*Doctor Who*'s Ncuti Gatwa and Sharon D Clarke are set to star in a new production of Oscar Wilde's comedy *The Importance of Being Earnest* at London's National Theatre. The production will open on 20 November.

Wilde's play will be directed Max Webster (*Macbeth, Life of Pi*), who is making his National Theatre debut.

The cast includes Richard Cant (*Stan & Ollie, Mary Queen of Scots*) as Reverend Canon Chasuble, Sharon D Clarke (*Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Doctor Who*) as Lady Bracknell,...

Sharon D Clarke and Ncuti Gatwa to star in 'The Importance of Being Earnest' in London

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Oscar Wilde's famous play about false identities will be directed by Max Webster, who is making his National Theatre debut. Performances start on 20 November.


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London Theatre Magazine online: April edition

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Immerse yourself in London's theatre world with our digital flip-through of the April edition of London Theatre Magazine, including interviews, reviews, and insights.

New British musical *Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)* has extended performances by seven weeks at the Criterion Theatre in the West End. The show is now booking until 31 August.

Jim Barne and Kit Buchan's musical transferred to the West End earlier this month, following a sold-out, extended run at London's Kiln Theatre.

The production stars Olivier Award winner Sam Tutty (*Dear Evan Hansen*) as Dougal and Dujonna Gift (*Hamilton, Caroline or Change, Motown: The Musical*) as Robin....

'Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)' extends performances through August 2024

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Olivier Award winner Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift star in this adorable two-hander by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan. Performances have been extended to 31 August.

Again! Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch… Again! God, I hope I get it… Originally devised, directed, and choreographed by Michael Bennett with a score by Marvin Hamlisch, the 1975 musical *A Chorus Line* returns to London this summer in a fresh production directed by Nikolai Foster and starring Adam Cooper and Carly Mercedes Dyer.

Cooper plays Zach, the domineering director-choreographer casting the chorus for a new Broadway musical who puts the hopefuls through the wringer – physically and...

Learn all about the history of 'A Chorus Line' in London and New York

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The iconic musical plays at Sadler's Wells this summer in an exciting new production starring Adam Cooper and Carly Mercedes Dyer.

A musical version of a chick flick? With spectacular fashion shows, epic backstabbing and a diva who’ll chill your soul, it could well be groundbreaking. *The Devil Wears Prada* struts into the West End this autumn. With an original score by Elton John and a cast led by Vanessa Williams and Matt Henry, start planning your outfit for the most stylish show in town! 

Based on the bestselling novel by Lauren Weisberger and the film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, protagonist Andrea “Andy”...

Everything you need to know about 'The Devil Wears Prada' in the West End

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Elton John's musical version of the hit novel and film arrives at London's Dominion Theatre this autumn, starring Vanessa Williams and Matt Henry.


We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to shows in London, and it can be hard to keep up with everything that’s opening – we all have busy lives and it isn’t possible to fit everything in. Fortunately, second chances do sometimes arise!

A whole host of plays and musicals are being reprised in the West End this spring and summer, from celebrated musicals to classic drama and exciting contemporary writing. If it’s a show you’ve loved before, different cast members and venues can provide a whole...

Catch these incredible theatre shows as they return to the stage in London

From *Sister Act* and *Hadestown* to *Standing at the Sky's Edge*, there's a wealth of fantastic shows coming into town – so don't miss out!

Make a joyful noise! West End favourite [Lee Mead](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/lee-mead) will join the cast of [*Sister Act*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/28926-sister-act) at the [Dominion Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/dominion-theatre) this June.

Mead is best known for his West End performances in *Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Legally Blonde*, [*Wicked*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/313-wicked-tickets), and, most...

Lee Mead to join 'Sister Act' West End cast

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The London theatre veteran will join Ruth Jones, Alexandra Burke, and more in the musical based on the hit movie, which currently stars Beverley Knight.

The magic returns! [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25389-my-neighbour-totoro-tickets), the stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki's beloved same-named Studio Ghibli movie, will transfer to the West End in 2025. The [Gillian Lynne Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/gillian-lynne-theatre) will host the 34-week run from 8 March to 2 November 2025. Opening night is 20 March.

