Category: Theatre

Autumn Theatre Preview

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20150831-6-VerticalGavin Spokes will play Nicely Nicely in Chichester Festival Theatre’s West End transfer of the critically acclaimed Guys and Dolls playing at The Savoy Theatre. Ferdy Roberts returns to the Royal Court in the role of Jez in Plaques and Tangles which will be directed by Lucy Morrison in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. Michelle Bonnard will play Maxine in American playwright Marcus Gardley’s A Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes at the Tricycle Theatre directed by Indu Rubasingham whilst at The Print Room Richard Dempsey takes on the role of Edward in TS Elliot’s  The Cocktail Party directed by Abbey Wright.

Thomas Coombes will appear in a revival of Barbarians (for which he won an Offie in 2013), as Tooting Arts Club bring Barrie O’Keefe’s play back to the site specific former St Martins School of Art in central London. For Actors Touring Company, meanwhile, Farshid Rokey and Kriss Dosanjh join the cast of Martyr a story of a young radicalised Christian boy directed by Rahmin Grey. Robert Hands is currently in rehearsals for Mouthful at The Trafalgar Studios and Hayley Carmichael will appear in First Love Is The Revolution, a new play written by Rita Kalnejais’s to be directed by Steve Marmion for Soho Theatre.
Out of town Sara Powell plays Tituba in The Crucible at The Bristol Old Vic directed by Tom Morris; Jess Murphy joins the cast of ATG’s new musical The Choir directed by Dominic Hill at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow.Scott Karim plays Helmholtz in The Royal and Derngate’s Brave New World directed by James Dacre.

20150831-4-Square Alex Blake will play Torvald in A Dolls House directed by Rachel O’Riordan at The Sherman Theatre Cymru and Rose O’Laughlin plays Anna in a revival of Brian Friel’s Living Quarters at The Tobacco Factory.
Openings include Jodie McNee in Our Country’s Good at The National, Tom Edden in Measure For Measure at The Young Vic and Tafline Steen making her Broadway debut in King Charles III at The Music Box Theatre, NY.

Summer Stage

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20150712Tom Edden will play Pompey in Joe Hill-Gibbins’s dark reimagining of Measure for Measure at The Young Vic with rehearsals starting this summer. Scott Karim has opened at The Bush in the world premier of Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s new play The Invisible written in response to the government cuts to legal-aid. Meanwhile Geoff Leesley joins The Rose Theatre Kingston’s adaptation of The Wars of The Roses directed by Trevor Nunn and opening late summer. On tour Emma Handy and Richard Teverson join the cast of Moira Buffini’s Olivier Nominated ‘Handbagged’ directed by Indhu Rubasingham. New RADA grad Bill Parfitt joins the ensemble of Future Conditional Matthew Warchus’s first play in his role of Artistic Director at The Old Vic. Out of London and following press acclaim for its premier at The Sherman Cardiff, Sophie Melville will perform Gary Owens harrowing one woman show Iphigenia in Splott at The Pleasance during this years Edinburgh Festival. Also at The Festival, watch out for Spencer Jones as The Herbert in his acclaimed comedy show Proper Job, performances throughout August.

Theatre News

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On stage we are pleased to confirm that Tafline Steen will reprise her role as Jess in The Broadway transfer of the Olivier Award winning Charles III which will run at The Music Box Theatre this autumn. Jodie McNee, meanwhile, returns to The National Theatre where she will play Liz Morden in Nadia Fall’s revival of Our Country’s Good. Lisa Palfrey has started rehearsals for The Seagull at Regents Park which Matthew Dunster is directing in a new version by Torben Betts and Ferdy Roberts will transfer with Lampedusa, Anders Lustgarten’s new political elegy, which will be at Soho Theatre from the end of June. Chris Harper will play Benedick in The Globe’s Much Ado About Nothing with Max Webster directing, Robert Hands opens in Sunspots at Hampstead Theatre with Charlotte Gwimmer directing, Gavin Spokes returns to the West End in Headlong’s revival of 1984 and Richard Dempsey opens as Reggie in Rob Ashford’s Chichester staging of A Damsel in Distress.

