The King’s Head have announced that their production of F*cking Men, Joe DiPietro’s serio-comic contemporary adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde set within the gay subculture of a big city, will be extending its run at the King’s Head through into September.

The play is a moving portrayal of hunger and desire as it follows the erotic encounters of 10 men in their interconnected search for sexual satisfaction. Each scene in the play is a frank, candid and sometimes brutally honest depiction of the lustful transaction between two men. It is a loose adaptation of the 19th century play La Ronde in which pairings of characters are featured in scenes preceding and succeeding sexual encounters.

This extension proves the continued popularity of the show, after the original premiere run in 2009 began at the Finborough Theatre, from which it transferred to the King’s Head to play for 9 months (the longest ever Off West End run of a play). It then transferred into the West End to the Arts Theatre. This new production by director Geoffrey Hyland, who directed the South African premiere of The Blue Room, follows on from his hit success Between, which toured internationally before playing with us in August last year and extending with a further run in January this year as well.

Now in its 45th year, The King’s Head Theatre is celebrating this anniversary with an exciting new artistic policy after the departure of OperaUpClose, becoming a crucible for new writing and critical rediscoveries. Work from Irvine Welsh, Richard Cameron, Richard O’Brien and Arthur Miller, as well as Mike Bradwell directing for the first time since the 1970s, guarantees that if it’s on here, you won’t see it anywhere else. Led by Adam Spreadbury-Maher, second artistic director following Dan Crawford (who set up the King’s Head as the first pub theatre in 1970), the theatre is the first unfunded venue to have an Equity agreement to pay theatre-makers fair wages since 2011, and continues to do so despite receiving no public funding.

Cast:
The Escort Chris Wills
The Soldier Harper James
The Graduate Student Ruben Jones
The Student Euan Brockie
The Married Guy Jonathan McGarrity
The Other Married Guy Richard De Lisle
The Porn Star Haydn Whiteside
The Playwright Darren Bransford
The Actor Johnathon Neal
The Journalist Richard Stemp

F*CKING MEN
5th August – 30th August, 7pm (3pm matinees weekends)
5th September – 26th September, 7pm and 9.30pm
(weekend matinees, see online for details)
http://www.kingsheadtheatre.com/

 

In July 1995, alone in his cramped study, among thousands of show business artefacts, film stock and memories the comic legend Bob Monkhouse realises his treasured joke books have been stolen. This is something of a disaster in the world of the obsessive performer and joke-smith. As the reality of the situation sinks in, he is forced into an uneasy introspection. The Man Called Monkhouse traces his life through a difficult childhood, via the vertiginous heights of television superstardom, the dent in his status during the ‘new wave’ comedy of the late ‘80s and finishes with a re-born Bob, back on TV and finally feted as the comic genius he undoubtedly was.

Regarded as a man with a ‘Teflon’ showbiz veneer, at the height of his fame Bob Monkhouse divided the viewing public. Among many accolades that were bestowed upon him, he was simultaneously voted Most Loved and Most Hated Entertainer in a 1978 TV poll. Alex Lowe (Barry From Watford BBC Radio 4) writes and Bob Golding (Olivier Award winning – Morecambe) directs Simon Cartwright in the part he was born to play. The Man Called Monkhouse is an affectionate, funny and moving exploration of the life and personality of one of this country’s best loved and possibly most misunderstood comedians.

Since attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Simon Cartwright has performed on numerous TV shows including Opportunity Knocks with Mr Monkhouse himself and later on Sky Star Search ITV, Pot of Gold ITV, and Who Do You Do? ITV/SKY. He also contributed to The Monkhouse Amuseum for Radio 4 Xtra. In the eighties Simon formed a double act with Alistair McGowan appearing at the London Comedy Store as the McCarthy Boys and subsequently performing all over the UK. Bob Monkhouse is a large part of Simon’s life and he has often been invited to speak on broadcast documentaries on Bob’s life. More notably Simon was the voice of ‘Bob’ on the Prostate cancer campaign TV commercial that ‘brought Bob back from the grave’ in 2007. Simon formed a friendship with Bob Monkhouse and over the years Bob followed Simon’s career with great interest once proclaiming “You do me better than I do”.

