THEATREWORLD
INTERNET MAGAZINE
FORTHCOMING PRODUCTIONS -
THE
MIDLANDS
BIRMINGHAM
Birmingham Repertory Company
/ Hippodrome / Alexandra
Theatre
COVENTY:
Belgrade Theatre and Belgrade Studio Theatre
CREWE:
Lyceum Theatre
DERBY:
Derby Theatre / Derby Live
NOTTINGHAM:
Playhouse
HEREFORD:
Courtyard Theatre
LEICESTER:
Curve Theatre / The Little Theatre
STRATFORD
UPON AVON: Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre
WORCESTERSHIRE:
Malvern Theatres / Swan Theatre
WOLVERHAMPTON:
Grand Theatre
BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY
THEATRE COMPANY
BOX
OFFICE: 0121 238 4455
BOX OFFICE EMAIL: tickets@birmingham-rep.co.uk
PERMANENT REVIEWER REQUIRED FOR
THIS VENUE - please contact The Editor via email: GPowner@aol.com
BIRMINGHAM
HIPPODROME
TICKET SALES: 0844
338 5000
www.birminghamhippodrome.com
PERMANENT REVIEWER REQUIRED FOR
THIS VENUE - please contact The Editor via email: GPowner@aol.com
ALEXANDRA
THEATRE
BIRMINGHAM
Station
Street
Birmingham B5 4DS
BOX OFFICE: 0870 607
7533.
www.alexandratheatre.org.uk
PERMANENT REVIEWER REQUIRED FOR
THIS VENUE - please contact The Editor via email: GPowner@aol.com
THE
BELGRADE THEATRE
COVENTRY
Belgrade
Square
Coventry
CV1
1GS
BOX OFFICE: 024 7655
3055
www.belgrade.co.uk
PERMANENT REVIEWER REQUIRED FOR THIS
VENUE - please contact The Editor via email: GPowner@aol.com
THE
BELGRADE THEATRE STUDIO
BOX OFFICE: 024
7655 3055.
www.belgrade.co.uk/
CURVE
THEATRE
Cultural Quarter
Rutland Street
Leicester
LE1 1SB
Box Office: 0116 242 3595
For booking tickets and
other show information
Ticket Enquiries:
tickets@curvetheatre.co.uk
The Rat Pack
Live From Las Vegas
Monday 30
January – Saturday 4 February 2012
Following a
successful West End run over Christmas, The Rat Pack are set to bring the
glamorous, glitzy nights of Las Vegas to Leicester. In this
critically-acclaimed production, the Kings of Swing will be played by the
original Olivier Award nominated cast.
This Olivier
Award nominated production celebrates the incredible talent of three legendary
performers Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr. and a sound which defined an era.
The show sees the show’s original cast and a 15-piece orchestra recreate
a night at the famous Sands Hotel.
As well as being
idols of the music industry and superstars of the movies, the famous trio are
above all renowned worldwide for their voices. Classic hits featured in the
show include: The Lady is a Tramp, Mr. Bojangles, I’ve Got You Under my Skin, That’s
Amore, For Once in a Lifetime, Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime, New York, New
York, My Kinda Town, Fly Me to the Moon, Sway, Volare, Me and My Shadow, My Way, Memories are Made of This
and What Kind of Fool.
The Rat Pack
philosophy was to have a good time in their playground of Las Vegas. Frank,
Sammy and Dean were a force to be reckoned with an inexhaustible energy that is
as evident in their music today as it ever was.
Dave’s
Leicester Comedy Festival 2012 at Curve
This February,
Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival (3 – 19 February 2012) returns to
Curve with a variety of hilarious and affordable comedy offerings. Curve is one
of the busiest venues of the festival with 21 shows during February.
Curve’s line-up includes the best in stand-up, theatrical comedy, female
impersonation, European black humour, local performers, Sing-along-a and a Brontë spoof!
Curve are also
running a CurveBall ‘Comedy Talent
Nights’ competition during the festival, giving aspiring stand ups an
opportunity to perform in front of an audience with a prize of £150 and a
slot at the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year show.
A
Curve
Collaboration - Hotel Paradiso (16 – 18 Feb)
In their only UK
date on a European tour, Curve presents the awe-inspiring Familie
Flöz in their joyfully dark character comedy.
Ceri Dupree in The Ladies I Love (31 Jan – 4 Feb)
Leicester
favourite Ceri Dupree pays homage to everyone from
Jordan to Joan Collins, Lady Gaga to Cher, Camilla
Parker Bowles to Shirley Bassey.