Four-in-a-row

 

 

On Screen, on Film, on Stage

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On Screen

OnScreen200315Max Fowler plays regular Krispin Stockley in POWERS. The series based on the award winning comic books is a combination of noir police story and real world superheros from the producers of ‘Breaking Bad’ and premiers this month for Sony. Also premiering this month, Richard Teverson features as Lib Dem politician David Laws in Channel 4’s new political drama Coalition which details the days after the 2010 general election and the formation of the current government. Joe Sims is in BBC 3’s second series of Uncle and Geraldine Alexander is in ITV’s period drama Arthur and George. Over on Sky catch Cosima Shaw real time medical drama Critical and Joseph May in new comedy I Live With Models for Comedy Central. Meanwhile Robert Hands can be seen playing Henry in the BBC’s 7-part fantasy drama Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Also for The BBC Thomas Coombes plays Stefan in the final series of Wallander opposite Kenneth Branagh whilst in the US Ken Bones plays regular Annas in the 12 part Biblical drama AD from Lightworkers Media, premiering Easter Sunday.  In UK cinemas Tom Edden plays The Lizard Footman in Branagh’s live action Cinderella released on the 27th of March and Jodie Mcnee plays Rosencrantz in The Manchester Royal Exchange’s Hamlet with Maxine Peake, in cinemas now.

On Film

Lisa Palfrey will join the regular cast of BBC2’s police corruption thriller Line of Duty which returns for a much anticipated third series. Also for BBC2 Jay Simpson plays Ernie in new 8 part comedy drama From The Cradle To The Grave written by Jeff Pope and based on the memoirs of Danny Baker. Natasha Gordon will play Pearl, Danny’s older sister in Danny and The Human Zoo a 90 minute semi autobiographical drama written by Lenny Henry for RED productions. Thomas Coombes will play Kieran Benson in CUFFS an 8-part police drama written and created by Julie Gearey for Tiger Aspect/BBC1. Meanwhile Richard Teverson reprises his role as Dr Ryder in series 6 of Downton Abbey and Joe Sims will feature in the third series of Endeavour directed by Sandra Goldbacher for ITV/Mammoth Screen.

On Stage

Richard Dempsey will play Reggie Byng in Damsel in Distress at Chichester Festival Theatre this summer. The musical with songs from George and Ira Gershwin is based on the novel by P.G Woodhouse and is well-known from the popular 1937 comedy film. Daniel Rabin joins the cast of the rarely staged King John directed by James Dacre for The Globes ‘Season of Plenty ‘and Scott Karim will play Morocco in The Merchant of Venice directed by Jonathan Munby also for The Globe. Ferdy Roberts plays Stefano in Anders Lustgarten‘s political two hander Lampedusa at The Soho Theatre directed by Steven Atkinson.

What the papers say

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Jodie McNee has opened GAME at The Almeida Theatre with terrific reviews

****4 Stars from The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish who calls it a ’dark, riveting drama packed with ideas, and it makes guilty peeping-toms of us all’

Thomas Coombes has opened to great reviews at The Trafalgar Studios in Laurie Slade’s version of Strindberg’s The Father

****4 Stars from The Times’ Kate Maltby The Father, has been triumphantly revived at Trafalgar Studios. Abbey Wright’s crisp, clear production is the tale of a crumbling marriage and a father desperately fighting for control of his child.

Graham Turner has opened in Mark Rosenblatt’s Uncle Vanya at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Colm Gormley starts his run as Ted Narracott in the National Theatre’s West End production of Warhorse this month.

Ongoing

Scott KarimOngoing200315 (Dara at National Theatre), Daniel Coonan (Treasure Island National Theatre) Richard Dempsey (Charlie and The Chocolate Factory Theatre Royal Drury Lane) Tom Edden (Les Misérables Queens Theatre). On tour Matt Rawle plays Billy Crocker in Sheffield Theatre’s Anything Goes and Geraldine Alexander plays Siobhan in The National Theatre’s The Curious Incident Of The Dog in The Night Time.