Alex Lowe is a writer and actor who’s previous writing credits for Edinburgh include Shooting from the New Hip in 2013 and Let’s Get On With It in 2006, both for the Pleasance. As a solo performer, in 1998 he adapted and performed Simon Garfield’s book The Wrestling and in 1999 he adapted and performed Garfield’s book The Nation’s Favourite, both for the Pleasance. His TV writing credits include. Maracattack with Miranda Hart, Common Ground for Sky Atlantic, The Watson and Oliver Show BBC, Paul O’Grady Live ITV, The Big Impression BBC. Other writing credits include: two plays for BBC Radio 4 Drama; My Pregnancy Test and The Block. He also wrote from 2003-4 for Radio 4’s Loose Ends, Jamie Theakston’s Heart Breakfast Show and regularly writes for Christian O’Connell’s Absolute Radio Breakfast Show. Since 2009, he has been written and performed as Barry from Watford for Radio 2’s Steve Wright in the Afternoon. He is currently writing a series commissioned by Radio 4 Comedy called Barry’s Lunch Club in which he plays his own creation; Barry from Watford.

Bob Golding has had a varied career as an actor, a director and voice artist and musician. His theatre work is extensive and has taken him all around the country. Best known for his embodiment of Britain’s best loved comedian Eric Morecambe in Tim Whitnall’s Olivier Award winning play Morecambe for which he himself received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in an Entertainment. The original production of Morecambe premiered at the Assembly venue Rainy Hall at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was immediately snapped up for a West End run. It has since enjoyed two successful major tours. Bob also performed as Eric at the Royal Variety Show . His TV work includes, Mr Selfridge (ITV drama), Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got the Pop Factor & Possibly a New Soapstar Super Strictly on Ice, comedy sketch show Watson & Oliver. He has been co-host on Dave Gorman’s Sunday Morning Show on Absolute Radio and provided the voices of ‘Milo’ and ‘Max’ in BBC’s Tweenies. Bob was last at The Edinburgh Fringe in 2013 directing the play No Direction by Albert Welling.

Denise Silvey for Cahoots Theatre Company in association with Gary Morecambe and Bob Golding presents
THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE MAN CALLED MONKHOUSE
Starring Simon Cartwright as Bob Monkhouse, Written by Alex Lowe and Directed by Bob Golding

AUTUMN TOUR: THE TAN, THE CUFF, THE WINK, THE OBSESSIVE.

THE MAN CALLED MONKHOUSE
September 5th
Shrewsbury Theatre
Severn
01743 281 281
http://www.theatresevern.co.uk

September 18th
Court Theatre Pendley
Tring
http://www.courttheatre.co.uk

September 28/29
Royal and Derngate
Northampton
01604 624811
http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

October 3rd
Lighthouse Theatre
Poole
0844 406 8666
www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

October 4th
The Place
Bedford
01234 354321
http://www.theplacebedford.org.uk

October 16/17
Devonshire Park
Eastbourne
01323 412000
www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

 

In Autumn 2015, Black Coffee Theatre are embarking on a UK tour with ONE LAST WALTZ. This funny and touching new play deals with coming to terms with Alzheimer’s disease.

Black Coffee Theatre whose previous work includes the 2013 national tour of a brand new adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull and the 5* new play ‘Found’ take to the road in October 2015 with this latest play from Luke Adamson that is based on real life experiences of Alzheimer’s.

Black Coffee Theatre are working with international theatre and dance producers Dep Arts to bring this show to theatres around the country culminating in a residency in London’s The Hope Theatre. One Last Waltz is being supported by The Alzheimer’s Society who will be delivering post show discussions with the BCT team which will be free for all ticket holders. The tour is also supported by funds from Arts Council England and the play was written with the help of a grant from the Peggy Ramsay Foundation.

