All As A Calendar Girl
Calendar Girls, the breakaway success film starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters is set to hit the stage this summer on the West End Stage with Jerry Hall posed to bare all as the lead Miss September.[...]
June 7th, 2009 - 12:38 pm § in theatrenews
Cragrats Are Victims Of Financial Turmoil
Monday the theatre industry faced its first bad break so to speak due to the recession as Cragrats which employs about 400 actors and crew members, announced that it would cease trading as it has went into receivership.[...]
June 1st, 2009 - 2:49 am § in Reviews
Naked Boys Singing! – Don’t worry, it’s theatre!
This show premiered in the UK back in 2001 at Madame JoJo’s, following its successful Off-Broadway opening in 1999. If the title of the show tells you what to expect, Wilmott springs a surprise. The cast of the show begin with a promise that “Tonight, we throw inhibition away/ Why even bothe[...]