2015 brings….Theatre

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270114Scott Karim returns to the National in Shahid Nadeem’s ‘Dara’ directed by Nadia Fall. Jodie McNee starts rehearsals for Mike Bartlett’s provocative new play GAME directed by Sacha Wares in an imaginative restaging by designer Miriam Buether at The Almeida. Ferdy Roberts will headline the Vaults festival in Filter Theatre’s interpretation of Macbeth in which he plays the title role.

Thomas Coombes will play Nojd in Strindberg’s The Father directed by Abby Wright at The Trafalgar Studios whilst Colm Gormley joins the West End production of The National Theatre’s War Horse playing Ted Narracott. Angela Terence meanwhile is at The Gate in The Chronicles of Kalki directed by JMK winner Alex Brown.

Out of London Geraldine Alexander continues touring with The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time and Gavin Spokes plays Francis Henshall in One Man Two Guvnors both for the National Theatre. At The West Yorkshire Playhouse Graham Turner plays Telegin Waffles in Mark Rosenblatt’s Uncle Vanya.

What to see? Our New Year’s tips

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17th December 2014Kickstarting January is the second series of Broadchurch in which Joe Sims reprises his role as Nigel Carter in the gripping crime drama. Also on ITV this January Hermione Gulliford plays regular Elizabeth Addis in Foyles War which returns with three new 2 hour films. On BBC2 Wolf Hall premiers featuring Max Fowler in the Peter Kosminsky screen adaptation of Hillary Mantel’s books. Mr Selfridge returns for a third series introducing Rocky Marshall as new regular DI Purkiss whilst Pooky Quesnel gains a promotion in the tenth and final series of Waterloo Road, on screens from January.

On film, catch Ridley Scott’s epic Exodus ‘Gods and Kings’ featuring Ken Bones opening in cinemas on Boxing Day. Kenneth Branagh’s much talked about live action Cinderella is scheduled for release early 2015 with Tom Edden as the Lizard Footman whilst The Royal Exchanges’ recently filmed Hamlet, featuring Jodie McNee also gains a cinema release early next year. Expect The Pride with Lisa Palfrey and Mr Turner also with Tom Edden to feature brightly during awards season.

On stage, recent openings playing during the holidays include Daniel Coonan as the menacing Black Dog in Polly Findley’s Treasure Island for The National Theatre. Also for the National, Jodie McNee and Hermione Gulliford continue their run in Three Winters. Matt Rawle plays stowaway Billy Crocker in Anything Goes at The Sheffield Cruicible and Vincenzo Nicoli is the Mafioso Duke of Venice in Ruper Goold’s inspired staging of Merchant of Venice at The Almeida.

Completing their West End runs in January are Ferdy Roberts (Shakespeare in Love), Tafline Steen (King Charles III) and Scott Karim (Great Britain) whilst Tom Edden (Les Misérables) and Richard Dempsey (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) will continue into the new year.

Geraldine Alexander, meanwhile, opens at The Lowry, Manchester as Siobhan in The National’s Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night Time which is now touring whilst Gavin Spokes continues his hugely successful run as Francis Henshell in the One Man 2 Guvnors also touring with The National Theatre.