“Alice is becoming more and more forgetful. Her daughter Mandy is always on hand to help out but the strain is becoming too much. A long forgotten photograph stirs a memory and lures Alice back to the Crown Hotel in Blackpool. Hoping for a chance to dance in the tower ballroom one last time mother and daughter set out, but Blackpool isn’t how Alice remembers and things become too much for her as she finds herself getting lost in the past.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, affecting around 496,000 people in the UK and is predicted to affect 1 in 85 people globally by 2050. Luke Adamson follows his successful debut play ‘Found’ with this new play based on his real life experiences of Alzheimer’s disease. He says: “My grandad was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and the diagnosis gave us some sort of explanation for his increasingly baffling and often erratic behaviour that had begun to cause a deal of tension amongst those around him. Once we had the diagnosis and we were able to start to manage the disease things became somewhat easier but I started to think about how much of that tension could have been avoided if we’d have come to the diagnosis sooner. Having had no previous experience of the disease we missed the tell tale signs, I was spurred to write this play as a way of raising awareness of these tell tale signs. It is very much based upon my own and my family’s dealings with granddad, a kind of tribute to him.”

ONE LAST WALTZ TOUR DATES
Thursday 8th October 8pm
Marlowe Theatre Studio, Canterbury
Tickets £12 (Concs available)
www.marlowetheatre.com
01227 787787

Friday 9th October 1.30pm
The Atkinson Arts Centre, Southport
Tickets £8
www.theatkinson.co.uk
01704 533 333

Wednesday 14th October 8pm
Customs House, South Shields
Tickets £12/10
www.customshouse.co.uk
0191 454 1234

Thursday 15th October 8pm
Seven Arts, Leeds
Tickets £10/£8
www.sevenleeds.co.uk
0113 26 26 777

Sunday 25th October 7pm
Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester
Tickets £10/£5
0116 252 2455

Thursday 29th October 7.30pm
Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Havant
Tickets £12.50/11.25
www.thespring.co.uk
023 9247 2700

Thursday 5th November 7.45pm
Cast, Doncaster
Tickets £10.50/£8.50
www.castindoncaster.com
01302 303959

Monday 9th November – Saturday 14th November 7.45pm (Sat matinee 3.30pm)
The Hope Theatre, Islington
Tickets £14/12
www.thehopetheatre.com
0333 666 3366

Tickets for all performances are available from www.blackcoffeetheatre.co.uk/one-last-waltz

 

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

ELF THE MUSICAL

AT THE DOMINION THEATRE

24 OCTOBER 2015 TO 2 JANUARY 2016

The full cast for the London premiere of the smash hit musical ELF has been announced. The company is led by Ben Forster as Buddy, Kimberley Walsh as Jovie, Joe McGann as Walter Hobbs and Jessica Martin as Emily Hobbs, with Jennie Dale as Deb, Mark McKerracher as Santa and Graham Lappin as Store Manager. Also in the cast are Katie Bradley, Charlie Bull, Nicola Coates, Alex Fobbester, Anton Fosh, Charlotte Gale, Francis Haugen, Matt Holland, Tash Holway, Paul Hutton, Mark Iles, Ceili O’Connor, Debbie Paul, Joanna Rennie, Barnaby Thompson and Ed White. Harry Collett, Ilan Galkoff, Noah Key and Ewan Rutherford will alternate the role of Michael.

ELF will run at London’s Dominion Theatre for a strictly limited 10-week season from 24 October 2015 to 2 January 2016. The Gala Opening Night on Thursday 5 November will be in aid of Alzheimer’s Society.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit starring Will Ferrell, ELF is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

ELF features a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), with songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer). The production will feature direction and choreography by Morgan Young (Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), set design and costumes by Olivier Award winner Tim Goodchild, lighting design by Olivier Award winner Tim Lutkin, vocal arrangements by Phil Reno, dance arrangements by David Chase, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, video design by Ian William Galloway and sound design by Clement Rawling.  Musical direction and supervision will be by Stuart Morley.

