Dateline 3rd June, 2001
Young Vic pays tribute to US writers
The Young Vic is to pay a unique tribute to some of the United States' greatest twentieth century writers this summer by presenting some of their earliest works:
From 22nd August to 8th September the Young Vic presents Peter Brooks' The Tragedy of Hamlet, about which Brook writes:
Hamlet is inexhaustible, limitless. Each decade brings with it new explanations, fresh interpretations. Yet Hamlet remains intact, a fascinating enigma. But our task is not one of finding new ways of staging an old play. This adaptation seeks to prune away the inessential, for beneath the surface lies a myth. This is the mystery that we will attempt to explore.
Joe Egg revival
Peter Nichols' first successful play, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1967) is to be revived at the New Ambassadors in October with Clive Owen and Prunella Scales in the leading roles. It opens on 1st October.
New developments at York
The Theatre Royal York, which was one of the losers in ACE's "Next Stage" funding announced some months ago, is to open a new Studio Theatre, created from the scenery painting shop, and among its first shows will be John Godber's Happy Jack and Enda Walsh's Disco Pigs.
The main house programme includes The Three Musketeers, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and The Blue Room. In addition the resident company will do rehearsed readings of new plays and children's Saturday morning storytelling sessons.
UK Margulies premiere at Hampstead
The Hampstead Theatre is to present the UK premiere of Donald Margulies' off-Broadway Pulitzer Prize-winning play Dinner with Friends, starring Samantha Bond and Elizabeth McGovern. It opens on 28th June (previews from 21st).
Watch the National's outdoor space!
Watch This Space, the RNT's outdoor festival, is to run from 21st June to 25th August, offering over 100 performances from more than 50 acts over the six week period. The festival will centre in Theatre Square and will feature music, street theatre, circus, acrobatics and comedy. Among the theatre companies lined up to take part are London Bubble, IOU, the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre and the Bath Theatre Royal's Young People's Theatre.
Blessed and Jennings in The Relapse
Brian Blessed and Alex Jennings are to star in the RNT's productions of Vanbrugh's The Relapse which opens on 20th July in the Olivier (previews from 12th).
Hellman at the Donmar
The Donmar Warehouse is to present Lillian Hellman's Little Foxes, starring Penelope Wilton, from 10th October to 24th November (previews from 4th October).
Joseph Fiennes: Lord Byron
Joseph Fiennes will play Lord Byron in a new radio drama Byron's Women, which starts on Radio 4 on Monday 4th June at 7.45. The series of 15 minute episodes looks at the women in Byron's life through their actual words. The series co-stars Jane Lapotaire.
Cult novel becomes Coventry stage play
The 1970s cult novel The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart is to become a stage play (The Dice House). Adapted by Paul Lucas (with Rhinehart's involvement), it will be staged by the belgrade, Coventry, from 13th June. The cast includes comedian Tony Hawks, Matthew Cottle and Colin Tarrant.
Extending
Rumours
Closing