London Theatre News

'Kenneth Lonergan weaves large ideas into everyday life': The Starry Messenger cast and director Sam Yates

The presence of Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer Kenneth Lonergan returns to the West End with The Starry Messenger, soon to open at the Wyndham's Theatre. Matthew Broderick will make his West End debut in the production as Mark, alongside Elizabeth McGovern in a production directed by Sam Yates, recently directing The Phlebotomist at Hampstead Theatre.First performed at an off-Broadway venue in 2009, The Starry Messenger follows an astronomy teacher, facing a rocky marriage and dealing with the...

Full casting announced to join Jason Donovan and Sheridan Smith in Joseph at the Palladium

Complete casting for this summer's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium has been announced.Joining the previously confirmed Jason Donovan as the Pharaoh, Sheridan Smith and West End debutante Jac Yarrow as Joseph are Richard Carson as Reuben, Michael Pickering as Simeon, Jack Wilcox, James Ballantyne, Joshua Steel, Femi Akinfolarin and Carl Spencer as the brothers.Vanessa Fisher, Casey Al-Shaqsy, Emily Ann Potter, Thalia Burt, Harriet Samuel Gray,...

Touching The Void to transfer to Duke of York’s Theatre

Following a world premiere production at the Bristol Old Vic in 2018 and performances earlier this year, Touching The Void will transfer to the Duke of York's Theatre, it has been announced.Based on Joe Simpson's 1988 memoir of the same name and adapted for the stage by David Greig, the play details real-life events of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates who scaled the previously unclimbed West Face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. As their lives quickly came into danger, Simpson and Yates have to...

Juliet Stevenson and Ria Zmitrowicz to star in Robert Icke’s The Doctor at the Almeida

Robert Icke will direct his new play The Doctor, which is freely adapted by Arthur Schnitzler's 1912 play Professor Bernhardi, at the Almeida Theatre in August, it has been announced.Schnitzler's play is set in 1900 Vienna, and explores antisemitism and Austrian-Jewish identity. It was banned in Austria until the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and was last performed in London at the Arcola Theatre in 2005.The play will star Juliet Stevenson, who starred in Icke's productions of Mary...

Casting announced for Noises Off at the Lyric Hammersmith

The full casting has been announced for the return of Noises Off to the Lyric Hammersmith, which will open at the off-West End theatre next month.First performed at the Hammersmith venue in 1982, Noises Off follows a play-within-a-play structure. Inspired by the stage directions, the play showcases the unpredictable nature of being backstage at a theatre.Noises Off is written by Michael Frayn. Commenting on the show's return to the venue, he said: "It's a great personal pleasure for me, of...

Team behind Bridge Theatre to open new venue in London’s King’s Cross

Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr are set to open their second commercial theatre venue in London, following their recent venture at the Bridge Theatre in London Bridge.Designed by Howard Tompkins Architects in collaboration with TAIT, the theatre will include a 600-sear flexible auditorium, based on the Bridge's current auditorium capable of "streamlined transformation between formats". It will have a foyer, featuring a café/bar open to the public during the day and during show times. The building...

Heartbeat of Home to transfer to the Piccadilly Theatre

Following a world tour and performances at the London Palladium in February, Heartbeat of Home will return to the West End for a limited run at the Piccadilly Theatre, it has been announced.Produced by the company behind Riverdance, Heartbeat of Home is a celebration of music and performances styles from around the globe. Blending Latin, contemporary, hip-hop and Irish dance steps, the production sets out to unite performers and audiences on an adrenaline-fuelled journey through dance.Concept...

Immersive production of The Wolf of Wall Street to open in London in September

An immersive production of The Wolf of Wall Street, the autobiography by American stockbroker Jordan Belfort later adapted for the cinema by Martin Scorsese, is set to open in central London later this year.From the production team behind the immersive production of The Great Gatsby, Alexander Wright has adapted Belfort's memoir, and will direct the production which promises to bring to life the highs and lows of his millionaire lifestyle.Leonardo DiCaprio starred as Belfort in the film, which...

Maria Friedman and Anita Dobson to join cast of Fiddler on the Roof

New casting has been announced for the West End revival of Fiddler on the Roof, which transferred to the Playhouse Theatre from the Menier Chocolate Factory.Maria Friedman will take over the role of Golde, currently played by Judy Kuhn. A three-time Olivier Award recipient for her performances in By Special Arrangement, Passion and Ragtime, Friedman's extensive theatre credits over three decades include West End and Broadway productions of The Woman in White, Sunday in the Park with George and...

Friday Briefing: The Brits snubbed at the Tonys, and All About Eve's very meta performance

The winners (and losers) in the Tony nominationsNominations for this year's Tony Awards on Broadway, announced on Tuesday, saw two original plays transferred from London's Royal Court and Almeida respectively scoring highly, as well as two more shows developed in partnership with the National Theatre where they ran first - Network and Hadestown - that also both moved to Broadway this season.However, a number of high profile Brits were also snubbed in the nominations process - notably Glenda...