Michael Rose and U-Live in association with the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin present the Theatre Royal Plymouth production of ELF at the Dominion Theatre, London.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

24 October 2015 to 2 January 2016

 

Dominion Theatre

268-269 Tottenham Court Road

London W1T 7AQ

 

Performances:  Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm*, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm**

*7.00pm on Thursday 5 November, no evening performance Thursday 24, Friday 25, Saturday 26, Thursday 31 December & Friday 1 January

**extra 2.30pm matinees on Thursday 29 October, and, in December, on Monday 21st, Tuesday 22nd, Thursday 24th, Monday 28th, Tuesday 29th & Thursday 31st

 

See website for ticket prices:  www.elfthemusical.co.uk / www.dominiontheatre.com

 

Box Office:  0845 200 7982

 

Running Time: 2 hours 25 minutes (including interval)

 

MYSTIFYING MAGICIAN AND DAREDEVIL SWORDSMAN AARON CROW JOINS WORLD CLASS LINE UP FOR FINAL WEEK

LAST CHANCE TO SEE HIT SPECTACULAR IMPOSSIBLE IN THE WEST END: LIMITED SEASON AT THE NOËL COWARD THEATRE MUST END 29TH AUGUST

The producers of hit West End magic spectacular IMPOSSIBLE have announced that Aaron Crow, star of Britain’s Got Talent, will join the show for the final week of its run on Monday 24th August. The hit magic show finishes its limited run at the Noel Coward Theatre on 29th August, before embarking on a worldwide tour.

Aaron Crow, world renowned magician and swordsman, will astound and amaze audiences with his cutting edge tricks and daredevil stunts, tackling swords and crossbows whilst blind-folded! Crow’s unique and compelling approach to magic fuses suspense and dangerous stunts with a winning charm and explores the positive theme of facing and overcoming our fears. His sensational style took him to the semi-finals on Britain’s Got Talent where his nail-biting stunt of chopping a pineapple in half on top of Ant McPartlin’s head, while blind-folded, had audiences on the edge of their seats. Simon Cowell remarked: “That’s a great act. I love the idea of watching something where there is a possibility that someone could actually die”

On joining the show, Aaron Crow said: “I’m thrilled and honoured to be joining Impossible alongside such a talented group of illusionists and magicians, and looking forward to bringing some of my magic to the West End for the last week of the run”

IMPOSSIBLE, the biggest magic show to hit the west end in decades opened at the Noel Coward Theatre on 30th July and has been astounding audiences with a stunning show that encompasses escapology, mind-reading, sleight-of-hand and disappearance, as well as bringing some traditional tricks up to date by using contemporary technologies such as iPads and lasers.

Featuring a stellar line-up of the best magicians and illusionists from around the world including:modern-day Houdini, daredevil and TV escapologist Jonathan Goodwin (until 21 August); grand illusionist Luis de Matos, mind-blowing mind-reader Chris Cox; spell-binding digital marvel Jamie Allan, boundary breaking magician Ben Hart, and sleight of hand master Ali Cook.

IMPOSSIBLE is produced by Jamie Hendry Productions, with creative direction by Anthony Owen, stage direction by Lloyd Wood, scenic design by Andrew D. Edwards, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, sound design by Gareth Owen, video design by Duncan McLean and music by Michael Bradley.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

IMPOSSIBLE
Noël Coward Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4AU

Until Saturday 29th August 2015
Monday – Saturday evenings at 7.30pm
Matinee performances: Tuesday and Saturday at 3.00pm
Booking details:  0844 482 5141
Access bookings: 0844 482 5137
Website: www.ImpossibleLive.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ImpossibleTheShow
Twitter: @ImpossibleShow

The Grand Theatre, Leeds – 17th August 2015

The superb Kenwright season continues in Leeds with the very talented Agatha Christie Theatre Company presenting And Then There Were None

I love a good murder mystery, and this is a really good one. A true 5* production.  The play stays true to the original novel and does well to build up the suspense, as well as getting the audience to laugh, gasp and sigh throughout as we turn all the different corners in the story.

Set on a small island off the coast of Devon, the guests of a mysterious Mr Owen gather for a weekend away at the millionaire’s mansion, but he never turns up.

Directed by Joe Harmston, who has spearheaded all of the productions of Christie’s plays the Company has toured over the last ten years. His experience shows clearly here. There is no lame attempt to update the play or tinker with it in ways counter to its ingenuity. No. Harmston approaches the staging with respect and considerable care.