Autumn Theatre

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Stage

200914-Six-SquareJodie McNee and Hermione Gulliford join the cast of Tena Štivičić’s Three Winters at The National Theatre this Autumn. The play directed by Howard Davies for the Lyttleton is a portrait of an eclectic Croatian family, held together by the courage to survive. In the Olivier Theatre, Daniel Coonan will play Black Dog in Bryony Lavery’s adaptation of the classic tale Treasure Island directed by Polly Findlay. Also for The National Theatre Geraldine Alexander will play Siobhan in The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time as they take the highly acclaimed show on tour for the first time. Matt Rawle, meanwhile, will play besotted stowaway Billy Crocker in Cole Porter musical Anything Goes at Sheffield Crucible and UK Tour with Daniel Evans directing. Also at The Crucible, Colm Gormley joins Jonathan Mumby’s cast of Twelfth Night playing from the end of September. Vincenzo Nicoli joins the cast of Rupert Goold’s The Merchant of Venice a new revival of his highly acclaimed 2011 production for The Almeida. Dan Rabin plays Richardetto in Tis Pity She’s a Whore with Michael Longhurst directing for The Globe’s Sam Wannamaker Playhouse. Geoff Leesley will play Richard in Atiha Sen Gupta’s State Red directed by Douglas Rintoul for Hampstead Downstairs whilst Jay Simpson opens in The Witch of Edmonton, playing Dog, the devil, opposite Eilieen Atkins at the RSC, Stratford. Alex Blake and Thomas Coombes are both cast in Alan Bennett’s award winning double bill Single Spies, directed by Sarah Esdaile at The Rose Theatre Kingston. Jude Monk McGowan joins the cast of A Farewell to Arms by acclaimed theatre makers Imitating The Dog playing Fredrick Henry in an original adaptation of Hemingway’s First World War novel . Christopher Harper plays Sean in two hander Slipping at The Stephen Joseph Theatre, directed by Henry Bell.

Ferdy Roberts (Shakespeare in Love), Tafline Steen (King Charles III), Scott Karim (Great Britain), Tom Edden (Les Misérables) and Richard Dempsey (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) all continue their successful west end runs whilst Gavin Spokes continues to lead the National Theatre’s One Man 2 Guvnors on its UK tour.

News & Reviews

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Openings:

The critics have loved Shakespeare in Love, the stage version of the film which has opened in the West End. Charles Spencer (Telegraph) praised Ferdy Roberts’ “cracking performance as the ruthless moneyman Fennyman” whilst Billington ( Guardian), Hitchins (Evening Standard), and Neil (Express) all single out Ferdy’s performance in the brilliant ensemble that director Declan Donnellan has brought together. Tom Eames (Digital Spy) admits that amongst an excellent cast “a personal favourite is Ferdy Roberts as the money-hungry Fennyman, who finds himself taken in by the theatre bug after witnessing Shakespeare’s masterpiece”. Shakespeare in Love is now booking at The Noel Coward theatre.

Jodie McNee in Hobson's ChoiceJodie McNee has opened in Hobson’s Choice at Regent’s Park to some stunning notices. Michael Billington writes in The Guardian “Jodie McNee is excellent as Maggie, combining grit and determination with a hint of vulnerability”. Henry Hitchins (Evening Standard) agrees “Jodie McNee is tremendous as Maggie, capturing her spiky assertiveness and also the delicate humanity she carefully masks”. For Charles Spencer (Telegraph) “McNee, her nose as sharp as a pencil and with a manner that’s brusque to the point of outright rudeness, marvellously captures the character’s unstoppable determination.” “The show belongs to McNee” according to The Independent whilst Ian Shuttleworth (Financial Times) praises the modern reworking of Brighouse’s classic. “Herein lies the principal stroke of genius: that Nadia Fall and actor Jodie McNee have unobtrusively turned this from the story of Hobson..into a tale where the viewpoint character is Maggie. To pull this off without short-changing the comedy is a work of mastery.”

Hobson’s Choice continues at Regent’s Park until July 12.

Hermione Gulliford in HotelPolly Steinham’s Hotel has opened in The National’s Shed with Hermione Gulliford in the role of Vivienne. “Astonishingly raw, powerful and terrifying” says Charles Spencer (Telegraph) with “exceptional performances, Hermione Gulliford captures the simmering fury of the betrayed wife”. Time Out is in agreement “Gulliford is particularly good as a woman suspended somewhere between fury, exasperation and sympathy for her husband.” The Arts Desk too praises Steinham’s “brilliant new play.. sharply directed by Aberg and boasting an excellent cast with Gulliford’s “icily sarcastic Vivienne” singled out.

Hotel plays in The NATIONAL Theatre’s temporary space until Aug 2.