*My Neighbour Totoro* follows two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who move to the...

'My Neighbour Totoro' sets West End transfer

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Following two seasons at the Barbican Centre, the acclaimed play adapted from the classic Studio Ghibli film will play a 34-week run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

All hail Macbeth! *Macbeth*, starring [David Tennant](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/david-tennant) in the title role and Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth, will play in the West End this autumn, with performances running at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 1 October to 14 December.

The production comes to the West End from a critically acclaimed premiere at the Donmar Warehouse in fall 2023, with the entire original cast returning. Alongside Tennant (*Doctor Who*) and Jumbo (*The Good...

David Tennant and Cush Jumbo-led 'Macbeth' to transfer to the West End

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The critically acclaimed production played the Donmar Warehouse in 2023, also starring Tennant and Jumbo, and will now have a two-month run in the West End.

Truth is, no one can do what he does. Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947, Elton John has been one of the world’s most successful pop stars and songwriters since he released “Your Song” in 1970. 

Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin, some of his greatest hits include “Tiny Dancer”, “Rocket Man”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “I’m Still Standing”, “Are You Ready for Love”, and, of course, “Candle in the Wind”, which was revised as a tribute to Princess Diana following her death and became a...

Explore the fantastic stage musicals of Elton John ahead of 'The Devil Wears Prada'

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Follow our guide to the shows composed by legendary pop star Elton John, including *The Lion King, Billy Elliot, Tammy Faye*, and the forthcoming West End musical *The Devil Wears Prada*.  

Hanya Yanagihara’s [*A Little Life*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27090-a-little-life) will open in the West End next year. *A Little Life* begins previews at the [Harold Pinter Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/harold-pinter-theatre) on 25 March, with an opening night on 30 March, and performances to 18 June. Book *A Little Life* tickets on London Theatre.

The *A Little Life* play is based on Yanagihara’s Booker Prize-winning 2015 novel, and adapted by Yanagihara, Ivo van Hove, and Koen Tachelet. *A Little Life* follows four college friends — Willem, Malcolm, JB, and Jude — in New York City as their inner secrets come to light.

“One of the greatest, most unexpected joys and honours in my life has been watching as more readers than I could ever have imagined have taken *A Little Life* and its characters into their hearts over the past seven years. One of those readers was the visionary Ivo van Hove, and I’m thrilled he’s bringing his interpretation of the book to London next spring, with the most extraordinary cast I could have hoped for” said author Hanya Yanagihara.

The *A Little Life* cast includes [James Norton](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/james-norton) as Jude, [Luke Thompson](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/luke-thompson) as Willem, Omari Douglas as JB, and Zach Wyatt as Malcolm. Elliot Cowman, Zubin Varla, Nathalie Armin and Emilio Doorgasingh also star.

“It’s a joy to be returning to the London stage, to a community that has made us feel so welcome, and especially to be bringing Hanya’s incredible novel A Little Life to the stage in the English language for the first time – quite genuinely a dream come true,” said director Ivo van Hove.

*A Little Life* features set and lighting design by Jan Versweyveld, costume design by An D’Huys, and music and sound design by Eric Sleichim.

## What is *A Little Life* about?

The *A Little Life* story follows four college friends as they live and work in New York City. Willem is an actor, Malcolm is an architect, JB is an artist, and Jude is a lawyer. Even though the foursome live in different worlds, Willem, Malcolm, and JB find themselves drawn to Jude. When secrets are revealed, the trio realise that to know Jude is to understand love.

*A Little Life* is at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Book *A Little Life* tickets on London Theatre.

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=27090&content_product_id=27090&venue_id=134)

*Photo credit: A Little Life cast (Photo by Charlie Gray)*

Ivo van Hove to direct Hanya Yanagihara’s ‘A Little Life’ 

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See Hanya Yanagihara’s epic novel, *A Little Life*, come to life in Ivo van Hove's visionary West End adaptation. *A Little Life* tickets are available on London Theatre now.

