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Dateline:
30th June, 2002
More US Stars to Make
London Debut
Glenn Close, Woody Harrelson and Kyle MacLachlan are to make their London
debuts later this year. Close will appear at the national in Tennessee
Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire (see
story) and Harrelson and MacLachlan are to star in On an Average
Day by US writer John Kolvenbach at the Comedy from 7th August to
27th October (previews from 25th July).
Noises Off
to Close
Michael Frayne's Noises Off, currently at the Comedy Theatre,
will close on 20th July, making way for On an Average Day.
Another Tempest
Kicks off Shakespeare Initiative
Following the news that Sir Derek Jacobi is to play Prospero in Michael
Grandage's production of The Tempest at Sheffield's Crucible
(story), it has been announced that
Richard Briers will lay the same part in a touring version of the play
as part of a new national touring Shakespeare initiative.
With funding from the Arts Council of England, the Theatre Royal, Portsmouth,
and West End producer Thelma Holt are to produce a touring version of
a Shakespeare play each year for the next three. The funding comes from
an ACE National Touring Contract, the first to be awarded. The Tempest
will tour this year and a version of Hamlet, directed by Japanese
director Yukio Ninagawa, will tour in 2004. The 2003 production has
yet to be announced.
The Tempest opens on 9th October (prviews from 3rd) in Portsmouth and
will run until 23rd November in another six venues.
The three-year National Touring Contract is a new Arts Council of England
funding initiative aimed at the provision of large-scale, quality drama
for regional audiences.
Gala Team to Stay
The management team running Durham's troubled Gala Theatre are all to
remain in post following the take-over by the city council after the
management company went into liquidation, thus scotching industry (and
local) rumours that other established local directors have been approached
to take over.
Stritch for Old
Vic
Veteran US actress and singer Elaine Stritch is to bring her Tony-winning
one-woman show, Elaine Stritch - Direct from Broadway, to the
Old Vic for a limited season, which opens on 9th October. The 76 year
old Stritch made her first stage appearance in 1944.
Henshall and Ruffelle
in Charity Cabaret
Ruthis Henshall and Frances Ruffelle are to star in the first late-night
cabaret, Divas, at the Soho Theatre. The cabaret season, which runs
until 12th August, is in aid of Theatre Cares, the charity formerly
known as West End Cares. All tickets are £10 and the shows start
at 11.30pm.
The season consists of
- Monday 1st July - Ruthie Henshall and Frances Ruffelle
- Monday 8th July - Nancy Anderson (Broadway star currently appearing
as Bianca in Kiss Me Kate)
- Monday 29th July - The Company of Taboo
- Monday 5th August - The Company of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- Monday 12th August - The Company of We Will Rock You
Taboo
Extends
Taboo, the show based on the eighties music of Boy George and
Culture Club, is now booking until 1st March, 2003.
Watford Palace Closes
for Refurbishment Next Saturday
Watford's Palace Theatre will close on Saturday 6th July for fourteen
months. Funded by a National Lottery grant of £5m and £2.3m
raised by its own efforts, the refurbishment will include new seating,
updated backstage faciliies and a redesigned stage.
New Welsh Theatre
Delayed
The building of a new theatre and arts centre in Newport in south Wales
has been held up by the discovery of archeological remains on the site.
The building of the proposed 500-seat theatre, with 150-seat studio,
recording and dance facilities, plus workshops, art gallery and a cafe
has been held up while archeologists investigate a significant amount
of timber which may be part of an old wharf.
The theatre is due to open in 2004.
Arts & Kids Foundation
Prince Charles' Arts & Kids Foundation has been launched at a celebration
in Buckingham Palace. The aim of the foundation is to ensure that kids,
especially the disadvantaged, have full access to the arts and, initially,
it aims that 10,000 childten will visit the theatre by March next year.
Prince Charles also hopes that his initiative will encourage government
and industry to raise £15m to enable every child in the country
to "engage" with the arts. £1m has already been raised
from the Millennium Commission and Powergen.
Returning to the
West End
Two recent popular shows are to return to the West End in the next few
months. The Play What I Wrote, about comic duo Morcambe and Wise,
starts previewing at Wyndham's on 30th October, opens on 5th November
and runs to 4th January.
Returning earlier, Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan, a hit at
the Donmar, opens at the New Ambassadors on 1st July.
Reduced? Yes, but
Extending
The Reduced Shakespeare Company's production of The Complete Works
of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at the Criterion has extended
its booking period to 31st March, 2003.
Index
A-F
Index G-K
Index L-Q
Index R-Z
News
Archive A-L
News Archive M-Z
Production News Archive
Please note that all three Archive
indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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