Andi Osho in All The Single Ladies (6
Feb)
Andi Osho stand up show is a brutally honest dissection of the
perils and pitfalls of dating. Andi is a regular on
BBC2's Mock The Week and featured in Channel 4's Stand
Up For The Week.
LipService in Withering
Looks (7 Feb)
Winner of a
Manchester Evening News Theatre Award and the Critics Award for Comedy at the
Edinburgh Festival, this cult Brontë spoof takes
an “authentic” look at the lives and works of the literary sisters.
Dave’s Leicester Comedy
Festival announces stellar line-up in celebration of its 19th
birthday.
*
Please note there will be preview shows in Leicester and London
on Friday 13th January and Thursday 19th January
respectively.
The
longest running comedy festival in the UK
turns 19 in 2012, and thanks to the first flush of its exciting new partnership
with top comedy channel Dave, it’s looking more radiant than ever.
From
the 3-19th February 2012 Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival will
be celebrating in style with 17 days of the highest quality comedy showcasing
the talents of some of the most popular, innovative and engaging acts on the
circuit. Highlights will include Alistair McGowan, Sarah Millican,
Josh Widdicombe, Seann
Walsh, Shappi Khorsandi,
Jarred Christmas, Mitch Benn, Tom Rosenthal, Greg Davies, Carl Donnelly, Chris
Addison, Dave Spikey, Gareth Richardson, Alex Horne, Josie
Long & Andi Osho.
Consolidating
its reputation as the creator of unique events and in a bid to outdo all the
young bloods on the circuit Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival has teamed
up with Silver Comedy (www.silvercomedy.co.uk) in a search for the best stand ups (established, amateur,
or up and coming) aged 55 years and above. The Die Laughing: Silver Stand Up Competition will hold heats 17th
February with two winners (judged by industry insiders) announced on the same
day. A day’s training on the 10th February is available at a
cost of £25.00 to beginners by comedy trainer and Silver Comedy
co-founder Chris Head.
Festival
favourite Hotel D’Comedie is also set to
return. Set in the plush confines of Leicester’s
first boutique hotel, the audience is invited to “check in” and
wait for the hilarity to unfold, as each suite toured reveals a new and
unexpected performer behind its door. With the acts and the plot changing each
night, the one constant is that Hotel D’Comedie
has proven itself to be a truly unforgettable and uniquely immersive comedy
experience for its lucky “guests”.
The
ingenious Comedy in The Dark will be dazzling festival goers for the
third year running, with top comedians performing entirely in the dark. Expect
the unexpected in an environment with no visual distractions, where the
audience’s senses are heightened and the performers must dig deep to
raise laughs using entirely new performance skills. The result is a highly
gratifying and unorthodox show, which also highlights Dave’s Leicester
Comedy Festival’s green credentials through its partnership with
Leicester’s Environment Partnership Board, One Leicester and The National
Forest which aims to promote responsible attitudes towards the environment and
lower the carbon footprint of the festival.
The
highly regarded Leicester Mercury of the Year Competition will continue
to do what it does best: rooting out the stars of tomorrow. Previous award
winners include Mitch Benn, Rhod Gilbert, Jason Manford, Johnny Vegas, Henry Paker,
Seann Walsh, Josh Widdicombe,
and 2011’s joint winners Tom Rosenthal (2011 British Comedy Award
nominee, Best Breakthrough Act for Channel 4’s Friday Night
Dinner) and Ben Target.
A groundbreaking festival first will be Dave’s
Leicester Comedy Festival taking up residence in Leicester
eatery Chutney Ivy, which, for the festival’s duration will be
transformed into Dave’s Curry House. This will function as the
festival’s hub and hang- out; a place to convene, enjoy curry, and of
course comedy in plentiful supply. Expect some more Dave related surprises and
exciting additions to be announced in the run up to the start of the festival.
Once
again the festival has given over its final night to a Gala Charity Finale at
Curve Theatre, hosted by Arthur Smith. All proceeds from Comedy Heaven,
featuring the best acts from the festival, will go to Amnesty and Prostaid.