A gathering of strangers, separately invited to a weekend house party through letters from a mysterious stranger, soon begin to realise that they have been duped into becoming victims of a twisted and disturbed character. The idyllic island surroundings soon become a terrifying trap as one-by-one, the characters meet their fate.

The first act was a little bit slow, but it works, especially with so many characters playing a vital role it was necessary to make sure they all had a proper introduction – to each other and the audience. The second act was full of suspense and had many audience members on the edge of their seats and debating with their companions who they thought the murderer was.  And the final reveal was genius

Ben Nealon, a veteran of eight Christie plays, is terrific as the good-looking but possibly slightly/completely unhinged Captain Lombard. This is a stock Christie character: the charming rake with a shady past, a good chat up line for the ladies and a revolver. Nealon gets the style precisely right, his accent and delivery spot on and his sense of total investment in the character and situation impeccably judged. His welcome  energy is the pulse of the play.

Deborah Grant, almost unrecognisable as the cantankerous and self-righteous old windbag Emily Brent, is thoroughly believable while Kezia Burrows makes a convincing job of portraying vivacious Vera Claythorne. She wears the stylish clothes of the time to great effect and looks as though she’s stepped straight out of a 1930s fashion magazine (all credit to Amanda Ozdonmez and the costume team for the amazingly realistic-looking apparel). In particular THAT dress is beautiful

The rest of the cast – Neil Stacey, Gary Mavers, Mark Curry, Frazer Hines, Eric Carte, Tom McCarron and Jan Knightley, along with Judith Rae as Ethel Rogers, settle perfectly into their roles as though they lived through the thirties themselves.  Watching the paranoia, suspicion and decent to madness is a joy in itself

Simon Scullion’s excellent Art Deco set, Matthew Bugg’s sound design and  Roberto Surace’s costumes all help to give the production the finishing touches that help make the outstanding actors believable.

With twists and turns to the end this is a classic whodunnit and you need to get to The Grand to see if you can work out the ending before the big reveal

 

Young people aged 16-26 have an unique opportunity to see Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet, for only £5 this autumn. As part of Sheffield Theatres’ Live for 5 scheme there are 1,000 seats – more than ever before – available for this production at this special rate.

 

Undoubtedly William Shakespeare’s most romantic play, Romeo & Juliet bursts onto the Crucible stage from Thursday 17 September to Saturday 17 October in a brand new, vibrant production. This familiar story of love blown apart by tragedy is a perfect introduction to Shakespeare. It follows Sheffield Theatres’ previous highly acclaimed productions of Twelfth Night, The Winter’s Tale and Hamlet. Freddie Fox(Cucumber for Channel 4) plays Romeo whilst Morfydd Clark (The Falling) plays Juliet. Ticket prices for the production range from £17.00 to £25.00 making the £5 ticket deal exceptionally good value.

 

Claire Murray, Sheffield Theatres’ Communications and Fundraising Director commented:

‘We want to welcome everyone to the theatre and we appreciate that for our younger audiences, it can seem an expensive night out. We’re making 1,000 seats available at only £5 for Romeo & Juliet and many hundreds more available across all shows in our autumn season. We believe that it’s important that everyone has the chance to enjoy great theatre on their doorstep and we’re committed to making our productions more accessible – Live for 5 is just one of the ways we’re doing this.’  

 

For more details about Live For 5 please go to: sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

 

Live for 5 tickets can be purchased from Sheffield Theatres’ Box Office in-person or by phone on 0114 249 6000 and are priced at £5.00.  A transaction fee of £1.50 applies to all bookings made at the Box Office (excluding cash).