Four boys who lived together in college all move to New York City to find a brighter future. Willem aspires to be an actor, JB dreams of becoming a painter, Malcolm wants to change the New York City skyline as an architect, and Jude aims to become a lawyer. 

Although Jude has a high-flying career, his traumatic childhood experiences continue to haunt him. And when he only opens up to Willem, a friendship rift starts. When secrets come to light, the foursome finally learns what it means to love, even if it affects their lives.

Hanya Yanaighara received unanimous praise for her 2015 novel. *A Little Life* won the Kirkus Prize for Fiction, as well as a Booker Prize nomination, and a National Book Award for Fiction. With Koen Tachelet and Ivo van Hove collaborating with the author, expect Yanagihara's epic story to transform the future of plays. After Dutch-speaking performances in Amsterdam and Edinburgh, you can now see *A Little Life* in London.

__Please note - Performances between 8th - 9th July are being filmed and there will be cameras on stage, including a cameraman on stage for short periods in select scenes. By attending you acknowledge that you may be filmed, and your image may be used in the film. Please be aware your view may be restricted due to camera equipment.__

### Who is in *A Little Life*?

James Norton leads as Jude St. Francis. He’s previously appeared in *Happy Valley* and *Grantchester.* *Bridgerton*’s Luke Thompson plays Willem, alongside *It’s a Sin*’s Omari Douglas as JB, and *The Witcher*’s Zach Wyatt as Malcolm. [Meet the *A Little Life* London cast. ](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/meet-the-a-little-life-cast-in-the-west-end)

Tickets to *A Little Life* are available now. Book your *A Little Life* tickets on London Theatre today.

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Four college friends move to New York City, but what happens when past mysteries and alluring relationships change their world? Ivo van Hove directs an all-star cast in the stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life at the Savoy Theatre. Get *A Little Life* tickets on London Theatre.

How do you transform a novel into a piece of theatre? Call on Ivo van Hove. The Belgian director previously helmed a *Brokeback Mountain* opera, *Network* starring Bryan Cranston, and *All About Eve* with Gillian Anderson. Van Hove brings his avant-garde vision to a highly lauded text, and the end result is sensational.

The *A Little Life* play premiered at Toneelgroep Amsterdam in 2018. The original play features Dutch-speaking characters, with English subtitles. However, the West End production is an all-English adaptation. Regardless of the language, *A Little Life* on stage adds depth to the complex and multi-layered characters. Once you’ve met them, you’ll never want to say goodbye.

## What to Watch For: 

- Hanya Yanagihara’s 2015 novel is her most successful to date, winningthe Kirkus Prize for Fiction.
- She’s not a one-trick pony though, as she’s also published *The People in the Trees* and *To Paradise*.
- In a 2019 survey conducted by The Guardian, *A Little Life* placed in the top 100 books of the 21st century.
- The Olivier-nominated actor Zubin Varla stars. He’s previously appeared in *Fun Home* and *Tammy Faye.* 

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Buy tickets for A Little Life - Savoy Theatre at the Savoy Theatre in London. Find official theatre tickets to Plays with Box Office.

A Little Life - Savoy Theatre Tickets | Box Office

“It’s not worth making art at all if the only thing you want is for everyone to like it,” a program note from author Hanya Yanagihara reads in the program for *A Little Life*, the almost-four-hour emotional marathon of a show based on her best-selling novel, playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre. However, love it or hate it, no one will forget *A Little Life*, and that’s what makes a great theatrical experience.

Just like with her widely acclaimed book, the show will also have its critics, and even the diehard fans (of which there are many) will have to come to terms with their connection to the material, which largely centers on graphic sexual trauma, self-harm, and child abuse. 

It’s not an easy show to recommend, because it’s not an easy show to watch, as master director Ivo van Hove has taken the seemingly neverending climactic moments of the over 700-page book and translated them into a series of connected vignettes, each subsequently more difficult to witness than the last, mimicking Yanagihara’s semi-nonlinear timeline which deals in character studies and flashbacks. 