*
Leicester and London
preview shows
At De Montfort
Hall, Leicester on Friday 13th January the Leicester Preview Show
will be hosted by Tim Vine and feature acts including the exuberant Rob
Rouse, BBC Comedy Roadshow’s Keith Farnan, 2011 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award
nominee Nick Helm, Leicester Comedy Festival Best New Show nominee 2011 Vikki
Stone, the truly uplifting Jason Cook and joint Leicester Mercury
Comedians of the Year Tom Rosenthal (British Comedy Award nominee, Best
Breakthrough Act for Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner) and
Ben Target. The Leicester Preview Show is sponsored by De Montfort
University.
At
Kings Place on Thursday 19th January, the London Preview Show will
be hosted by Arthur Smith and feature acts including award-winning,
international stand-up Paul Sinha, Vikki
Stone, anarchic sketch troupe The Dog-Eared Collective, Amused Moose
laugh-off Winner, SYTYF runner-up and member of sketch trio WitTank,
Naz Osmanoglu,
BBC New Comedy Award finalist Pat Cahill, the observational Luke
Benson and the surreal and charismatic, John Kearns.
For
more information on Dave’s Leicester
Comedy Festival and to find the complete line up: www.comedy-festival.co.uk
THE
LITTLE THEATRE
Dover Street
Leicester
LE1 6PW
Box Office: 0116 255 1302
http://www.thelittletheatre.net
Monday 16th - Saturday 21st January 2012
Man of the Moment
By Alan Ayckbourn
Directed by Mary Jones
Vic Parks, a gangster turned
TV star now living in his luxurious Spanish villa, receives a visitor from his
past in the filming of a new series for television called Their Paths Crossed.
Enter Douglas Beechey, the “have-a-go
hero” from Purley. Nothing is quite what it
seems and no one is as clear-cut as first thought.
Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy
explores the world of celebrity and fame created by the media, where
manipulative rogues seem charming: and decent men and women seem dull. Joint winner of The Evening Standard Best Comedy award 1990.
GRAND
THEATRE
WOLVERHAMPTON
BOX OFFICE: 01902
42 92 12
www.grandtheatre.co.uk
NOTTINGHAM
PLAYHOUSE
Wellington Circus
Nottingham NG1 5AF
BOX OFFICE: 0115
941 9419
Minicom: 0115 947 6100
Book Online - www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
Email - enquiry@nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
Nottingham Playhouse Spring Season 2012
Wednesday 1 – Saturday 4 February
Court in the Act
Following sold out performances as part the
neat11 Festival, Court in
the Act! is back in
Nottingham by overwhelming popular demand. This is live theatre at its
liveliest – and funniest.
Six intrepid improvisers create a
completely mad court case before your eyes featuring you – The Jury!
With guest Pippa
Evans from the BBC2 comedy improvisation show Fast and Loose.
Wednesday 29 February – Saturday 10 March
Forever Young
Rock and Roll ‘till you die
A Song Drama By Erik Gedeon
Adapted by Giles Croft and Stefan Bednarczyk
Directed by Giles Croft
Set in a nursing home for actors, a group
of aged panto performers are determined to prove that
it’s not all behind them with a host of classic routines, surprisingly
athletic dancing and a rousing rock ‘n’ roll sing-along. Back by
overwhelming demand, this is your final chance to see your Playhouse favourites
as you’ve never seen them before. Featuring live music performed onstage,
Forever
Young includes
hit songs such as ‘Smells Like Teen
Spirit’, ‘I Love Rock and Roll’ and ‘Forever
Young’.
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 24 March
Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Robert Icke
Two households. Five days. A
whirlwind romance. These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die – like fire and powder
Which, as they kiss, consume. In the heat of
Verona’s streets, two young people will risk everything to be together.
This hot-blooded, deeply moving new production of the world’s greatest
love story is an explosive collision of youth with age, sex with death and love
with tragedy. Young love. Accidents will happen.
Headlong Theatre’s recent
productions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Earthquakes in London,
ENRON, 6 Characters in Search of an Author and Decade.
In association wih Hull Truck Theatre.
Thusday 12 – Saturday 14 April
Woyzeck
By Georg Buchner
In a new adaptation by Robin Kingsland
Directed by Sarah Stephenson
Following on the success of last year’s
The Trial, Nottingham Playhouse Youth theatre perform this influential German
play in their trademark physical style.
Woyzeck tells the nightmarish tale of a poor
soldier who is forced to sell his body for scientific experiments to support his
beloved wife and child. When his wife is distracted by another man, Woyzeck driven to madness by the daily humiliations of his
life and commits the ultimate crime.
Rarely
performed by youth theatre groups, this production will be a visual and
contemporary exploration of the 1836 classic.