Sheffield Theatres Listings:

Crucible Lyceum Studio 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA             
Box Office 0114 249 6000 – Mon – Sat 10.00am to 8.00pm
A transaction fee of £1.50 (£1.00 online) applies to all bookings made at the Box Office (excluding cash).
On non-performance days the Box Office closes at 6.00pm.
sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Twitter: @crucibletheatre @SheffieldLyceum

Romeo & Juliet

By William Shakespeare

Crucible Theatre

Thu 17 September – Sat17 October

Tickets from £17.00, concessions available

 

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

THE LONDON PREMIERE OF

SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE

by Michael John LaChiusa

 

AT JERMYN STREET THEATRE

FROM TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER TO SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2015

 

 

Casting is announced today for Michael John LaChiusa’s Off-Broadway hit See What I Wanna See, which will receive its London Premiere in a limited 4-week run at Jermyn Street Theatre from Tuesday 8 September to Saturday 3 October, with a press night on Friday 11 September, 7.30pm.

The cast features Jonathan Butterell as The Janitor/The Priest, Marc Elliott as The Thief/A Reporter, Cassie Comptonas Kesa/The Wife/An Actress, Mark Goldthorp as Morito/The Husband/A CPA and Sarah Ingram as The Medium/Aunt Monica.

Jonathan Butterell is a director and choreographer. He choreographed the original production of See What I Wanna Seeat New York’s Public Theater, and directed the premieres of Michael John LaChiusa’s other works Giant and Tres Nińas. Choreography credits include Company, Into The Woods and Nine at the Donmar Warehouse and Assassins, Fiddler on the Roof and Light in the Piazza on Broadway. He has also choreographed several films including Finding Neverland. Jonathan trained as an actor and dancer, and is returning to the stage after more than 20 years.

 

Marc Elliott is best known for playing Syed Masood in EastEnders, a role he played for three years. Other television credits include Midsomer Murders (ITV), Holby City (BBC) and The Bill (ITV). His stage credits include Urinetown (St. James and Apollo Theatres), City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse) and The History Boys (National Theatre).

Cassie Compton’s West End credits include Nessarose in Wicked, Elizabeth in Dirty Dancing and Eponine in Les Misérables, with other recent credits including Jean in American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre. Cassie was a finalist in the 2004 series of X Factor, with recent television work including Call the Midwife (BBC), Mr. Selfridge (ITV) and Casualty(BBC).

Mark Goldthorp’s West End credits include Matilda, Avenue Q, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Woman in White and Les Misérables. Other recent credits include Jekyll and Hyde (Union Theatre), Into the Woods (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and I love You Because (Landor Theatre). Television credits include Skins (Channel 4) and My Family (BBC).

 

Sarah Ingram’s many West End credits include Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Martin Guerre, Inherit The Wind, Flashdance, Imagine This, Murderous Instincts and Napoleon. Other recent credits include Sweeney Todd (Twickenham Theatre), Road Show (Menier Chocolate Factory), Taboo (Brixton Clubhouse) and Annie (West Yorkshire Playhouse).

 

See What I Wanna See is a vibrant and provocative new musical that explores the nature of truth, and how it is altered by perspective. From medieval Japan where two lovers seek to escape a doomed relationship, to modern day New York where a priest is wrestling with his faith, See What I Wanna See weaves together three remarkable stories of lust, greed, murder, faith and redemption, where truth and lies have become entangled. Michael John LaChiusa’s beautiful and unexpected music blends a plethora of influences from jazz and salsa to classical and pop into a fluid, cinematic score. See What I Wanna See is a fiercely intelligent, heartfelt piece of theatre that calls into question; how pure can the truth ever be?

See What I Wanna See was named one of the Best Musicals of 2005 by New York Magazine, and was nominated for nine Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical. It premiered at New York’s Public Theater in 2005 where it starred Idina Menzel in her first role following her Tony Award-winning performance originating the role of Elphaba in Wicked.

Michael John LaChiusa is a composer, lyricist and librettist, whose shows include The Wild Party, Hello Again, Marie Christine and Giant. Michael was nominated for four Tony Awards in 2000 for his score and book for both Marie Christineand The Wild Party.

 

See What I Wanna See is based on three short stories by acclaimed Japanese writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa. It will be directed by Adam Lenson, who recently directed the 20th Anniversary revival of Songs For A New World at St. James Theatre starring Cynthia Erivo, Damian Humbley, Dean John-Wilson and Jenna Russell. Adam also created the sell-out concert series West End Recast at the Phoenix and Duke of York’s Theatres and was associate director on the Olivier award winning west end production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along.

