WILLEMIJN VERKAIK to play one-off solo concert at the Ambassadors Theatre

Dutch vocal powerhouse Willemijn Verkaik will play a one-off solo concert at the Ambassadors Theatre on Tuesday 25 August 2015.

Accompanied by a live band and joined by some to-be-announced special guests, Willemijn will take a journey through some of the greatest classic and contemporary musicals of all time, as well as celebrating some of the iconic songs that have defined her career so far.

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris to open at the Charing Cross Theatre

This October 2014, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris opens at the Charing Cross Theatre for a strictly limited six-week run. Directed by multi-award-winning director Andrew Keates, the production features an all-star cast of Daniel Boys (Avenue Q, Spamalot, Love Story – also well-known from BBC’s Any Dream Will Do, 2007), David Burt (The Merchant of Venice, The Beggars People, Plague Over England), Eve Polycarpou (In The Heights, Mother Courage, Jacques Brel - National Theatre, 1970s) and Gina Beck (Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables).

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris is a musical revue of the greatest works by one of the most prolific, Belgian singer-songwriters of all time. This production uses the definitive English translations of Brel’s works by Mort Shurman and Eric Blau accompanied by the orchestral arrangements by Eric Svejcar from the 2006 Off-Broadway production (Zipper Theater, New York City). The 2006 production was the longest running and most successful revival of the show, nominated for several awards including the Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle.

SWEENEY TODD at the Twickenham Theatre adds 5 extra performances

After universal critical acclaim and selling out every one of its planned 26 performances, David Adkin and Twickenham Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is adding 5 extra performances due to extraordinary and overwhelming public demand. 

The extra shows are: Tuesday 7 October at 7.45pm, Wednesday 8 October at 7.45pm, Thursday 9 October at 7.45pm, Friday 10 October at 7.45 and Sunday 12 October at 3.00pm. 

Tickets will go on sale from 3.00pm today from www.twickenhamtheatre.com

Trailer released for Stephen Sondheim's MARRY ME A LITTLE at St. James Theatre

Marry Me A Little pieces together a selection of songs by the undisputed master of the contemporary Broadway musical to tell a charming and bittersweet tale of love, loneliness and survival as a modern singleton. Told entirely through songs written early in Sondheim’s career or previously intended for his ground-breaking Broadway musicals including A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum,Company, Follies and A Little Night Music, Marry Me a Little is funny, moving and sophisticated musical as well as a fascinating look at "the songs that got away”.

In this new interpretation, the first to be seen on the London stage in 17 years, the show finds two ex-lovers, on separate Saturday nights, alone in the flat they once shared, remembering the highs and lows of their relationship. Each is visited by memories of the other as they remember what made them fall in love, and ultimately what pulled them apart.

Simon Bailey and Laura Pitt-Pulford will turn to the roles of Man and Woman.

ALMEIDA THEATRE announces full Winter/Spring Season

This morning,the Almeida Theatre has announced their new winter/spring season, it is as follows. 

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

by William Shakespeare

Directed by Rupert Goold

5 December 2014 – 14 February 2015

Press Night 15 December

Almeida Theatre Artistic Director Rupert Goold brings his electrifying production of The Merchant of Venice, originally produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, to the Almeida.  

Following his recently acclaimed productions King Charles III and American Psycho, Goold explosively relocates one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays to the bright lights of Las Vegas in a whirlwind of glitter, gambling and greenbacks.

Former Almeida Artistic Director Ian McDiarmid will play Shylock.  Many of the original RSC cast will reprise their roles including Jamie Beamish, Rebecca Brewer, Susannah Fielding, Scott Handy, Caroline Martin and Emily Plumtree. 

Designs are by Tom Scutt, lighting by Rick Fisher, music by Adam Cork, sound by Gregory Clarke, choreography byScott Ambler and orchestrations by Alex Baranowski.

Casting is announced for Anya Reiss' UNCLE VANYA at the St. James Theatre

Casting is announced today for a new version of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya by multiple award-winning playwright Anya Reiss, premiering on Wednesday 8 October at St. James Theatre. Directed by Russell Bolam, Reiss’ adaptation of Chekhov’s masterpiece of modern theatre reignites the piece for a 21st century audience, revealing the universal difficulties of impossible love, longing and regret.

