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New and Noteworthy
A new production of Pam Gems' Piaf — originally produced in 1978 at the Donmar Warehouse when the RSC used to run it as their new writing studio home — will launch the Covent Garden venue's new season, beginning previews Aug. 8, opening Aug. 13 and running through Sept. 20. From September 2008, a one year residency in the West End at Donmar ticket prices will commence. The West End season comprises Chekhov’s Ivanov in a new version by Tom Stoppard, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Yukio Mishima’s Madame de Sade and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The Donmar will also join forces with the National Theatre of Scotland to present a stage adaptation of Andrew O'Hagan's novel Be Near Me, adapted by and starring Ian McDiarmid.
Robert Webb of the Mitchell and Webb double act, will make his West End debut in the UK premiere of Neil LaBute’s Fat Pig, which will run at Trafalgar Studios from 16th May to 6th September 2008 with its opening on 27th May 2008. For Curtainup's review of the play when it premiered Off-Broadway go here.
/ Dominic Cooke's adaptation and production of black author Malorie Blackman's novel Noughts and Crosses for the Royal Shakespeare Company comes to the Hackney Empire for a week until 5th April 2008. Blackman's novel is an interesting study of racism with the ruling class, the Crosses as black people and the oppressed underclass, the white skinned Noughts. The play looks at the friendship and subsequent love affair between Callum (Richard Madden) and the daughter of the deputy Prime Minister, Sephy (Ony Uhiara). The play starts when Callum has won a place at a school for the privileged where the very few token Noughts are bullied by the majority Cross pupils and Sephy is beaten up for defending them. Callum and his family get involved in terrorism protesting at the inequalities and there are scenes in court and prison where we see the prejudice of the legislative process and the government. Street slang for the Noughts and Crosses is Blankers and Daggers.
A fine ensemble cast gives us a lot of detailed characters in this fast moving production which keeps our attention for all its two and a half hours. It is ideal for school parties who have studied the book at school because so many elements merit detailed discussion. I was very impressed by Ony Uhiara who is rarely off stage as the sincere, principled member of the ruling class who believes in justice and equality and behaves true to her principles in a difficult situation for her. Richard Madden is convincing as the boy born on the poor side of the tracks. His dysmorphic sister Lynette (Louise Callaghan) was a victim after going out with a boy from a Cross family. The ending is shocking and in no way sugary. The production has been touring since the end of February and the Hackney Empire is your last chance to see it. Box Office: 020 8985 2424 showing to Saturday April 5th 2008.
Adding to the tradition of dinner theatre, Not So Loud's Slippery Mountain is performed on the first floor of one of ChinaTown's most traditional restaurants, The New World. Included in the ticket price, the audience are each served a plate of dim sum and tea before the performance.
Portraying the Buddhist epic, the opera tells the story of the monk Mulian (Eriko Shimada), whose devotion to his mother is tested when she is condemned to eternal damnation on the frozen slopes of Hell's Slippery Mountain. Mulian's piety and shamanistic powers are revealed as he confronts the demons abducting his mother and then his own master Di Zhang Wang (Ghaffar Pourazar) who probes the clash between Mulian's righteousness and his duty towards his errant mother. Not So Loud's take on this mythic opera traditionally performed at funerals includes a fusion of Western-style clowning. Therefore, while Mulian and his mother sing arias in Chinese such as On Crossing the Bridge of Hopelessness and At the Pavillion of Last Glances, the demons are dressed in clown make-up, wear Converse trainers and lark about with meat cleavers and dismembered hands. The two elements of this hybrid, however, are not a particularly comfortable juxtaposition and the pantomimic elements often undermine the oriental, operatic stylization.
This is a bilingual production (with no surtitles) and, abridged from the traditional ten day version, the performance lasts one hour. It is running until 13th April and tickets may be booked via the box office at 0870 033 2600.
The winners of London's Olivier Awards have now been added in our Omnibus Awards List
Polly Stenham's multi award-winning play That Face, which was produced at the Royal Court Theatre to great critical acclaim last year, is to transfer to the Duke of York's Theatre with Lindsay Duncan and Matt Smith who originated the roles of mother and son, Martha and Henry. Directed by Jeremy Herrin That Face, previews from 1 May with press night on 8 May and is booking until 5 July 2008. Design is by Mike Britton with lighting by Natasha Chivers and sound by Emma Laxton. Polly Stenham was 19 when she wrote That Face.