Tuesday 17 April – Saturday 5 May
Mary Shelley
By Helen Edmundson
Directed by Polly Teale
Daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft.
Lover
of Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Author of Frankenstein…
This new play explores Mary
Shelley’s remarkable life – from her controversial philosopher
father, and her scandalous elopement, to how at the age of 19 she wrote one of
the greatest stories ever told, so radical in its ideology, it changed the
literary landscape forever.
Shared
Experience is renowned for bringing literary classics to the stage in bold,
imaginative ways including successful previous co-productions, The Caucasian
Chalk Circle, _War and Peace and A Passage to India. For this new play they reunite
with award-winning writer Helen Edmundson whose
ground breaking adaptations include War and Peace , Coram
Boy and Swallows and Amazons
Wednesday 23 May – Saturday 2 June
Roots
By Arnold Wesker
Directed by Andrew Breakwell
1959. Norfolk. Beatie
Byrant returns home from London. She has fallen in love
with Ronnie and passionately believes she has escaped her rural roots through
the love and education of a good man.
As her family
anticipate Ronnie’s arrival, Beatie talks
about London and her new-found ideals, but they’re Ronnie’s words,
not hers. Will she ever find a voice of her own?
Following
the huge sucess of The Kitchen at the National Theatre and our
acclaimed productions of Chicken Soup With Barley, Roots marks Wesker’s
80th birthday year.
A co-production with the Mercury Theatre, Colchester.
DERBY
THEATRE
Theatre Walk
Eagle Centre
Derby
DE1 2NF
Box office:
01332 255 800
DERBY LIVE
Guildhall
Theatre
Market
Place, Derby, DE1 3AE
Box
Office: 01332 255800
Website: www.derbylive.co.uk
e-mail: boxoffice@derby.gov.uk
THE COURTYARD THEATRE
Edgar Street
Hereford
HR4 9JR
BOX OFFICE: 01432 359252
THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
AT
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
RSC TICKET
HOTLINE: 0844 800 1110
For full details visit: www.rsc.org.uk
CASTING RELEASE
ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY 50TH
BIRTHDAY SEASON
April – November 2011
·
JONATHAN SLINGER AND AISLÍN McGUCKIN RETURN TO PLAY MACBETH AND LADY MACBETH IN MICHAEL
BOYD’S PRODUCTION
·
PATRICK STEWART IS SHYLOCK IN RUPERT
GOOLD’S THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
·
NANCY MECKLER RETURNS TO DIRECT A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
·
ANTHONY NEILSON TO DIRECT MARAT/SADE
·
GREGORY DORAN CASTS 25 YEAR OLD
NEWCOMER OLLY RIX AS CARDENIO
·
SARA CROWE TO PLAY LADY FRUGAL IN THE
CITY MADAM
·
DAVID GREIG’S DUNSINANE REACHES
SWAN THEATRE
·
MAJOR REVIVAL OF PINTER’S THE
HOMECOMING
2011 is a significant year in the history of the Royal
Shakespeare Company. It celebrates its 50th Birthday with a
season of nine plays in the newly transformed Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the
Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Artistic Director Michael Boyd said:
‘It’s fifty years since Peter Hall founded the Royal Shakespeare
Company: fifty years that have seen the Company play a vital role at the
beating heart of British theatre, working with, learning from and training a
who’s who of playwrights, actors, directors and theatre
practitioners. Now we re-open with a season that celebrates this rich
heritage and signals our intent for the decades to come.’
‘Two companies of actors will play across both the
Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre, presenting a repertoire of work by
Shakespeare and his contemporaries, new work and revivals of some of our
greatest hits.’
Rehearsals for Macbeth, Cardenio,
The City Madam and The Merchant of Venice began last week.
ROYAL
SHAKESPEARE THEATRE
MACBETH
By William Shakespeare
16 April – 6 October 2011
Press Night: Tuesday 26 April at 7pm
Michael Boyd directs the first new
production to open in the newly transformed Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and Jonathan Slinger takes the title role.
Boyd said of Jonathan Slinger:
‘Jonathan is without doubt one of the finest actors of his generation,
and has more than proved himself in the role of disturbed Shakespearean
Kings.’
Jonathan was part of the ensemble in Michael’s
award-winning Histories cycle, which began in 2006 in The Courtyard Theatre
during the Complete Works Festival and went on to play to sell-out houses at
the Roundhouse in London. His roles included Richard II and Richard
III. Other roles for the RSC include Puck in Greg Doran’s A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, David Greig’s The American Pilot
in The Other Place and Dromio of Syracuse in Nancy
Meckler’s The Comedy of Errors (all in 2005). He recently
played Richard in Dennis Kelly’s The Gods Weep at the Hampstead
Theatre.
