Dateline 14th January, 2001
Callow on the Net
Simon Callow's The Mystery of Charles Dickens (Albery) is currently being webcast and will be shown at www.onlineclassics.com until Thursday 18th January.
Napoleon to close
Napoleon the Musical is to close on 3rd February, after a run of only four months. It was booking until 28th April.
Howard and Friel join forces?
Rumour has it that Alan Howard is to join Anna Friel in the cast of Lulu at the Almeida, and no one at the Almeida is denying it, altough there has been no official confirmation so far.
Watch Gina!
According to "Variety", actress Gina McKee is one of the "Ten to Watch", performers who could become international stars in the near future. Also on the list are fellow Britons Lara Belmont, Stuart Townsend and Paul Bettany.
Life X 3 to transfer
The RNT production of Yasmina Reza's Life X 3 will transfer to the Old Vic from 12th February. It is due to finish its run at the Lyttelton on 16th January. Oliver Cotton, Imelda Staunton and Mark Rylance will stay with the play in its new venue.
De Niro for Art?
According to a report in "The Stage", Robert De Niro is said to have been persuaded by Sean Connery to take a role in Reza's Art at the Wyndham's. A spokesperson for the production said that it was not policy to comment on any possible casting.
Ayckbourn to direct Cooper play
Alan Ayckbourn is to direct a new play about comedian Tommy Cooper in the West End this autumn. Written by John Fisher, An Evening with Tommy Cooper centres around the the comic's death after collapsing onstage at Her Majesty's in April 1984.
Merrily and cheaply!
Go to see Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along on 25th January and pay whatever you like for the ticket. That's the offer from the Donmar Warehouse. There are a couple of catches, however: you are limited to two tickets per person and they have to be bought in person at the box office - and they go on sale at 5.00 pm: early arrival is advised!
The Mousetrap - moving?
The longest -running play ever, Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, which has been at the St Martin's Theatre ever since its run began, is to move to the Palace Theatre, Westcliff. But it's only going for one night - Sunday 24th June - where it will form part of a season of all Christie's plays.
Mapp and Lucia for the stage
E F Benson's featuring the two feuding middle-aged ladies Mapp and Lucia are to become a stage musical. It will be performed at the London Fringe venue, the Jermyn Street Theatre, from 15th Feburary to 3rd March (previews from 13th Feb.). Lucia will be played by Aimi MacDonald and Mapp by Gaye Brown. The show is written and directed by Peter Benedict, with music by William Hetherington.
Cancer battle to be TV play
Journalist John Diamond's battle with cancer, which he has chronicled in a weekly column in "The Times" and which formed the subject of the play A Lump in My Throat by Victoria Coren, is to be the subject of a BBC docu-drama which will star Diamond himself and be written by Coren. No date has been set for broadcast as the script has just been commissioned and hs anot yet been written.
Elton to perform for Bush
Ben Elton and Andrew Lloyd Webber will perform at Goerge W Bush's inauguration gala on 19th January, presenting songs from The Beautiful Game. Although Webber is known as a right wing Tory, Elton established his career with a stand-up act which attacked the right wing savagely. He has been attacked by human rights groups for his particpation and Anmesty International has said that it hopes he will use the opportunity to tell Bush to drop the death penalty.
Fellow alternative comedian Mark Thomas said, "I look forward to this 'Tory Peace Roadshow' performing for the Taleban. Next stop a Saudi-Arabian beheading festival."
Ricky Martin and Kelsey Grammer will also perform.
Godber in Godber in the West End
John Godber is to star in his own play Bouncers at the Whitehall Theatre from 2nd February (previews from 30th January).
7000 not out
Starlight Express last week had its 7000th performance. It opened on 27th March, 1984.
Copenhagen closing
It has been confirmed that Michael Frayn's award-winning Copenhagen will close on 7th April after running at the Duchess for 14 months. It will be replaced on 30th April by Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange. Both plays were originally performed at the NT's Cottesloe.
39 Steps - the comedy
A comic version of John Buchan's classic adventure novel The 39 Steps is to open in the West End later this year after a short tour which begins at the Yvone Arnaud in Guildford this month. It will star Simon Williams and Catherine Rabett.
Dannii Minogue for Notre Dame
Australian pop singer is rumoured to be joining the cast of Notre Dame de Paris at the Dominion next month.