It is the original postwar Germany and Austria into which Stuart Paterson’s book for new musical Identical takes us in a fresh, bouncy Stiles and Drewe musical. Auditions of hundred pairs of identical twins found three: on press night Eden and Emme Patrick proved faultless in a complicated, sometimes emotionally intense performance, first disliking one another on sight and then rapturously realising their sisterhood; they are playfully natural and assured, rarely offstage for long
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Happy Days at Riverside Studios
We round up the reviews for Trevor Nunn’s 60th anniversary revival of Samuel Beckett’s play Happy Days.
‘One of the most absorbing & significant plays every written’: HAPPY DAYS – Riverside Studios
Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days is, as Lisa Dwan observes, often described as ‘the female Hamlet’. Dwan has played every other female Beckett lead but even she was intimidated by a role previously inhabited by Peggy Ashcroft, Brenda Bruce, Fiona Shaw and Juliet Stevenson, among others. It is understandable. Happy Days, first performed in 1961, is a mighty play, and 60 years later still unlike anything you’ve seen.
Mark Shenton confesses all about his top ten guilty theatrical pleasures
We’ve all got them: things we enjoy — sometimes mightily — that it’s just a little bit embarrassing to admit to liking. Like admitting, in my case, a massive passion for Selling Sunset, the real estate reality TV show set in the cramped offices of an LA boutique agency that sell houses to millionaires and billionaires. (But somehow seem to work cheek-by-jowl in a tiny office on Sunset Boulevard).
Mark Shenton offers a bittersweet celebration of his Top Ten Favourite West End Theatres
My latest ShenTens is particularly bittersweet, as we can’t actually go to any at the moment: my favourite West End theatres.
Mark Shenton bemoans the lack of British songwriters in Radio 2’s forthcoming musicals celebration
Radio 2’s Greatest Show could — and should — have been a platform to celebrate more British musicals, especially here, especially now, with the industry floundering so badly. A show of support for our own creators of new musicals would not have gone amiss.
NEWS: Trevor Nunn directs Lisa Dwan in anniversary production of Happy Days at Riverside Studios
Anthology Theatre, in association with Riverside Studios, presents the 60th anniversary production of Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days. Trevor Nunn directs Lisa Dwan as Winnie, continuing their collaboration following Eh Joe at Jermyn Street Theatre.
Love London Love Culture reflects on the Olivier Awards 2020
While it has taken a while for the winners of this years Olivier Awards to be announced, there was plenty to be celebrated – as well as a strong reminder of the power of theatre.
NEWS: Les Misérables – The Staged Concert returns to the West End in December 2020
Les Misérables – The Staged Concert will return to the West End for a six-week limited run, playing at London’s Sondheim Theatre from 5 December 2020 to 17 January 2021.
‘Everything about this production is wonderful’: OKLAHOMA! – National Theatre (Online Review) ★★★★★
Broadway HD streamed Trevor Nunn’s production of Oklahoma! for free this weekend.
NEWS: Death Of A Salesman, Rosmersholm, Cyrano plus & Juliet lead the Olivier Awards 2020 nominations
The nominations have been announced for this year’s Olivier Awards which take place on 5 April 2020 at the Royal Albert Hall.
‘Playlets of insistent intensity’: BECKETT TRIPLE BILL – Jermyn Street Theatre ★★★★
Jermyn Street Theatre, London ****
www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk
Review: of perf seen January 17, 2020:
© Robert Workman, James Hayes in Krapp’s Last Tape, recalling a moment of bliss on a tape thirty years ago…another haunting…
Krapp’s Last Tape…
‘All a bit too minimalist’: BECKETT TRIPLE BILL – Jermyn Street Theatre
A man sitting behind a table, a man sitting on the edge of an unmade bed, two men sitting on a park bench. These are the settings in the Samuel Beckett Triple Bill currently at the tiny Jermyn Street Theatre and directed by theatre legend Trevor Nunn.
‘Will be long remembered’: LES MISERABLES – THE STAGED CONCERT – West End
Like its predecessors, 2019’s Les Misérables: The Staged Concert will be long remembered as another notable event in the musical’s performance history, heralding the return of Michael Ball to a show he helped to establish, but this time in the role of Javert.
‘Captures the soul of the story perfectly’: THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY – Menier Chocolate Factory ★★★★
Jenna Russell’s stunning performance combined with Trevor Nunn’s delicately understated production captures the soul of the story perfectly in The Bridges of Madison County at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
‘Emotionally engaging & beautiful show from start to finish’: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – West End ★★★★★
Trevor Nunn’s glorious revival of the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof is wonderfully heartwarming to watch.
‘Excellence continues to abound throughout’: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – West End ★★★★★
With its first major cast change since opening – as well as a shift across the Thames – Trevor Nunn’s Fiddler On The Roof remains one of London’s musical theatre jewels.
NEWS: Jenna Russell will lead the company of The Bridges of Madison County at the Menier Chocolate Factory
Jenna Russell will lead the company for the UK premiere of Jason Robert Brown and Marsha Norman’s musical adaptation of Robert James Waller’s bestselling novel The Bridges of Madison County in a new staging by Trevor Nunn at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
NEWS: Menier Chocolate Factory will host the European premiere of The Bridges of Madison County musical
The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces the European premiere of the musical of Robert James Waller’s bestselling novel The Bridges of Madison County in a new staging by Trevor Nunn. The production opens on 23 July 2019, with previews from 12 July, and runs until 14 September.
NEWS: Maria Friedman & Anita Dobson join the West End cast of Fiddler on the Roof
Maria Friedman and Anita Dobson are to join the company of Trevor Nunn’s critically-acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof which is currently running at the reconfigured Playhouse Theatre until 28 September 2019. Friedman plays Golde, and Dobson plays Yente from 18 June, taking over from Judy Kuhn and Louise Gold respectively.