See What I Wanna See is written by Michael John LaChiusa, based on short stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa as translated by Takashi Kojima. It is directed by Adam Lenson with musical direction by Richard Bates and set and costume design by Simon Anthony Wells. It is produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment in association with Jermyn Street Theatre, presented by special arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe.

Twitter @SWIWS2015

 

LISTINGS

 

TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2015

JERMYN STREET THEATRE

16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST

Previews: Tuesday 8 – Thursday 10 September (All tickets £15)

Performances: Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees 3.30pm, extra matinee Thursday 1 October

Press Night: Friday 11 September, 7.30pm

Tickets: £20-25 (Previews £15)

Box Office: www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk | 020 7287 2875

ON SALE NOW

McQUEEN, which received its world premiere in May at St. James Theatre, where it broke box office records, will transfer to London’s West End, opening at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on Thursday 27 August, following previews from 22 August, for a strictly limited season until 7 November.

Written by James Phillips and directed by John Caird, the production stars award-winning actor Stephen Wight in the title role. Janet McQueen, one of Lee Alexander McQueen’s sisters, said of the play and the production at St. James Theatre, “It was as though the play and Stephen’s performance brought Lee back to me again.  I felt as though he was real again for me.” Gary McQueen, Lee’s nephew, added, “It does really hit something in your heart.”

Joining Stephen in the West End run will be Carly Bawden in the role of Dahlia. The role was originated by Dianna Agron who is not participating in the transfer due to filming commitments. Reprising their roles as Isabella Blow and Arabella will be Tracy-Ann Oberman and Laura Rees respectively. Michael Bertenshaw will be joining the cast as Mr Hitchcock. Also in the cast will be Harry Alexander, Sophie Apollonia, Amber Doyle, George Hill, Eloise Hymas, Amelia Jackson, Rachel Louisa Maybank, Jessica Buckby and Andrei Teodor Iliescu.

For the transfer to the West End, scenes have been rewritten and an interval has been added. James Phillips said, “I’m so delighted to have McQueen in the West End, and to take this opportunity to refine some things from the original production. For me, it’s also thrilling that we’re going into the Theatre Royal Haymarket, as it was in this theatre that I had my first ever professional job, a few months after leaving college.  I was a peasant – a silent role! – in Miss Julie starring Christopher Eccleston, Aisling O’Sullivan and Maxine Peake that Thelma Holt produced.  It really is one of the most beautiful theatres I’ve ever been in.”

McQUEEN is a journey into the visionary imagination and dream world of Alexander McQueen, fashion’s greatest contemporary artist.  Set on a single London night, it is more than a bio-play. It is stepping into the fairy story landscape of McQueen’s mind, the landscape seen in his immortal shows, where with a dress an urchin can become an Amazon, where beauty might just help us survive the night.  A girl has watched McQueen‘s Mayfair house for eleven consecutive days. Tonight she climbs down from her watching tree and breaks into his house, to steal a dress, to become someone special. He catches her, but, instead of calling the police, they embark together on a journey through London and into his heart.

Lee Alexander McQueen died on 11 February 2010 aged 40. Born in Lewisham and raised in Stratford, East London, at 16 he served an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard. Later, he studied at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design and his graduation collection was bought in its entirety by influential fashion stylist Isabella Blow. He was appointed head designer at Givenchy in 1996, where he remained until 2001. He founded his own Alexander McQueen label, and the Gucci Group acquired 51% of his company in 2000, with McQueen serving as Creative Director. McQueen achieved the title British Designer of the Year four times between 1996 and 2003, and was also awarded the CBE and named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in 2003. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted a posthumous exhibition of McQueen’s work in 2011 titled Savage Beauty. The exhibition is currently being shown at the V&A until 2 August.

