A Splinter of Ice moves away from a basic biography by mirroring its spy subjects and never allowing the audience to be quite sure which of its many faces is the real one.
‘Engrossing from the first moment’: A SPLINTER OF ICE – Original Theatre Company (Online review)
A Splinter of Ice is a ‘tell, not show’ play but it is engrossing from the first moment, and the characters feel completely believeable with their moments of resigned boredom, creaks of ageing, and acceptance of the card fate dealt them.
NEWS: Ben Brown’s new play A Splinter Of Ice begins its UK tour in June 2021
Following a successful season of online productions, Original Theatre Company has announced its first live stage production since March 2020. The UK tour of Ben Brown’s new political drama A Splinter Of Ice will open on 8 June 2021 at the Malvern Festival Theatre and will tour until 31 July.
Seems to have hit the appropriate moment’: TROILUS & CRESSIDA – RSC (Online review)
The RSC’s stirring production of the not often seen Shakespeare Troilus and Cressida with canny casting and a thrilling percussive score.
NEWS: Original Theatre Company’s production of Ben Brown’s new play A Splinter Of Ice will tour following its online release
Original Theatre Company’s production of Ben Brown’s new play A Splinter Of Ice (about Graham Greene & Kim & Rufa Philby) will star Oliver Ford Davies, Stephen Boxer and Sara Crowe. A filmed version airs 15 April-31 July 2021 followed by a live tour.
‘Feels horribly current’: TROILUS & CRESSIDA – Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon ★★★★
Troilus & Cressida at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon feels horribly current. The terrible story sweeps you up: the vigour, the clamour, the extraordinary racket of macho metallic madness, shield and sword echoing Glennie’s extraordinary score.
Caroline Quentin, Rufus Hound & Penelope Keith line up for Chichester Festival Theatre 2018 season
Chichester Festival Theatre’s Festival 2018 season, announced today, will feature new plays by Laura Wade and Charlotte Jones and revivals of Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen and musical Flowers For Mrs Harris.
Reading recommendations: Lots of new books for performing arts people
Oliver Ford Davies is an unusual actor because he’s also an accomplished academic – that makes him a pretty cerebral blend of practical and theoretical. His latest book Shakespeare’s Fathers and Daughters (for Bloomsbury – in its Arden Shakespeare series) is a fascinating reflection of his dual approach. There are so many fathers of daughters […]
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DVD REVIEW: RSC’s King and Country Box Set
But how do the plays translate to the small screen? Surprisingly well actually. The RSC’s theatre is tailormade for filming a production with the thrust stage allowing for a variety of angles ensuring the cameras really catch every emotion – both from the actors and the audience.
HENRY V – RSC, London
In a time of celebrity cast Shakespeare productions, it is a pleasure to observe Greg Doran’s take on Henry V and see not so much a band of brothers, but rather a company of craftsmen offering one of the most intelligent interpretations of this complex play in recent years.
HENRY V – RSC, London
Shakespeare has loomed large over London’s theatre scene in 2015, from the fevered anticipation to Benedict Cumberbatch’s performances in (the underwhelming) Hamlet to Kenneth Branagh forming his own company and presenting a series of plays built around a pair of the Bard’s pieces. With such fanfare the RSC’s return to the Barbican with the last of their King and Country cycle (and later the whole cycle in repertory) has almost slipped in under the radar, but the less heralded shows are, in our experience, often the most rewarding…
HENRY V – RSC, Stratford & London
In a time of celebrity cast Shakespeare productions, it is a pleasure to observe Greg Doran’s take on Henry V and see not so much a band of brothers, but rather a company of craftsmen offering one of the most intelligent interpretations of this complex play in recent years.
NEWS: The RSC Announce Full Casting For Henry V
It won’t shock any of our readers to hear we’re very excited about The RSC presenting Henry V as part of their winter season. Their Henry IV was a highlight of 2014 and both productions, alongside the acclaimed Richard II from a few years back, head to London for an exciting run of the “Henries” cycle!
Gregory Doran, RSC Artistic Director, continues his exploration through Shakespeare’s History plays as he directs Henry V, opening in Stratford-upon-Avon, before being broadcast to cinemas and transferring to the Barbican in London.
Alex Hassell, who played Prince Hal in both productions of Henry IV and recently played Biff Loman in Doran’s production ofDeath of a Salesman, plays the title role of King Henry.
Doran’s History tetralogy culminates in January 2016 at the Barbican in London, with a major theatrical event marking the start of the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare’s death, King & Country, a complete 4-play season cycle of Richard II, Henry IV Parts I and II and Henry V playing in repertoire. Following the Barbican season, Henry IV Parts I and II and Henry V tour to China and are then re-joined by Richard II in Spring 2016 for an exclusive season in the US, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
The RSC is delighted to announce J.P. Morgan as the Global Tour Premier Partner for all four productions. J.P. Morgan will be supporting the upcoming tour in the UK, US and China where the RSC will perform Shakespeare’s History Plays.
October 2015, also marks the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt whilst Henry V performs in Stratford-upon-Avon, bringing added resonance to the play which uses the battle as the famous centrepiece of Henry V’s reign.
With the start of rehearsals for Henry V, the RSC begins the first pilot in the initiative to produce new, theatrically viable, Chinese translations of all Shakespeare’s 36 plays, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the First Folio in 2023. The RSC will create the translations in collaboration with Chinese writers and translators, who will be embedded into the RSC’s rehearsal process. Professor Zhang Chong, from Shanghai’s Fudan University will be the translator for Henry V working alongside playwright and Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, Nick Yu.
The full cast for Henry V includes: Daniel Abbott (Gloucester/Monsieur le Fer); Martin Bassindale (Boy); Antony Byrne(Pistol); Sean Chapman (Exeter); Oliver Ford Davies (Chorus), Nicholas Gerard-Martin (Orleans/Bishop of Ely); Robert Gilbert (Dauphin); Alex Hassell (Henry V); Jim Hooper (Canterbury/Erpingham); Jennifer Kirby (Katherine); Jane Lapotaire(Queen Isobel); Sam Marks (Constable of France); Dale Mathurin (Bates/Bedford); Chris Middleton (Nym/Warwick/Governor of Harfleur); Evelyn Miller (Rambures/Lady-in-Waiting); Keith Osborn (Montjoy/Scroop); Sarah Parks (Mistress Quickly);Leigh Quinn (Alice); Joshua Richards (Bardolph/Fluellen); Simon Thorp (King of France); Obioma Ugoala (Grey/Gower);Andrew Westfield (Westmoreland/MacMorris) and Simon Yadoo (Cambridge/Williams/Jamy).
The Henry V Company will perform across all four plays of the King & Country cycle and are joined by David Tennant (Richard II); Julian Glover (John of Gaunt); Jasper Britton (Bolingbroke/Henry IV); Matthew Needham (Harry Percy/Hotspur/Mowbray) and Emma King (Lady-in-Waiting/Lady Mortimer/Doll Tearsheet).
The productions are designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis with lighting by Tim Mitchell. The music is composed by Paul Englishby with sound by Martin Slavin. The Movement director is Mike Ashcroft and the Fight director is Terry King.
Henry V will be broadcast ‘Live from Stratford-upon-Avon’ to cinemas in collaboration with Picturehouse Entertainment on 21 October 2015
To book tickets call 01789 403493 or online at www.rsc.org.uk