John Hannah stars as Vanya, returning to the stage for the first time since 2008, after his role in Sky One’s epic,Spartacus. Joining Hannah in the company are Amanda Boxer, Buffy Davis, Joe Dixon, Alan Francis and Amanda Hale.

INTERVIEW: David Bedella & Sarah Ingram, soon to be starring in Sweeney Todd at the Twickenham Theatre

David Bedella is a triple award winner, named Best Actor in a Musical at the 2004 Olivier Awards, the Evening Standard Awards, and The Critics Circle Awards, for creating the role of the warm-up man Jonathan Weiruss/Satan in Jerry Springer The Opera. On television David most notably played Dr Carlos Fashola in Holby City. His other West End starring roles include Frank n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Billy Flynn in Chicago, and Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. In the past year he played Man 1 in the acclaimed production of Sondheim’s Putting It Together at St.James Theatre and Kevin in Into The Heights at Southwark Playhouse.

Sarah Ingram's extensive credits include Josie in TABOO (Brixton Club House), Miss Hannigan in Annie (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Roadshow (Menier Chocolate Factory), Hannah Owens in Flashdance (Shaftesbury Theatre), Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls (Kilworth Theatre, Leicester), Mrs Blair in Inherit the Wind (Old Vic), Ursula & u/s Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Open Air Theatre), Sarah/Naomi in Imgine This (New London Theatre & Theatre Royal, Plymouth), Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain (Courtyard Theatre), Mrs O’Brien in Showboat  (Royal Albert Hall), Ado Annie in Oklahoma (Royal National Theatre & Lyceum Theatre) & Laurey in Oklahoma (UK Tour).

They will be playing Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd when it starts performances at the Twickenham Theatre

Sweeney Todd at the Twickenham Theatre | First photo released!

Olivier Award winner David Bedella will play razor-wielding madman Sweeney Todd and Sarah Ingram his pie-making partner in crime, Mrs Lovett, in an intimate new production of the Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler, will kick-off the autumn season at Twickenham Theatre in West London. It will start previews on Wednesday 10 September and runs to Saturday 4 October.

David Bedella was a triple award winner, named Best Actor in a Musical at the 2004 Olivier Awards, the Evening Standard Awards, and The Critics Circle Awards, for creating the role of the warm-up man Jonathan Weiruss/Satan in Jerry Springer The Opera. He appeared in the role at the National Theatre, in the West End, the Sydney Opera House and in New York in a concert version at Carnegie Hall. On television David most notably played Dr Carlos Fashola in Holby City and more recently guest starred in By Any Means and Inside No. 9, all for BBC, and his film credits include Alexander and Batman Begins. His other West End starring roles include Frank n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Billy Flynn in Chicago, and Hedwig inHedwig and the Angry Inch. He starred as Arnold in Torch Song Trilogy and Wilson Mizner in Sondheim’s Road Show, both at the Menier Chocolate Factory. In the past year he played Man 1 in the acclaimed production of Sondheim’s Putting It Together at St.James Theatre and Kevin in Into The Heights at Southwark Playhouse. 

FIRST LOOK: The Apple Tree at Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre

The brilliant songwriting team behind FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and SHE LOVES ME (4 Off West End Award Nominations for our 2012 Production)  have created a witty, tuneful and utterly charming musical.

THE APPLE TREE comprises of  three Musical miniatures: 
The Diary Of Adam And Eve is a quirky, touching spin on the tale of the world's first couple, adapted from Mark Twain's Extracts From Adam's Diary.

Passionella is based on Jules Feiffer's offbeat Cinderella story about a chimney sweep whose dreams of being a "glamorous movie star" nearly sabotage her one chance for true love.  

REVIEW: Let it Be at the Garrick Theatre

Let it be returns to the West End, playing at the Garrick Theatre. The show made its debut at the Prince of Wales Theatre back in 2012 and has since played at the Savoy Theatre, on broadway and has toured the UK. This is not a musical, its a ‘concert’ of songs. It does have some sort of narrative however, the show features some of the appearances they made through out the bands career; for example their performance at the Royal Variety and the Shea Stadium. 

Now, I am not particularly a huge Beatles fan. In fact, theres quite a few of their songs I can’t stand! So I wasn’t sure how I was going to react to this show. But it wasn’t that bad, I can honestly say I sat through the whole thing and wasn’t completely bored. 