Jay Simpsons in Arden-of-FavershamIn Stratford, meanwhile, Jay Simpson’s performance as Black Will in The Arden of Faversham has impressed the critics. For Charles Spencer (The Telegraph), Jay Simpson and his partner provide “the most engaging performances…as Black Will and Shakebag, two hired hit-men of truly spectacular incompetence.” Letts (The Mail) praises Simpson’s “ dumbo slapstick villain” and Billington (Guardian) too enjoys his turn as a “bungling assassin”. BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Review enjoyed the fact that Black Will looked as if he had “tumbled out of a Cohen Brother’s movie” in this his debut RSC production.

The Arden of Faversham plays as part of The RSC’s Roaring Girl’s Season until October 2.

Graduates:

The Almedia’s critically acclaimed King Charles III has confirmed its West End transfer with Tafline Steen (Royal Scottish Conservatoire) returning in the role of Jess. Performances start at the Wyndham’s Theatre from September 2nd. Scott Karim (RADA) is in Great Britain, Richard Bean’s new satire about the phone hacking scandal, playing at The National until August 23rd. Royal Welsh College graduate Chris Gordon will play Romeo in Rachel O’Riordan’s Romeo and Juliet, her inaugural show as artistic director of Sherman Cymru. Molly Logan (RADA) will play Puck in The Globe’s touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream which after, performances in London will visit China, Singapore and Russia. Jake Mitchell (also RADA)and Joel Gillman (Drama Centre) are working on Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis with director Laura Bowler whilst Jude Monk McGowan (also Drama Centre) will be playing Freddie in The Royal Duchess Superstore, a new play written by Jon O’Neill and directed by Kareena Johnson.

TV, Film & Theatre Updates

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Film News

Hayley Carmichael will be working with director Matteo Garrone in his English language debut The Tale Of Tales – The Old Woman Who Was Skinned, a film based on the gruesome Neapolitan fairy tale of two sisters and starring Vincent Cassel and Salma Hayek. Rocky Marshall and Benjamin Davies meanwhile are due to begin shooting Remainder based on the book by Tom McCarthy and directed by Omer Fast for Tigerlily Films. Pride, Matthew Warchus’s film debut with Lisa Palfrey will premier at the Cannes Film Festival as the closing night film in the directors’ fortnight section. Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner featuring Tom Edden has officially been selected in competition at Cannes as has Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall featuring Colm Gormley.

TV Latest

Max Fowler joins the regular cast of Wolf Hall, the BBC’s much anticipated adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s prize winning novel directed by Peter Kosminsky and starring Mark Rylance and Damien Lewis. Rocky Marshall will join the third series of ITV’s Mr Selfridge as new regular DI Purkiss whilst Farshid Rokey films The BBC’s army drama Our Girl shooting in South Africa. Hermione Gulliford and Ferdy Roberts continue to film the third Foyles War film whilst Thomas Coombes makes a guest appearance in Atlantis the popular BBC drama directed by Justin Molotnikov. Ken Bones will be joining the cast in series 4 of ITV’s Scott and Bailey directed by Simon Delaney.

Watch out for more from Roger Sloman as funeral director Les Coker in Eastenders whilst Amy Marston can be seen playing Martha Hawkins in Channel 4’s Devil’s Whore sequel New Worlds available on catchup. Sarah Winman’s Undeniable is also available on ITV Player.

Congratulations to Joe Sims (Broadchurch) and Thomas Coombes (Him and Her The Wedding) which have been nominated for best drama series and TV comedy respectively at this year’s BAFTAs.

Theatre Update

180414 TheatreHermione Gulliford will be playing Vivienne in Hotel at The National Theatre’s Shed. The tropical thriller, a new play by Polly Stenham will be directed by Maria Aberg. Emma Handy will play Kristin in Chichester’s Minerva Studio Miss Julie a new version written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, directed by Jamie Glover. Tom Edden will be appearing as Monsieur Thénardier in Les Misérables the world famous musical, playing in the West End from June. Openings include Tafline Steen as Jess in King Charles III at The Almeida which has recieved five star reviews whilst Jay Simpson starts his RSC run in Stratford-Upon-Avon at the end of the month playing Black Will in The Arden of Faversham. Also Richard Teverson will be opening in How Many Miles To Babylon at The Lyric Belfast.