Top theatres across the UK, including nominees from London, Manchester, Nottingham, Wales and Scotland, have made the shortlist for The Stage Awards 2019.
Mark Shenton views the week of news, openings & radical overhauls of Shakespeare in the West End, Broadway & beyond
Mark Shenton offers the week’s news, reviews, quotes and tweets in theatre from both sides of the Atlantic, including an interview with Sonia Friedman, reviews of Shakespeare in three different abbreviated versions, and a YouTube star appearing on Broadway.
‘Assured, fresh & modern interpretation’: THE CHERRY ORCHARD – Manchester
With this production of The Cherry Orchard, the Royal Exchange once again takes an important classic and makes it wonderfully accessible and relevant to the modern age. It is highly recommended.
‘An electric show’: BLACK MEN WALKING – Royal Court Theatre
What a fascinating and critical examination of British identity as well as black identity Black Men Walking at the Royal Court is.
‘Blows stereotypes apart’: Black Men Walking – Manchester ★★★★
Inspired by a real-life Sheffield-based black men’s walking group, Black Men Walking is an influential and compelling brand new play written by Leeds-based rapper and theatre-maker Testament (aka Andy Brooks) in collaboration with Eclipse Theatre Company.
2017 Regional theatre recap
Much of my ‘touring’ has been concentrated in Bristol and Chichester; there are a few other UK venues to add to the list, as well as some from my week in New York, of course.
‘A bold re-envisioning’: GUYS & DOLLS – Manchester
Michael Buffong’s reinterpretation of Guys and Dolls, a co-production between the Royal Exchange and Talawa Theatre, is just that, a bold re-envisioning of the classic musical that consequently comes up with something different.
GUYS & DOLLS – Manchester ★★★★★
This Guys and Dolls is the perfect feel-good Christmas production. Playing out in-the-round on the Royal Exchange’s iconic stage, you’ll be left with a spring in your step and a smile on your face long after leaving the theatre. This is a performance that should not be missed.
NEWS: Ray Fearon & Ashley Zhangazha lead UK’s first all-black Guys & Dolls
This Christmas director Michael Buffong transports GUYS AND DOLLS uptown to 1939 Harlem in the UK’s first all-black cast production of this iconic 1950 Broadway musical classic, which has been reimagined and developed with the award-winning hip-hop dancer and choreographer Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy.
NEWS: Toyah Willcox in Jubilee opens Lyric Hammersmith’s 2018 season
The Lyric Hammersmith has announced their 2018 season comprising a new adaptation, an innovative Shakespeare staging, a major festival production, a stunning revival, an award-winning contemporary opera and a brand new dance production.
OUR TOWN – Manchester
It seems everyone has a first memory of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. Mine, in typical style is mildly embarrassing and reveals me to be the uncultured swine I so often am. It was my third year in University, which happened to be my ‘Study Abroad’ year. …
FATHERLAND – Manchester International Festival
Fatherland has been described as a verbatim piece, though it is unclear how much the stories have been edited to fit the trio’s own agenda.
NEWS: Royal Court winter includes Dennis Kelly premiere & Rita, Sue & Bob Too revival
The Royal Court Theatre has today announced new season of work for autumn/winter 2017/18. The programme includes five world premieres.
NEWS: Manchester’s Royal Exchange announces its striking Winter Season 2017
Manchester’s Royal Exchange announces its striking Autumn and Winter Season 2017 under Artistic Director Sarah Frankcom, who brings together distinctive theatre makers from across the UK to make work that celebrates the similarity found in our differences,
SWEET CHARITY – Manchester
Anchored by a properly star-making and heart-breaking performance from Kaisa Hammarlund, Derek Bond’s Royal Exchange production of Sweet Charity just works.
INTERVIEW: Spotlight On… Actress Julie LeGrand
Gypsy will definitely go down as one of my career highlights! It was one of those extraordinary moments when the planets aligned and every element came together gloriously.
Diary of a Theatre Addict: From New York to Edinburgh & Eastbourne, plus meeting Judi Dench
I’ve not been here with my usual weekly diary of a theatre addict for a month now. So today I’m catching up, not on a week, but on an entire month — during which time I’ve been to Edinburgh, Barbados, New York, Eastbourne and of course London. I’ve interviewed Andy Nyman, Sheridan Smith, Joe McElderry, composer Lucy Simon, Janie Dee and Diana Rigg.
Diary of a Theatre Addict: Doing the timewarp again, revisiting Gypsy on TV, and catching up with Linda
I’ve been out and about over the pre- and post-Christmas week, including trips to Brighton, Manchester and Leeds, with lots of catching up to do in London, too.
Diary of a theatre addict: Peter Pan goes right, the National lacks Wonder, Funny Girl is very funny
I’ve been consciously taking it easy (or at least easier than I usually do!) over the last week after dislocating my newly replaced hip the week before, as I described in a posting here last week was a bit of a wake-up call — I had actually scheduled some ten shows (including out-of-town trips to Leicester and Leeds) just ten days after coming out hospital the first time; but then had the wake-up call that took me out of commission entirely.
NEWS: Orange Tree revives Shaw and Holman, premieres The Rolling Stone
The new spring season for the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, south London, features plays by Robert Holman, Chris Urch, Brad Birch and Bernard Shaw, directed by Ellen McDougall, Alice Hamilton, Mel Hillyard and Artistic Director Paul Miller. Artistic Director Paul Miller announces the January to June 2016 season at the Orange Tree. It follows a year of award-winning theatre …