Van Hove has conceived the production, alongside Yanagihara and co-adaptor Koen Tachelet, with fervent loyalty to the story about four college friends who find their New York City lives veering off in different directions as they mine the depths of their friend Jude’s unknowable past. While the book has pages to breathe between critical scenes, van Hove’s production paces quickly through the crucial moments, giving less time to develop character relationships and intimacies and focusing squarely on the underlying trauma of it all. 

Some passages are lifted verbatim from the novel, an effective device, particularly as monologues. The newly minted Olivier winner Zubin Varla is compelling in these moments as Harold, Jude’s professor-turned-father, and brings Yanagihara’s text about parenthood and love to soaring life. These character explorations and reflections are where the production reaches out and grabs the audience by the heart and doesn’t let go. 

The tight-knit ensemble, led by the captivating James Norton, keeps the audience engaged as the unthinkable events unfold. Norton has the hardest job among them, anchoring the story as Jude St. Francis, an abandoned orphan whose trauma-filled past still haunts him as he navigates an outwardly successful adulthood. Norton’s performance threads the needle between Jude’s joy and sorrow, and he pours himself into the immensely physical and psychological aspects of the role, giving his absolute all to the performance.  

Luke Thompson plays the beating heart of the piece: Jude’s best friend and confidant Willem. Thompson must usher the character from apathetic party boy to deeply intellectual and empathetic partner, and he is present and rooted in the show’s message of love throughout. 

Omari Douglas is doing some career-best work as JB, the tortured artist whose ego inhibits him at times, while Zach Thompson rounds out the foursome in the small-yet-memorable role, the architect Malcom. Elliot Cowan finds a way to weave charisma with horror in the difficult assignment of playing a trifecta of Jude’s abusers, and Emilio Doorgasingh brings a deep heart to Jude’s loyal doctor Andy. 

One of the van Hove’s main interpretations of the novel is in how he incorporates Ana, the social worker who guides Jude in a time of crisis. Ana comes in and goes from Jude’s life very quickly, but in the production, she serves as a sort of narrator and empathetic guide for Jude and the audience through the difficult moments. Nathalie Armin’s performance augments the poetic role. 

The entire production feels immersive throughout the space with audience members sitting onstage, Jan Versweyveld’s moody lighting and looming video projections of NYC streets, and Eric Sleichim’s haunting sound design and score, played by a quartet of talented string players. 

However, what comes out of *A Little Life* is not the excessive trauma and graphic abuse, but rather, how amid these terrors, the characters remain steadfast in their dedication to one another, searching for common ground and belonging even while struggling with trust and intimacy. Their friendship at all costs grounds the story and the experience. We should all be so lucky to find their loyalty and love. 

*A Little Life is playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre through 18 June before moving to the Savoy Theatre on 4 July through 5 August. [Book A Little Life West End tickets at the Harold Pinter Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27090-a-little-life). [Book A Little Life tickets at the Savoy Theatre.](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/28044-a-little-life-savoy)*

‘A Little Life’ West End review - An emotional, unforgettable show

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Read our four-star review of Ivo van Hove’s crushing and poignant adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara’s best-selling novel, starring James Norton and Luke Thompson. 

Born in London in 1985, James Norton is a BAFTA-nominated actor, best known for television shows such as *Happy Valley* and *Grantchester*. Norton will star in the West End premiere of [*A Little Life*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27090-a-little-life) at the [Harold Pinter Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/harold-pinter-theatre) in spring 2023. 

While Norton studied at the University of Cambridge, he took part in many theatre productions. He notably played Posthumus in a Trevor Nunn-directed production of *Cymbeline* for The Marlowe Society. Notable alumni include Stephen Fry, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, and Emma Corrin. Following his theology degree, Norton then enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. 

In 2010, Norton made his London debut in Laura Wade’s *Posh* at the Royal Court, playing the role of Miles Richards. He then played Henry in *That Face* at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.

The following year, Norton played Captain Stanhope in R. C. Sheriff's World War One play, *Journey’s End*. After a three-month long UK tour, *Journey's End* took over the Duke of York’s Theatre in summer 2011. Shortly after, he reunited with Trevor Nunn for *The Lion in Winter* at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Norton also played Zack in *Belleville* at the Donmar Warehouse in 2017. 