Simon Callow returns to the St. James Theatre to perform in JUVENALIA

Simon Callow returns to the St. James Theatre following a recent appearance in Great British Musicals in July 2014 to perform in Juvenalia, from Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 August 2014. Juvenalia, which comes to the St. James Theatre directly from the Edinburgh Festival, is written by Juvenal, adapted by Richard Quick and directed by Simon Stokes. Set design is by Robin Don with lighting design by Chahine Lavroyan.

Simon Callow does stand-up comedy - filthy, scabrous, politically incorrect – as he lambasts foreigners, plutocrats, women, gays - as last delivered in Rome AD 100.

Juvenal was one angry white middle class male. In Juvenilia he tells it like it was. And is.

All Star Productions to stage INTO THE WOODS

James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim take everyone's favourite storybook characters and bring them together for a timeless yet relevant piece and rare modern classic. The Tony Award-winning book and score (soon to be a Disney film) are both enchanting and touching.

The story follows a Baker and his wife who wish to have a child, Cinderella who wishes to attend the King's Festival, and Jack who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results.

Leading the Creative Team is Tim McArthur (Director and Musical Staging) with Aaron Clingham (Musical Director and Orchestrations), who are the successful team behind last years Days of Hope, 2012's She Loves Me (4 Offie Nominations) and 2010's Follies.

Akiya Henry | Interview

Akiya Henry is currently playing Joylene in Perseverance Drive  at the Bush Theatre. Her other theatre credits includes: Ten Women (Jackdaw at the Oval House Theatre), Cake and Congo (Theatre 503), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bristol Old Vic), Mottled Lines (Orange Tree Theatre), Swallows and Amazons (Vaudeville Theatre & UK Tour, Bristol Old Vic), The Colored Museum (Talawa Theatre Company), The Beggar’s Opera (Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park), Much Ado About Nothing/ Shakespeare in a Suitcase (RSC New York), Hello Dolly (Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park), The Tempest (Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park), Vajak Paw (The Opera Group), Carmen Jones (The Southbank Centre, Ramond Gubbay Ltd), Safe (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Coriolanus (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Enchanted Pig (Young Vic Theatre/Opera Group), Under the Black Flag (Shakespeare’s Globe), Coram Boy (Royal National Theatre), Once in a Lifetime (Royal National Theatre), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Sheffield Crucible Theatre), Just So (Chichester Festival Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chichester Festival Theatre), Skellig (Young Vic Theatre), Anything Goes (Royal National Theatre), Bintou (Arcola Theatre), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Royal National Theatre), The Singing Group (Chelsea Theatre), Closer to Heaven (Really Useful Group), Into the Woods (NYMT). Television includes: Silent Witness, Captain Mack, Casualty, Little Britain, Doctors. Film includes: Rabbit Fever, The Best Man, Calcium Kid, De Lovely. Radio includes: One Two Zoo, Reality Check, The Ballad of Frankie Banks

You’ve recently opened in Perseverance Drive playing the role of Joylene at the Bush Theatre, how is it going so far?

You know what, it’s been going brilliantly. The audiences and critics have been wonderfully responsive and the feedback has been eye opening, in a good way. Now that the sun is shining, everyone really does feel that they are in Barbados!

SWEENEY TODD at the Twickenham Theatre announces cast, David Bedella & Sarah Ingram star

Olivier Award winner David Bedella will play razor-wielding madman Sweeney Todd and Sarah Ingram his pie-making partner in crime, Mrs Lovett, in an intimate new production of the Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler, will kick-off the autumn season at Twickenham Theatre in West London. It will start previews on Wednesday 10 September and runs to Saturday 4 October.

Press night is Tuesday 16 September at 7.45pm.

The new venue’s first in-house show is a co-production with West End producer David Adkin.

Revival of GRAND GUIGNOL will return to The Drum before heading to Southwark Playhouse

Directed by Theatre Royal Plymouth’s Artistic Director, Simon Stokes, the revival of Grand Guignol will return to The Drum from 9 – 18 October before heading to Southwark Playhouse where the acclaimed production will run for five weeks from 23 October – 22 November 2014. 