Other stage work includes Bernard in Yes, Prime
Minister at the Chichester Festival Theatre and the West End and Astrov in Uncle Vanya at
the Young Vic. His television credits include: The Adventures of
Daniel (BBC), Vexed, Paradox, Krod Mondoon and Hustle. His films include The
Veil of Maya (2010) and The Knight’s Tale (2000).
Also making a welcome return to the RSC is Aislín McGuckin
as Lady Macbeth. In 2005/6 she played Olivia in Michael Boyd’s
production of Twelfth Night,
and in 2000 played Countess d’Auvergne and
Margery Jourdain in his productions of Henry VI,
Part 1 and Part II and Lady Anne in Richard III.
Her other theatre credits include: The Clearing
(Shared Experience), and Emma in Our Father at the Almeida
Theatre. Films include: Maria in The White Countess and Aislin in The Nephew. Her television work
includes: Doctor Liz Merrick in Heartbeat and Emily in David
Copperfield.
The cast also includes: Madeline
Appiah (Gentlewoman) Jamie Beamish
(Porter), Howard Charles (Malcolm), Scott Handy (Ross), Aidan
Kelly (Macduff), Caroline Martin (Lady Macduff), Des McAleer (Duncan),
Nikesh Patel (Donalbain),
Daniel Percival (First Murderer), Daniel Rose (Second Murderer), Steve
Toussaint (Banquo), Christopher Wright
(Doctor).
Designs are by RSC Associate, Tom Piper, lighting
by Jean Kalman, music by Craig Armstrong,
sound by Andrew Franks, movement by Struan
Leslie and fights by Terry King.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
By William Shakespeare
13 May – 26 September 2011
Press night: Thursday 19 May at 7pm
Following his critically acclaimed production of Romeo and
Juliet, RSC Associate Director Rupert Goold
directs one of Shakespeare’s most controversial plays, The Merchant
of Venice.
Patrick Stewart returns to the RSC to play
Shylock. He last performed for the company in 2008 in Hamlet
– in Stratford, London and on film playing Claudius and the Ghost
opposite David Tennant in the title role. He previously worked with Goold for the RSC in 2006 during the Complete Works
Festival playing Prospero in The Tempest. In that same season,
Patrick played Antony in Antony and Cleopatra opposite Harriet Walter.
Rupert recently directed Patrick as Macbeth – in the UK, New York and on
film.
Stewart is
probably best known for his television and film roles as Captain Jean-Luc
Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in
the X-Men film series as well as the voice William Shakespeare in the
upcoming Disney animation Gnomeo And Juliet. In 2010 he received a knighthood in the New
Year Honours list for his services to Drama.
Playing Portia is Susannah Fielding. Her
recent stage work includes: An Enemy of the People at The Crucible in
Sheffield, The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other, Hero in Much
Ado about Nothing, Philistines and Rosa Delle
Rose in The Rose Tattoo – all for the National Theatre. In 2006
she played Trinculo in the Guildhall School/RSC
production of The Tempest. Her screen roles include playing the
lead in the film, Kill Keith and on TV, Chloe in Pete Versus Life,
Doctor Who and Wallander.
The cast also includes: Madeline Appiah,
Jamie Beamish (Launcelot Gobbo),
Howard Charles (Gratiano), Scott Handy
(Antonio), Aidan Kelly, Caroline Martin (Jessica), Des McAleer (Duke of Venice/Old Gobbo),
Jason Morell (Arragon),
David Ononokpono (Morocco), Nikesh Patel (Balthasar),
Daniel Percival (Lorenzo), Emily Plumtree
(Nerissa), Richard Riddell (Bassanio), Daniel Rose, Steve Toussaint, Christopher
Wright (Tubal)
Designs are by Tom Scutt,
lighting by Rick Fisher, music by Adam Cork, sound
by Gregory Clarke, choreography by Scott Ambler and music
associate and orchestrations by Alex Baranowski.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
By William Shakespeare
29 July – 5 November 2011
Press Night: Thursday 4 August at 7pm
Nancy Meckler returns to the RSC to direct A Midsummer
Night’s Dream. Her previous productions for
the RSC include The Comedy of Errors in the RST in 2005 and House of
Desires (part of the Spanish Golden Age Season) in the Swan in 2004.