In recent years, he’s best known for his television roles. He played villain Tommy Lee Royce in *Happy Valley*, picking up a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Reversely, he then played a crime solving vicar for four series of *Grantchester* on ITV. In 2018, Norton played Alex Godman, the son of a Russian mafia boss escaping a life of organised crime, in *McMafia*.

In 2023, Norton will play Jude in the stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara's *A Little Life*. Ivo van Hove directs Norton, as well as Luke Thompson, Omari Douglas, and Zach Wyatt.

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Born in Southampton in 1988, Luke Thompson is best known for playing Benedict Bridgerton in the *Bridgerton* television series. The West End actor will star in *A Little Life* at the [Harold Pinter Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/harold-pinter-theatre).

After growing up in France, Thompson took a year out of education to train with the Year Out Drama Company. The Stratford-upon-Avon-based group focus on creating ensemble work.

After a year training, Thompson then attended the University of Bristol, graduating with an English and Drama degree. He then graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2013, studying alongside classmate [Jessie Buckley](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/jessie-buckley).

Thompson made his London debut in *A Midsummer Night’s Dream* at Shakespeare’s Globe and quickly made an impression in the world — he earned an Evening Standard Award nomination for Best Newcomer. The same year, he also starred in *Blue Stockings* at the same theatre.

His affinity to Shakespeare's Globe continued: he played Mark Antony in *Julius Caesar* in 2014, and Ithocles in *The Broken Heart* at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in 2015. 

The Almeida Theatre became Thompson's next London theatre: he starred as Orestes in Robert Icke's *Oresteia* in 2015 and as Laertes in the Andrew Scott-led *Hamlet* in 2017. For the latter, he eventually reprised the role in the West End transfer.

He continued the Shakespeare trend by playing Edgar in the Ian McKellen-led *King Lear* at the Duke of York’s Theatre in 2018. Coincidentally, his *Bridgerton* co-star, [Jonathan Bailey](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/jonathan-bailey), played Edgar at Chichester Festival Theatre that same year. Talk about brotherly love!

Away from the stage, Thompson is best known for playing Benedict, the second eldest Bridgerton sibling, in the *Bridgerton* Netflix series. Many [West End actors feature in *Bridgerton*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/bridgerton-stars-who-got-their-start-in-west-end-theatre), including Golda Rosheuvel, Nicola Coughlan, and Regé-Jean Page. Thompson also features in Christopher Nolan's *Dunkirk* film.

In 2023, Norton will play Willem in the stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara's *A Little Life*. Ivo van Hove directs Thompson, as well as [James Norton](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/james-norton), Omari Douglas, and Zach Wyatt.

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Sunset Boulevard

Nicole Scherzinger returns to the West End this September, starring as the immortal Norma Desmond in a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary Sunset Boulevard, directed by Jamie Lloyd.

The Savoy Theatre opened on 21 Oct. 1929. The building was known for being the first public building to be lit entirely by electricity. 

When a fire ravaged the theatre in 1990, destroying the interior, it was meticulously restored by Sir William Whitfield to the original 1929 designs. The theatre reopened on 19 Jul. 1993.

The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company played several seasons at the theatre over the past 20 years, their last production being *HMS Pinafore* in 2003. 

The theatre has also housed several musicals, including *She Loves Me* in 1994 starring John Gordon Sinclair and Ruthie Henshall, and has played host to musicals exclusively since 2006. 

## Savoy Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels - Stalls, Dress Circle and Grand Circle.

In the Stalls, the legroom throughout is very good, and the seating is well raked to ensure good views.

In the Dress Circle, the overhang of the Grand Circle affects the view from Row K onwards. The amount of legroom also decreases the further back you sit.

The Grand Circle feels rather far from the stage.

## Where is *Pretty Woman: The Musical* in London?

*Pretty Woman: The Musical* is at the Savoy Theatre in London. The Savoy Theatre is located on the Strand. It's close to West End theatres including the Adelphi Theatre and the Vaudeville Theatre.

Ivo van Hove to direct Hanya Yanagihara’s ‘A Little Life’

What is A Little Life about?

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