1903, in the back streets of Montmartre, the Theatre du Grand Guignol opens its doors to an unsuspecting public. The plays performed, rife with madness and murders, are sold out every night.  A psychiatrist obsessed with the playwright’s gruesome dramas ingratiates his way into the company.  But when he starts to unpick the author’s mind, the boundaries between theatre and truth begin to blur…

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE | Trailer for this new production at the Noel Coward Theatre

Produced by Disney and Sonia Friedman Productions and based on the Academy Award®-winning screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, Shakespeare in Love has been adapted for the stage by Lee Hall (Billy Elliot). Featuring a company of 28 actors and musicians, one of the largest companies ever assembled for a play in the West End, plus a dog, this new play will be directed by Declan Donnellan and designed by Nick Ormerod, the driving force behind the world-renowned theatre company, Cheek by Jowl.

Tickets for Shakespeare in Love at the Noël Coward Theatre are now on sale online at www.shakespeareinlove.com or by calling the box office on 0844 482 5141.  

Casting announced for LITTLE REVOLUTION at the Almeida Theatre

Casting is announced for the world premiere of Alecky Blythe’s new play inspired by the 2011 London riots, directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins. This is Alecky’s first new London production after the success of London Road at the National Theatre.

The cast will include Ronni Ancona, Melanie Ash, Alecky Blythe, Bayo Gbadamosi, Lloyd Hutchinson, Rez Kempton, Barry McCarthy, Lucian Msamati, Clare Perkins, Michael Shaeffer, Imogen Stubbs and Rufus Wright.  The company includes a community chorus of Islington and Hackney locals brought together by the Almeida Projects team.

In the summer of 2011, London was burning. Alecky took her Dictaphone to the streets. From the helicopters circling overhead to the burnt out buildings on the street, Little Revolution records the voices and stories of a community as the riots happened to their present-day aftermath.

London première of Robert Holman’s JONAH AND OTTO to run at the Park Theatre

Today Park Theatre Artistic Director Jez Bond announces the London première of Robert Holman’s Jonah and Otto which will run in Park 200 – the production opens on 29 October, with a preview on 28 October, and plays until 23 November.  Jonah and Otto reunites playwright Robert Holman with director Tim Stark who previously directed Rafts and Dreams as part of the Holman season at the Manchester Royal Exchange in 2003, and acted in the original RSC production of Across Oka. 

“God doesn’t care about you. Why should I?”

Over the course of a single day two men share their solitude and unfold their secrets. They disagree with each about women, about lust and about guilt. They question the power of magic, of redemption and the price of freedom, each seeing himself more clearly through the eyes of the other. 

Casting announced for THE APPLE TREE at Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre

Casting has been announced for The Apple Tree at Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre. 

It features Rafe Watts as Adam, Catriona Mackenzie as Eve, Daniel Donskoy as Snake, Rosie Gloppop as Princess Barbara, Luke Wilson as Sanjar, Lauren Austin as Nadjira, Daniel Holmes as King Arik, Michaela Cartmell as Ella, Xandy Champken as Flip and Adam Corrigan as Producer.

Madalena Alberto | Interview

Madalena has starred as Eva Peron in the UK Tour of EVITA since May 2013, when the production, directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, opened at the New Wimbledon Theatre in London. Her other credits include Fantine in the acclaimed 25th Anniversary production of Les Miserables (UK tour & Barbican Theatre), O2 Arena concert of 'Les Miserables', playing the title role in PIAF at the Curve Theatre, in Leicester, Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde (Union Theatre), Lucy in 'The Threepenny Opera' (Lisbon, 2005), Carmen Diaz in 'Fame' (UK Tour, 2007) and Hunyak in 'Chicago' (Kuala Lumpur, 2007). Madalena was part of the original cast of the West End production of 'Zorro the Musical' (Garrick Theatre, 2008), and she had the chance to play the role of Luisa. In Summer 2009 Madalena played the role of Sam in Christopher Hamilton’s new musical 'Over the Threshold' at the Edinburgh Festival, and then in London; and in the Spring 2011 she played Sonia in GODSPELL at the Union Theatre (London). 

The Bird College spotted you and gave you a scholarship to attend their performing arts school when you were younger. As a 17 year old, was that scary? Having to move away from home to study something you hadn’t initially planned on?

Actually, I was still 16 when The Bird college first saw me and invited me to come to England. So I had a year to think about. Although I’m not that there was much to think about. It was an opportunity I couldn't miss and because it all happened so naturally I didn't have any thoughts of being scared. When I was younger I used to come over to England and do a 5 day Easter dance course. And to me that is what is was, a very long 5 day Easter course.