She said: ‘Having created work for the Swan and the
former RST, I am thrilled to be returning to the RSC for the first season on
the new stage with a new production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.’
Pippa Nixon
returns to the RSC to play Titania, the Queen of the
Fairies and Hippolyta. Her previous work for the company includes Roy
Williams’ Days of Significance in 2006 and in 2010, a version of Henry
V in New York. Her other theatre credits include: the title role in Bea
at Soho Theatre, Mad Forrest at the Battersea Arts Centre, Round
1, The Factory at Hampstead Theatre and a season at The Globe, when her
roles included Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Jessica in The
Merchant of Venice. Her television work includes Law and Order UK,
and Wannabes.
Jo Stone-Fewings
plays Oberon, the King of the Fairies and Theseus. His most
recent work for the RSC includes Orsino in Twelfth
Night in Stratford and the West End in 2009-10, and the Bastard in King
John in 2002. Other theatre includes Dancing at Lughnasa at the Old Vic, Richard Hannay
in The Thirty Nine Steps at the Criterion and Angels in America for
Headlong Theatre at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. Amongst his TV
credits are: Misfits, New Tricks and Doctor Who.
Playing the young lovers are: Lucy Briggs-Owen as
Helena, Alex Hassell as Demetrius, Matti Houghton as Hermia and Nathaniel
Martello-White (Lysander).
The cast also includes: Maya Barcot
(Fairy), Christopher Chilton (Fairy), Kammy
Darweish (Egeus), Christopher
Godwin (Quince), Michael Grady-Hall (Flute), Felix Hayes
(Snug), Chiké Okonkwo
(Snout) and Timothy Speyer (Starveling).
Joining Nancy on the creative team are designer Katrina
Lindsay and lighting designer, Wolfgang Gobbel.
MARAT/SADE
THE PERSECUTION AND ASSASSINATION OF
MARAT AS PERFORMED BY THE INMATES OF THE ASYLUM OF CHARENTON UNDER THE DIRECTOR
OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE
By Peter Weiss
English adaptation by Geoffrey Skelton
Verse adaptation by Adrian Mitchell
14 October – 5 November 2011
Press Night: Thursday 20 October at 7pm
RSC Literary Associate Anthony Neilson directs this
new production of Marat/Sade in the 50th Birthday
year. His previous directing work for the RSC includes God in Ruins
(his own play) at the Soho Theatre in 2007 and The Drunks in 2009.
He recently wrote and directed Get Santa for the Royal Court Theatre.
Neilson said: ‘I look forward to working with the new ensemble on
the forthcoming revival of MARAT/SADE; a production which will, I hope, cast a
fresh and contemporary light on Peter Weiss' seminal play, both formally and
contextually; and restore to it at least some of the forceful impact of Peter
Brook’s and Adrian Mitchell's legendary RSC production.’
The RSC’s 1964 production of Peter Weiss’
play, directed by Peter Brook, to this day, remains one of the company’s
most important and acclaimed productions. Adrian Mitchell’s verse
adaptation combined with Geoffrey Skelton’s English version seeks to
present an unflinching and very human commentary on society and revolution.
The play is set in post revolutionary France. The
inmates of an asylum present a play about the murder of Jean-Paul Marat under
the direction of the notorious Marquis de Sade. As the director of the
asylum and his family sit down expecting to see a patriotic display, they are confronted
with a performance that is unruly, shocking and outspoken.
Movement is by Anna Morrissey and lighting by Chahine Yavroyan.
SWAN THEATRE
CARDENIO
Shakespeare’s ‘Lost Play’ re-imagined
14 April – 6 October 2011
Press Night: Wednesday 27 April at 7pm
After extensive auditions, a newcomer has landed the part
of Cardenio which will celebrate the
re-opening of the Swan Theatre. RSC Chief Associate Director, Gregory
Doran said: ‘Olly Rix,
a 25 year old graduate from Oxford University and LAMDA can’t quite
believe he’s landed this major new role. But I believe he will bring
something quite exceptional to the role. He’s a very exciting new
talent.’
In 1727, Lewis Theobold
presented The Double Falsehood at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
He claimed it was an adaptation of a lost play by Shakespeare, based on the
story of Cardenio in Cervantes’ Don Quixote.
Such a play by Shakespeare and John Fletcher was indeed performed at court in
1612.