Stephen Wight was named Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Awards for his performances in Michael Grandage’s production of Don Juan in Soho and Samuel West’s production of Dealer’s Choice. Other theatre includes Nicholas Hytner’s production of The Habit of Art at the National and Sean Foley’s production of The Ladykillers in the West End. On television, he has played Simon in Bluestone 42 (BBC 3), Sam in The Paradise (BBC 1), Mitch in Threesome (Comedy Central), Fletcher in Sherlock and Charles in the BBC mini-series Fingersmith. His films include Wilderness, Highlander: The Source, Weekender with Jack O’Connell, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Zawe Ashton and Ashes with Jim Sturgess and Ray Winstone.

Carly Bawden’s theatre credits include Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory), Dead Dog in a Suitcase, Tristan & Yseult and The Beggar’s Opera for Kneehigh, My Fair Lady with Dominic West (Sheffield Crucible), Pippin (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Leicester Curve and Gielgud Theatre), and the tours of Whistle Down the Wind and Evita, for which she was nominated for TMA Award for Best Supporting Actress 2009.

Tracy-Ann Oberman played Chrissie in EastEnders, Yvonne Hartman in Doctor Who, Lizzie Clapham in Monroe, Aunty Val in Friday Night Dinner, Mrs Purchase in Toast of London and Diana in the film Filth starring James McAvoy and Jamie Bell. In theatre, she has acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company and at the National, including playing opposite Kenneth Branagh in Edmond.

Laura Rees’s theatre credits include Ophelia in Ninagawa’s Hamlet at the Barbican, Christopher Luscombe’s Comedy of Errors, Lucy Bailey’s Titus Andronicus and Kathryn Hunter’s Pericles at Shakespeare’s Globe, and Rupert Gould’s Macbeth and Philip Franks’s Twelfth Night at Chichester.

Michael Bertenshaw’s recent theatre credits include The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew, All’s Well That Ends Well and Anne Boleyn, all for Shakespeare’s Globe. His many television credits include playing Ralph Miliband in the documentary drama Miliband of Brothers, two three-part thrillers Murderland and Oktober, and regular appearances in the drama series Seaforth and in the children’s drama series C.A.B..

James Phillips’s first staged play, The Little Fir Tree, was commissioned by and performed, under his direction, at the Sheffield Crucible in 2004. He wrote and directed The Rubinstein Kiss at Hampstead Theatre in 2005. His most recent plays were Hidden in the Sand, which opened at the Trafalgar Studios in 2013, and City Stories, which was staged at the St. James

Theatre Studio during the run of McQueen.

John Caird is an Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where his work includes over 20 productions of classic and new plays including co-productions with Trevor Nunn of Nicholas Nickleby, Peter Pan and Les Misérables. His National Theatre productions include Hamlet and Humble Boy, both with Simon Russell Beale, Stanley with Antony Sher, and his own new version of Bernstein’s Candide for which he won a Laurence Olivier Award.

McQUEEN has production design by David Farley, choreography by Christopher Marney, video design by Tim Bird, lighting design by David Howe, sound design by John Leonard, wigs designed by Linda McKnight and casting by Kate Plantin CDG & Jayne Collins CDG.

McQUEEN is produced at the Theatre Royal Haymarket by Robert Mackintosh, AMIR Ltd, Hilary A. Williams, Deborah Negri, with Julian Stoneman as executive producer, for and on behalf of McQ Productions Ltd.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

22 August to 7 November 2015

Theatre Royal Haymarket

18 Suffolk Street

London SW1Y 4HT

Box Office: 020 7930 8800

Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm* (no performance on Monday 31 August), Thursdays and Saturdays at 3.00pm**

*7.00pm on Thursday 27 August

**No 3.00pm performances on Saturday 22 and Thursday 27 August

Ticket Prices: £15 – £65 (including booking fees); Premium Seats £85; Previews: £15 – £45

Running Time: 2 hours, including interval

Website: www.mcqueentheplay.com

Facebook: facebook.com/McQueenThePlay

Twitter: @McQueenThePlay

 

*We have had to cancel some of the preview performances.  Of the cancelled previews, the producers of McQueen have said, “With all the changes that were being made to the production for the transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket, we needed a longer technical rehearsal period than we’d originally allowed in the schedule and, in order to be totally ready to present the production in front of an audience, we took the difficult decision to cancel the first few previews.  The first preview performance will now be on the evening of Saturday 22 August.” *