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Dateline: 21st July, 2002

More TV Shakespeare on the Way
Between them three TV channels are in the process of developing new Shakespeare films, according to the "Radio Times". BBC4 is working on a TV version of Peter Hall's much-shortened Hamlet, which will star Adrian Lester. It will air at the end of the year.

LWT is developing another version of Hamlet and a new Romeo and Juliet, whilst Channel 4 is planning King Lear and Twelfth Night. All transplant the plays into modern times, with Lear, for instance, being set in the Asian community.

Zeta-Jones for the West End?
According to Tim Rice (in an interview with the "Sunday Express"), the possibility exists of Catherine Zeta-Jones coming to the West End in a stage version of From Here to Eternity. Her co-star will be Kevin Spacey, Rice added, and Johnny Depp may well join them in the cast. Madonna's name has also been mentioned as a possible cast member.

And DiCaprio Too?
According to US trade journal "Variety", Leonardo DiCaprio is being spoken of as a strong possibility for the revival of Kenneth Lonergan's This Is Our Youth in the West End this autumn. Also mentioned as a possible cast member is Tobey Maguire.

Chichester Faces More Cabaret Problems
After director Lucy Bailey walked out of the Chichester Festival production of Cabaret last week over "artistic differences", the show has been hit by further problems with lading man Robin Laing, designer Angela Davis, lighting designer Jon Buswell and dancer Gil Cohen-Alloro also resigning.

It has emerged this week that the scene which caused the problem was a musical number which Bailey wished to be performed nude in a bubble bath. It has also been said that Bailey did not resign but was sacked.

The production is scheduled to open on 31st July (previews from 25th).

Welsh Language Plays Funding Announced
The Arts Council of Wales (ACW) has announced the two companies which it will fund to produce two mainstage new Welsh language productions in 2003. They are Sgript Cymru and Theatr Gwynedd.

Sgript Cymru will produce a musical version of Amdani, which originated as a novel by Bethan Gwanas and is also a television series. It is based on a women's rubgy team and will be directed by Tim Baker, associate director opf Theatr Clwyd Cymru. Theatr Gwynedd will produce Dan-y-Wenallt, based on Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood.

These two productions are an interim measure while the Arts Council of Wales establishes a Welsh Language Theatre Company, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru. This will be an independent producing company with an artistic leader to plan a programme of productions that will deliver an exciting and contemporary style of theatre, which has meaning and relevance but is also flexible enough to compete successfully with other media. This will mean taking advantage of the standard literary repertoire and also commissioning new work.

Sybil Crouch, chairman of ACW says: "The standard of the submissions received by the Arts Council of Wales was exceptionally high, and augers well for the future of Welsh Language theatre in Wales. The funds available meant that only two productions could be staged next year, but such was the standard of the other applications, we will be passing them on to Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru when it is established.

"This is the first step in what we hope will be a much-needed rejuvenation of Welsh-language theatre in Wales."

West End Kids' Week 2002
The Society of London Theatre's Kids' Week this year will be held from 23rd to 30th August, with thousands of free kids tickets and activities for top West End Shows are now available. For more information and to book call the hotline number on 0870 444 6066 or visit www.kidsweek.co.uk

Among the shows featured this year - and they are subject to availability - are 125th Street, ABBA MANIA, The Lion King, Antony And Cleopatra, Mamma Mia!, As You Like It, Les Misérables, Blood Brothers, My Fair Lady, Bombay Dreams, My One And Only, Bounce, Oh! What A Lovely War, Chicago, The Phantom Of The Opera, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Spot's Birthday Party, The Complete History Of America (Abridged), The Threepenny Opera, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Umoja - The Spirit Of Togetherness, Fame and We Will Rock You. There is also a huge range of Kids Week workshops from writing and dancing to stage fights and costumes.

You can also visit the free Kids Theatre Club, every Saturday between 10am-12pm at the Theatre Museum - if you love drama and are aged between 8 -12 call 0207 943 4806 to book a place. Kids Week and Kids Club has been made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of Marks & Spencer.

Follies Loses US Star
The Royal Festival Hall revival of Sondheim's Follies, due to run from 6th to 31st August (previews from 3rd), has lost its American star Clarke Peters who has had to withdraw due to "previous commitments in the US." It appear that Peters had not realise they would clash with the Follies run when he agreed to the part last month.

He will be replaced by David Durham.

Bombay Dreams Extends
The Andrew Lloyd Webber-produced musical Bombay Dreams has extended its run until March 2003. The extension is in response to tremedous demand for tickets, Lloyd Webber says.

The show, he says, "seems to have absolutely captured the imaginations of people who don't normally go to musicals. The audience is different from any I have seen for a long time."

Monologues to Tour
Eve Ensler's unexpected hit, The Vagina Monologues, is to tour from September to December this year. It will visit Bath, Salford, Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick, Sheffield, Glasgow, Brighton, Richmond and Guildford, starting on 9th September and ending on 7th December.

Betty to Close Early
Kathy Burke's production of Karen McLachlan's Betty (Vaudeville), performed by Geraldine McNulty will close on 3rd August after just four weeks. It had been booking until 28th September.

Brecht, Shawn and Shepard at BAC
Battersea Arts Centre's summer season consists of Sam Shepard's Cowboy Mouth (23rd July to 18th August) in a production by Liquid Theatre, A Thought in Three Parts (Wallace Shawn) produced by ex nihilo and running from 25th July to 25th August, and David Hare's translation Brecht's The Life of Galileo. The Shepard and Shawn productions are in the studio, the Brecht, produced by Word of Mouth, is in the main house.

New Cast for West End Monologues
From tomorrow, 22nd July, a new cast takes over for the Vagina Monologues at the Arts Theatre. The cast will be Tilly Blackwood, Rula Lenska and Angie Le Mar. The show is scheduled to finish on 12th October but is now expected to transfer, not close.

Dench Gets Degree from Leeds
On Wednesday 17th July Dame Judi Dench received the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Leeds in her native Yorkshire. The degree was awarded in recognition of her lifelong service to theatre. She already holds honorary degrees from Oxford, Queen Margaret University and the University of East Anglia.

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©Peter Lathan 2002