Dateline 3rd December, 2000
Waterman joins Pryce and McCutcheon
Dennis Waterman is to join Jonathan Pryce and Martine McCutcheon in the National's production of My Fair Lady, which opens at the Lyttelton on 15th March (previews from 5th). He will play Alfred Doolittle. He last appeared onstage in London last year in I'll Be Back Before Midnight at the Theatre Royal Windsor.
Shaw back in West End next year
Fiona Shaw is to return to the West End in January in the Abbey Theatre (Dublin) production of Euripides' Medea at the Queen's. It opens on 30th January, after previewing from 19th. This is her second foray into Greek drama: she won an Olivier for her performance in Sophocles' Elektra in 1990.
New Albee plays for Cottesloe
The National Theatre will premiere two new short plays by American writer Edward Albee at the Cottesloe in May. The plays, which will both star Sheila Gish and Bill Paterson and will be directed by Anthony Page, are Finding the Sun and Marriage Play.
60 venue tour for the other RSC
The Reduced Shakespeare Company are to begin a 60-plus venue tour of the UK with their The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) on 12th January. It last toured the country in 1998-99.
The Complete... is the longest running comedy ever in the West End, having had over 2000 performances in five years.
Daldry opens new Churchill play at Court
Stephen Daldry first production since the success of his film Billy Elliott, Caryl Churchill's Far Away, starring Linda Bassett, opened at the Royal Court Upstairs on Thursday 1st December.
Daldry left his post as artistic director at the Court three years ago to concentrate on film, but he remains and associate director, and has no intention, he says, of giving up theatre. "You don't have to choose one over the other," he said.
Guys and Dolls for Christmas in Sheffield
The Christmas production at Sheffield Crucible this year is to be the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls. Opening on 12th December (previews from 8th) and running until 20th January, it will be directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with Ian Bartholemew as Nathan Detroit and Tracie Bennett as Adelaide.
Pinocchio comes to Hammersmith
The Christmas play at the Lyric Hammersmith is Lee Hall's version of The Adventures of Pinocchio, which opens on 5th December.
New Marber in the New Year
Patrick Marber's as yet untitled new play is expected at the RNT's Cottesloe in June.
Rumours
There are rumours that Steven Berkoff's Messiah: Scenes from a Crucifixion, which received mixed reviews at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, it to play a ten week season at the Old Vic, beginning in March.
There are also rumours of a West End transfer for Sam Mendes' Donmar Warehouse production of Nick Whitby's To the Green Fields Beyond.
Rumour also has it that Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange is to return to London at the Duchess in the spring of 2001, where it will replace Copenhagen.
Extending
Noel Coward's Fallen Angels at the Apollo is now booking to 17th April, and The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's) is extending to 22nd December, 2001.