REVIEW: A Dolls House, Part 2 at The Donmar Warehouse

After walking out on her husband 15 years ago, Nora (Noma Dumezweni) is back to face her Ex-Husband Torvald (Brían F. O'Byrne). Except there’s one problem, Despite thinking she was no longer married and conducting herself outside the marriage, Torvald never filed for divorce.

The show is very central to Nora’s attempt to persuade Torvald to file for divorce. Nora’s feminist writing has landed her in trouble with a lot of people, one, in particular, threatening to expose the pseudonym she writes under, in turn exposing the fact she’s not acted within the marriage. 

REVIEW: Force Majeure at The Donmar Warehouse

Well here’s something different, Rory Kinnear in a show set in a French ski resort on a sloped ski stage at the Donmar Warehouse… I know right? Based on the film Ruben Östlund’s film of the same name, Force Majeure tells the story of Tomas (Rory Kinnear) and his one cataclysmic decision and the effects it has on his family that follow. 

What starts as a seemingly fun family holiday very quickly becomes the opposite when an avalanche destroys not only the resort but the moral compass of the family. It instantly goes from 0-100 within the aftermath of the event, though oddly it never seems to go anywhere after that and we’re kind of left wondering where this can continue to go. 

REVIEW: Love And Other Acts Of Violence at the Donmar Warehouse

After a much-awaited re-opening, The first show to open the newly refurbed Donmar Warehouse was always going to carry tremendous pressure to set the bar for future shows to follow. Cordelia Lynn’s ‘Love And Other Acts Of Violence’ not only opened it tremendously but set the bar at such a height that productions to follow will struggle to raise it.

Basia Binkowska’s staging first and foremost, is incredibly clever. A simple wooden flooring surround by dirt transforms later into a much more detailed design. Suspended above and unbeknown to us the surprise is clever and elevates the story to a whole new level when the scenes change. 

As for the show itself, a young Jewish physicist (Her - Abigail Weinstock) and a left-wing poet (Him/man - Tom Mothersdale) who meet at a party may sound like the start of a bad joke… but as society collapses around them they struggle with their relationship and the demise continues to become more evident throughout the show, it’s quite clearly no laughing matter. 

REVIEW: The Lady from the Sea at the Donmar Warehouse

The Lady From the Sea was written by Henrik Ibsen 129 years ago. Validated by time and the fact that Ibsen is the second most performed playwright of all time after Shakespeare, it is no wonder that this play is still as fresh as paint. Elinor Cook’s version transposes the story from 19th century Norway to a Caribbean island, breathing some new and interesting undertones into the story. Coupled with the direction of newly appointed Young Vic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah, this was clearly a hot ticket. 

The lights go up on a modern looking stage, brightly lit and being decorated by two sisters Hilde and Bolette in honour of their late mother’s birthday. Their stepmother Ellida, also the protagonist of the piece, makes an effort to chime in but with a taut performance from Nikki Amuka-Bird we can clearly see tensions afoot; setting up one of Ibsen’s classic themes of social expectations at odds with the individual’s true feelings. We are then introduced to Doctor Wangel (Finbar Lynch), father to the girls and Ellida’s husband; an old friend comes to visit and the story begins. 

Full cast announced for HENRY IV at the Donmar Warehouse

The complete cast is set for the previously announced all-female Henry IV at the Donmar Warehouse. The production, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, who returns to the Donmar after her 2012 all-female Julius Caesar, which later transfered to New York's St. Ann's Warehouse, will weave action from bothHenry IV Part I and Part II to create a single narrative. Shakespeare's history play will begin at the Donmar from October 3 through November 29, with opening night set for October 9. Following the run, the production will play for one week at Mulberry School for Girls in Tower Hamlets as part of its extensive educational outreach initiative.

Donmar Warehouse presents MY NIGHT WITH REG

‘What’s a night between friends?’

Tickets for the 20thanniversary production of Kevin Elyot’s Olivier and Evening Standard award-winning play My Night With Reg go on sale to the general public from today, Wednesday 18 June. The comedy will open at the Donmar Warehouse 31 July 2014, directed by current Donmar Warehouse Trainee Associate Director Robert Hastie.

The Donmar Warehouse is hugely saddened to hear of Kevin Elyot’s death.  Executive Producer Kate Pakenham and Artistic Director Josie Rourke commented, “Director Robert Hastie had been working with Kevin on script preparation, casting and design for the forthcoming production of Kevin’s play My Night With Reg. Kevin’s passing makes the whole team at the Donmar resolved to present the production in tribute to Kevin’s life and work. In the meantime our thoughts and condolences are with Kevin’s friends and family.”