Gregory Doran has completed a piece of literary
archaeology and attempts to reconstruct the extraordinary story of Cardenio, the subject of Fletcher and Shakespeare’s
lost play.
The cast also includes: Maya Barcot
(Nun), Lucy Briggs-Owen (Luscinda), Christopher
Chilton (Priest), Liz Crowther (Duenna), Nicholas
Day (Don Bernardo), Christopher Ettridge
(Duke), Christopher Godwin (Don Camillo), Michael
Grady-Hall (Shepherd), Alex Hassell
(Fernando), Felix Hayes (Shepherd), Matti
Houghton (Maid), Simeon Moore (Pedro), Harry Myers (Citizen),
Pippa Nixon (Dorotea),
Chiké Okonkwo
(Gerardo) and Timothy Speyer (Master Shepherd).
Joining Gregory Doran on the creative team is: Niki Turner (designer), Tim Mitchell
(lighting), Paul Englishby (music), Martin Slavin (sound), Michael Ashcroft (movement) and Terry
King (fights).
THE CITY MADAM
By Philip Massinger
5 May – 4 October 2011
Press Night: Thursday 11 May at 7pm
Dominic Hill, Artistic Director of the
Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh joins the RSC for the first time to direct
Massinger’s raucous satire on greed and misplaced pride.
In this biting comedy, wealthy merchant John Frugal takes
pity on his penniless and dissolute brother Luke Frugal (played by Jo Stone-Fewings) and invites him to live under his roof
together with his own haughty wife and two foolishly conceited daughters.
As Luke plots to steal from his brother and his daughters
arrogantly spurn worthy suitors, John plans to teach them all a lesson.
Christopher Godwin makes a welcome
return to the RSC to play Sir John Frugal. His many roles for the company
include: Gregory Doran’s The Canterbury Tales in the Swan and on
tour as well as his productions of The Taming of the Shrew and The
Tamer Tamed in 2003 and in 1995 The Devil is an Ass and The
Relapse. His recent television credits include: My Family, Forgotten
Army and Lead Balloon.
Sara Crowe plays Lady Frugal. Sara
has extensive credits on stage, television and film, and is probably best known
for her comedy roles. Sara is currently appearing in Rattigan’s Less
than Kind at the Jermyn Street Theatre. Her other theatre credits include:
an RSC tour of A Woman of No Importance, Olivia in Peter Hall’s Twelfth
Night and in she appeared in his West End production of Bedroom
Farce. Sara played Ruth in Calendar Girls, Babs in a UK tour of Acorn Antiques and Camilla
Parker Bowles in A Right Royal Farce at the King’s Head in
Islington. On film she played Laura in Mike Newell’s film Four
Weddings and a Funeral and Carry on Columbus and her many television
appearances include: Skins, The Rory Bremner
Show, The Harry Enfield Show and Doctors.
The cast also includes: Lucy Briggs-Owen
(Anne), Christopher Chilton (Dingem), Liz
Crowther (Millicent/Secret), Kammy
Darweish (Old Tradewell/Fortune),
Nicholas Day (Lord Lacy), Christopher Ettridge
(Holdfast), Michael Grady-Hall (Scuffle), Alex Hassell (Maurice), Felix Hayes (Mr Plenty), Matti Houghton (Mary), Nathaniel
Martello-White (Goldwire), Andrew Melville
(Hoist/Old Goldwire), Simeon Moore (Stargaze),
Harry Myers (Getall/Serjeant),
Pippa Nixon (Shavem),
Chiké Okonkwo
(Tradewell), Olly
Rix and Timothy Speyer (Penury).
RSC Associate, Tom Piper is designing the costumes,
lighting is by Tim Mitchell, music and sound by Dan Jones,
movement by Struan Leslie and fights by Renny
Krupinski.
The National Theatre of Scotland presents the Royal
Shakespeare Company’s production in association with the Royal Lyceum Theatre,
Edinburgh
DUNSINANE
By David Greig
15 June – 2 July 2011
Press night: Thursday 16 June at 7pm
RSC Associate Director Roxana Silbert
revives her acclaimed production of Dunsinane
which premiered at Hampstead Theatre in 2010.
Roxana said: ‘I'm thrilled to be bringing
David Greig's Dunsinane
to the Swan. It was actually written for the space, so it's like bringing
it home. Wonderful, too, that it will be seen after Michael Boyd's Macbeth
on the new RST stage providing a gratifying sequel for those who wondered what
happened after....’
