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Dateline:
23rd June, 2002
Wyndham's Manager
Quits
William Ingrey, manager of Wyndham's Theatre, has quit his post after
working at the theatre for almost thiry years because he was angered
by the demands made by Madonna. He couldn't, he said at his leaving
party, cope with the contraints he had to endure "to satisfy the
needs of the present productions."
Amongst the demands made by the pop star was the redecoration of her
dressing room to her specification, the raising of the stage by a few
feet, a requirement that her bodyguards stay in the wings while she
performed and putting certain areas of the auditoium out of bounds to
staff.
Dench and Smith
Dates Finalised
The dates of the first appearance together onstage of the two great
Dames of the theatre, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, have at last been
finalised. David Hare's The Breath of Life will run at the Theatre
Royal Haymarket from 4th October to 21st December (previews from 23rd
September). The play will be directed by Howard Davies (Private Lives).
Hare to Revive Via
Playwright David Hare is to revive his one-man play Via Dolorosa (again
directed by Stephen Daldry) at the Duchess for six weeks from 15th July.
Daldry to Direct
New Churchill at Royal Court
Stephen Daldry will direct the world premiere of Caryl Churchill's new
play A Number at the Royal Court in September. Running from 18th
September to 2nd November (previews from 12th September), the play opens
the Court's autumn season. Daldry, of course, is a former artistic director
of the theatre.
Young Vic Winter Season
Announced
The Young Vic has announced what plays will join the RSC Academy's King
Lear in its winter season. Prior to the Academy production, which
will feature what is probably the youngest Lear ever, the theatre will
present D.H. Lawrence's The Daughter-in-Law, which runs from
12th September to 12th October (previews from 5th Sept.). October/November
sees the Academy production, and it will be followed by The Sleeping
Beauty (22nd November to 25th January).
Bean's Macbeth
Confirmed
It has been confirmed that Sean Bean will star as Macbeth in the West
End this autumn. Following dates in Milton Keynes (16th to 26th October)
and Richmond (28th October to 2nd November), the play moves into the
Albery on 14th November (previews from 7th), where it will run until
1st february. Edward Hall directs.
Dreams
Opens to Standing Ovation
The Bollywood-influenced musical Bombay Dreams, produced by Andrew
Lloyd Webber, opened to a standing ovation from an audience packed with
celebrity guests at London's Apollo Victoria on Wednesday evening. We
have details of the critics' reactions here.
RUG to Revive Sound
of Music
The Really Useful group is to revive The Sound of Music next
spring, Andrew Lloyd Webber has said. He made the announcement at the
official UK launch of the centenary celebrations of Richard Rodgers,
whom Lloyd Webber described as "the 20th century's greatest tune
writer."
On Your Toes
for Cardiff
The Lieicester Haymarket revival of Rodgers and Hart's On Your Toes
will be the main production at October's Cardiff International Festival
of Music Theatre, after which is it expected to move into the West End.
Wife
to Transfer
Somerset Maugham's The Constant Wife, starring Jenny Seagrove
and Simon Williams and directed by Edward Hall, is to close at the Apollo,
Shaftesbury Avenue, on 29th June (the end of its current booking period)
and will then re-open on 2nd July at the Lyric, right next door.
Queen Show Extends
We Will Rock You, the show based on the music of Queen, has extended
to January 2003. The musical cost £7.5m and has taken over £4m
at the box office since it opened on 14th May. A Broadway version is
scheduled to open in 2003, as are several other international productions.
The original cast album will be released in September of this year.
Redgrave Revives
Father's Role
On Tuesday of last week Corin Redgrave opened at the Derby Playhouse
in Rattigan's The Browning Version. Redgrave plays schoolteacher
Arthur Crocker-Harris, the part made famous by his father, Sir Michael
Redgrave. The pays continues until 29th June.
Another New Cast
for Monologues
There will be another new cast for The Vagina Monologues when
it transfers to the Arts Theatre on 25th June. The cast will be Rita
Tushingham, Aicha Kossoko and Nadia Wadia.
Spice Girl Makes
TV Drama Debut
Scary Spice Mel B is to make her TV drama debut later this year in Burn
It, a new series for BBC Choice. Leading the cast in the ten-part
series will be Lisa Faulkner.S
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