12th September, 1999
Shakespeare for the Millennium
BBC Radio 4 launches a series of new Shakespeare productions on Sunday 12th September. Over the next three years the BBC will present 17 of the plays, all of which will be available on CD and cassette.
Four productions have been announced so far:
CDs are £14.99 each and cassettes £8.99, but there are discounts when buying more than one: 2 CDs for £24.98 or two cassettes for £15.98. Order by credit card by phoning 01483 204488 (international calls: 00 44 1483 204488).
Children of Eden for one night only
John Caird and Stephen Schwartz's musical Children of Eden is to have a one night production at Her Majesty's on 12th December.
Rent to close next month
The West End production of Rent, currently at the Shaftesbury, is to close on 30th October after an 18 month run. At the height of its success earlier this year, it brke box office records by taking £262,000 in one week.
It will close on the same day that Miss Saigon ends its ten year run.
Mirren to play in US import
US playwright Donald Margulies' play Collected Stories is to open in the West End later this year (possibly November) with Helen Mirren in the leading role. The play had a successful run at Greenwich Village's Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York last year, with Ute Hagen in the leading role.
Oklahoma! on TV
The film version of the National's hit production of Oklahoma! will be broadcast on Sky Premiere at 8.00 pm on 24th September, with a repeat on the 26th at 4.00 pm.
Oh what a success!
Seventies compilation musical Oh What A Night!, playing at the 3500-seater Apollo Hammersmith, has extended its limited run by five weeks and will now close on 16th October. Starring John Altman, Will Mellor and Kid Creole, the show is choreographed and directed by Kim Gavin, formerly choreographer for Take That.
Salesman for West End
The Tony-winning Broadway production of Miller's Death of a Salesman is to transfer to the West End early next year. With Brian Dennahy as Willy Loman (Best Actor award in this year's Tonys) and Elizabeth Franz (Best Featured Actress), the play opens at the Old Vic in Late January.
Open House in London
Next weekend (18th and 19th September) a number of theatres and other places of theatrical interest will be open to the public as part of the London Open House Weekend. Admission is free and some venues are offering guided tours. Among the venues of theatrical interest participating are:
RSC Newcastle season
The Royal Shakespeare Company's season at Newcastle-upon-Tyne has been announced. Running from 25th October to 27th November, it will feature productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Antony and Cleopatra, Othello and Timon of Athens at the Theatre Royal, and Eliot's The Family Reunion, Jonson's Volpone, Schiller's Don Carlos and Aphra Behn's Oroonoco at the Playhouse.
Oroonoco is the world premiere of a new adaptation of the play by Biyi Bandele.
Zeta Jones one of the world's best dressed people
Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones has been chosen as one of the world's best dressed women by the American People magazine, along with Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Roberts. Madonna appeared as one of the worst dressed, for the sixth time!