David Greig added: ‘Dunsinane emerged for me around five years ago when
there seemed to be several productions of Macbeth being performed. Macbeth
is about the toppling of a king. But I found I was interested in what happened
after that king was overthrown. How does an army restore a kingdom to peace? I
also had a cheeky desire to respond to the fact that the most famous Scottish
play was written by the most famous English writer. I wanted to look at the story
from a Scottish point of view. And who could resist the chance to revisit Lady
Macbeth, one of the greatest characters in all drama?’
Casting includes: Brian Ferguson (Malcolm), Lisa
Hogg (Attendant), Joshua Jenkins (Soldier/Lord), Alex Mann (Egham), Mairi Morrison
(Attendant) and Jonny Phillips (Siward) and Siobhan Redmond
(Gruach).
Siobhan Redmond’s previous roles for the RSC include
The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, The Spanish Tragedy and Much
Ado about Nothing. Her television work includes: The Catherine
Tate Show, Eastenders, New Tricks, Sea of Souls, The
High Life and Holby City.
Joining Roxana on the creative team is Robert Innes Hopkins
(designer), Chahine Yavroyan
(lighting), Nick Powell (music and sound), Anna Morrissey
(movement) and Terry King (fights).
Dunsinane will receive its Scottish premiere at The Royal Lyceum Theatre,
Edinburgh on Friday 13 May followed by dates at Glasgow’s Citizens
Theatre in June 201. A version adapted for radio was broadcast on BBC Radio 3
on 30 January at 8pm.
THE HOMECOMING
By Harold Pinter
28 July – 15 October 2011
Press Night: Wednesday 3 August at 7pm
Premiered by the RSC in 1965, The Homecoming
is considered by many to be Pinter’s masterpiece. It is directed by David
Farr, and is being revived as part of the RSC’s 50th
Birthday celebrations.
David Farr, RSC Associate Director said:‘I directed the 50th anniversary production of
The Birthday Party at The Lyric shortly before Harold died. He was very
much involved, displaying that characteristic passion for the simple act of
making theatre. To direct one of the first productions after his death is a
great honour. To direct The Homecoming, which I think is
possibly his greatest achievement is a genuine thrill. It will
be strange doing it without him.’
The cast includes:
Des McAleer (Sam), Aislín
McGuckin (Ruth), Richard Riddell (Joey), Jonathan
Slinger (Lenny) and
Further casting to be announced.
The designer is John Bausor
and lighting is by Jon Clark.
Young People’s Shakespeare
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
By William Shakespeare
Edited by Tim Crouch
In schools from 19 September
Press Performance in a school: 29 September (venue and
time to be announced)
In the Swan from 24 September – 15 October 2011
Following its highly successful Young People’s
Shakespeare productions of The Comedy of Errors, and Hamlet
the RSC continues its work with and for young people with a new production of The
Taming of the Shrew edited and directed by Tim Crouch.
Tim Crouch, director, writer and performer said:
‘The Taming of the Shrew always felt like a natural choice for the
RSC's Young People's Shakespeare. Its themes of sibling rivalry,
bullying, love, identity and education make it a perfect play for a young,
enquiring audience. Shakespeare tells a compelling story but it is not
sugar-coated. Its provocation feels particularly relevant in 2011 when
the messages of gender equality and emancipation in schools, colleges and
elsewhere are still as confused as ever. I am excited about honouring the
comedy and the challenge of Shakespeare's play and enabling it to engage
theatrically with young and old minds alike.’
He continued: ‘The cast for The Taming of the
Shrew is led by two outstanding young actors, David Ononokpono
and Madeline Appiah, as Petruchio
and Katherina. I am excited to be putting
Christopher Sly (played by Jamie Beamish) back where he belongs - deep
into the heart of the audience with some opinions of his own.’
The cast also includes: Caroline Martin (Baptista), Jason Morell (Grumio/Gremio), Nikesh Patel (Lucentio),
Daniel Percival (Tranio), Emily Plumtree (Bianca) and Daniel Rose (Hortensio).
The production is an introduction to Shakespeare for
children aged eight upwards, and families.
·
Dunsinane is an RSC commission. The work of the RSC Literary
Department is generously supported by the Drue Heinz
Trust.
·
The RSC Ensemble is generously
supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and The Kovner
Foundation
·
Tickets available from the RSC Box
Office: 0844 800 1110, www.rsc.org.uk
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Information provided by Jonnie Woodall for
Theatreworld Internet Magazine
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