The 2007 London Critics Circle Theatre Awards ceremony was hosted on Tuesday, 29th of January by Chairman Charles Spencer. As ever, the ceremony was an informal gathering of award recipients, the drama critics, with the award winners decided by the independent votes of Drama Section members, with no panel discussion or public/industry influence exerted. To follow is a list of the award winners and presenters:
Best New Play A DISAPPEARING NUMBER by Simon McBurney & Complicite (Plymouth Theatre Royal, Warwick Arts Centre, European tour & the Barbican Theatre, London) Award presented by Benedict Nightingale (The Times) to Judith Dimant
The Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical (new or revival) HAIRSPRAY (Shaftesbury Theatre, London) Award presented by Paul Taylor (The Independent) to Jerry Mitchell (choreographer) and Leanne Jones
HAIRSPRAY (Shaftesbury Theatre, London) Award presented by Paul Taylor (The Independent) to Jerry Mitchell (choreographer) and Leanne Jones
Best Actor CHARLES DANCE in Shadowlands (pre-London tour, then Wyndhams Theatre, London followed by transfer to Novello Theatre, London) Award presented by Georgina Brown (Mail on Sunday) to Charles Dance
Best Actress ANNE-MARIE DUFF in Saint Joan (National Theatre, London) Award presented by Nicholas de Jongh (Evening Standard) to Anne-Marie Duff
The John and Wendy Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance = awarded jointly to: CHIWETEL EJIOFOR in Othello (Donmar Warehouse, London) Award presented by John Peter (The Sunday Times) to Chiwetel Ejiofor & PATRICK STEWART in Macbeth (Minerva Theatre, Chichester, followed by transfer to Gielgud Theatre, London) Award presented by Jane Edwardes (Time Out) to Patrick Stewart
Best Director RUPERT GOOLD for Macbeth (Minerva Theatre, Chichester followed by transfer to Gielgud Theatre, London) Award presented by Michael Billington (The Guardian) to Rupert Goold
Best Designer RAE SMITH and HANDSPRING PUPPET COMPANY for War Horse (National Theatre, London) Award presented by Dominic Cavendish (Daily Telegraph) to Tom Morris, Associate Director, National Theatre Most Promising Playwright POLLY STENHAM for That Face (Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, London) Award presented by Claire Allfree (Metro) to Polly Stenham
The Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer (other than a playwright) LEANNE JONES in Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre, London) Award presented by Ian Shuttleworth (FT & Theatre Record) to Leanne Jones
With Harold Pinter's Homecoming enjoying a mostly ecstatically received Broadway revival with Brit actress Eve Best (review) and also revived in London, can a revival of The Birthday Party be far behind? Indeed not. A 50th anniversary production will be helmed by the Lyric Hammerstein's artistic director, David Farr, opening on 12th of May 12 following previews that begin 8th of May. When it first premiered and before Pinter became one the theater's premier stylistic innovators, most critics dismissed this play with one critic describing Pinter's dialogue as "half-gibberish and lunatic ravings". and with an unfathomable plot.
Casting has been announced for the London production of Jersey Boys, the Tony Award award-winning Broadway musical that's repeated its success wherever it's toured. It's headed to London's Prince Edward Theatre on Tuesday 18 March 2008, following previews from 28 February. The London cast will be headed by Ryan Molloy as Frankie Valli, Stephen Ashfield as Bob Gaudio, Glenn Carter as Tommy DeVito and Philip Bulcock as Nick Massi.
On 30 September 2007 tickets will go on sale for Trevor Nunn's production of Margaret Mitchell's classic novel, Gone with the Wind in a new musical adaptation of the classic love story. Book and lyrics are adapted by Trevor Nunn and music isby Margaret Martin. The much anticpated musical will have its first performance at the New London Theatre on Saturday 5 April 2008, with press night on Tuesday 22 April and an booking until 27 September 2008. Sets and costumes are by multi award-winning designer John Napier Costumes. Lighting Design is by Neil Austin and Sound by Paul Groothius. Musical Supervisor and Arranger is Gareth Valentine and Movement Director is David Bolger.
Ewan McGregor will play Iago to Chewetl Ejiofor's Othello with Kelly Reilly as Desdemona at the Donmar Warehouse in December. Michael Grandage will direct with design by Christopher Oram. The production opens on Tuesday 4 December, with previews from 29 November, and runs until 23 February 2008. Priority booking opens Monday 10th September with public booking 15th October.
Six years after he stepped down as artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse with sell-out productions of Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya, Sam Mendes will return to the London stage with another pairing of classic works. As part of a three-year collaboration between Mendes, Kevin Spacey's Old Vic and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) called the Bridge Project, Mendes will direct Stephen Dillane in Hamlet and The Tempest in 2008, and Simon Russell Beale (who appeared in the Donmar double) in The Winter's Tale and The Cherry Orchard in 2009, with another pairing still to be announced for 2010. Each double bill will have seasons in London and New York as well as at least one other city internationally (the first will be mounted in Milan between its dates at BAM and the Old Vic).
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