CITY OF ANGELS to be revived at the Donmar Warehouse, Samantha Barks joins cast

The Donmar Warehouse today announces its next season of work.

Following the huge success of her current production of James Graham’s Privacy, Artistic Director Josie Rourke will direct the first major revival of Cy Coleman’s classic musical City of Angels as the Donmar’s 2014 Christmas production. City of Angels with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel and book by Larry Gelbart (Tootsie andM*A*S*H), premiered on Broadway in 1990 in the West End in 1993. It won both the Tony Award and Olivier Award for Best New Musical, along with multiple other prizes. Featuring one of the great jazz scores, City of Angels is a celebration of film noir and Hollywood in black & white and colour.  Rourke’s production will star Hadley Fraser as Stine, returning to the Donmar after his role in Rourke’s 2013 production of Coriolanus, and Rosalie Craig, who will make her debut at the theatre and will play Gabby/Bobbi. Fraser and Craig will be joined in the company by Samantha Barks as Mallory/Avril. Olivier Award-winner Stephen Mear will choreograph the production.

Phyllida Lloyd to direct all-female production of HENRY IV at Donmar Warehouse

The Donmar Warehouse today announces its next season of work.

Premiered at the Donmar Warehouse in 2012, Phyllida Lloyd’s all-female production of Julius Caesar sparked fierce critical and public debate both in the UK and in New York where it transferred in 2013 for a sold out run at St Ann’s Warehouse. The Donmar is delighted to announce a second production in what will become an epic trilogy of shows all of which will challenge the notion of who owns Shakespeare. Once again her cast will feature Harriet Walter as King Henry, Jade Anouka as Hotspur and Clare Dunne as Hal. The cast will also include Ashley McGuire as Falstaff.  The production will develop and enhance what was begun with Julius Caesar in a series of Education and Outreach projects. The company will work extensively with twenty schools, run over 75 workshops as well as offering £5 tickets to over 500 young people. The Donmar and Clean Break Theatre Company will work together on a series of workshops around the production.

20th anniversary production of MY NIGHT WITH REG to play at the Donmar Warehouse

The Donmar Warehouse today announces its next season of work.

Current Trainee Associate Director Robert Hastie will direct the 20th anniversary production of Kevin Elyot’s Olivier and Evening Standard award-winning play My Night With Reg.  The comedy is set in London’s gay community in the summer of 1985 against the back drop of the mounting AIDS crisis.  Hastie’s production will star Julian Ovenden as John.  He will be joined in the cast by Matt Bardock as Benny, Jonathan Broadbent as Guy, Richard Cant as Bernie, Lewis Reeves as Eric and Geoffrey Streatfeild as Daniel.

The Donmar has for many years run one of the most successful training schemes for young directors in its Resident Assistant Director role. Previous incumbents include current Artistic Director Josie Rourke, Rupert Goold, Sasha Wares and Charlotte Westenra. In recognition of the move into the company’s new base at Dryden Street, in which rehearsal room, office and education space can be under one roof for the first time, the Donmar have inaugurated a second training position, the Trainee Artistic Director.  The role has been created to train the Artistic Directors of tomorrow, offering exceptional insight into the programing, funding and running of a theatre building and company.  Applications for the post will open this summer.

Donmar Warehouse announces casting for FATHERS AND SONS

Today the Donmar Warehouse announced the full cast of Fathers and Sons, by Brian Friel, after the novel by Ivan Turgenev. Directed by Olivier Award-winner Lyndsey Turner - who returns to the Donmar having previously directed Friel’s Philadelphia, Here I Come! in 2012 - Turgenev’s masterpiece reveals a new world in conflict with the old, the uneasiness of clashing generations and the difficulty of staying radical as you move through life. 


Starring as Bazarov, Seth Numrich returns to the UK stage for the first time since he was awarded Best Newcomer at The Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2013, for his performance in Sweet Bird of Youth (Old Vic).  Joining Numrich in the company are: Anthony Calf, Elaine Cassidy, Caoilfhionn Dunne (returning to the Donmar following her 2013 Evening Standard Best Newcomer Award nominated performance in The Night Alive), Susan Engel, David Fielder, Joshua James, Karl Johnson, Tim McMullan, Jack McMullen, Siobhán McSweeney, Phoebe Sparrow and Lindy Whiteford.