London Theatre Breaks

Stomp recently extended its run and is now booking through to October 2008. New talent is being recruited at auditions all over the country and the shows seems as popular as ever.

It seems inevitable that more West End theatres are likely to open Sunday evenings. The Lion King already has already introduced an extra Sunday performance. Unions are not happy though, with Bectu in particular trying to hold back the tide.

Meet the Director of THE SEA February 14, 2008

Thursday 21st February at 6.15pm at Waterstone’s on Piccadilly.

Acclaimed opera and theatre director Jonathan Kent will be at Waterstone’s on Piccadilly to discuss his production of Edward Bond’s play, THE SEA at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, starring the great Eileen Atkins and David Haig, one of the greatest comic actors of his generation.

Tickets are only £3, and that amount can be knocked off the price of the play text, which is also available at Waterstone’s.
To book your tickets either get them in the bookshop itself, or ring their customers services department on 020 7851 2400.

Waterstone’s, 203 - 206 Piccadilly, London W1V 9LE
For more information on the Theatre Royal Haymarket Season visit www.trh.co.uk

See THE SEA for only £29.50 (usually up to £47.50)

Valid for Monday - Thursday performances until 28 February. Subject to availability.

Call 0844 844 2353 and quote ‘Waterstones The Sea’.

Stomp! Regional Auditions Dates February 14, 2008

** book Stomp theatre breaks **

Stomp recently held auditions in London now they are looking for talent in the regions. So if you are a bundle of energy with a great sense of rhythm and you fancy strutting your stuff at the Ambassadors why not have a go? They say:

If you have a sense of rhythm and a sense of humour, and would like to audition in the future, send your details to auditions@stomp.co.uk and we will contact you when the next round of auditions come up.
Auditions will be held in the UK in the following cities on the following dates: Leeds ­ 9th July; Manchester ­ 10th July; Birmingham ­ 11th July Brighton ­ 23rd July. Any call backs will take place in Brighton on the 24th, 25th ad 26th July

Registration by email only before 6th July 2007 to auditions@stomp.co.uk providing the following details: name, contact address and telephone number.

(source

They won’t audition anyone who has not pre - registered.
Just to whet you appetite have a look at this :

** book Stomp theatre breaks **

Spamalot doesn’t laugh at sad people, says Eric Idol. February 13, 2008

Britney Spears was mentioned in the lyrics of the Diva’s Lament, sung by the Lady of the Lake. The lyric suggested that the actress playing the Lady was insulted at the thought of being replaced by Spears. It’s not exactly vicious, or really mean about Spears. Still now it’s been changed to Posh Spice - I suppose she’s seen as fair game.

Eric Idle said Tuesday in an e-mail:

“Because we don’t laugh at sad people. Mike Nichols (the show’s director) requested it and he’s right. We changed the lyrics in London, on tour, on Broadway and in Las Vegas. We think that it’s now too sad. Britney Spears is being tortured to death and we don’t want to be on that side.”

Hmm, the Pythons never flinched at poking fun at public figures in the past. I think it’s all a bit strange, what with the part being played by someone who won it in a reality TV contest and all! But that’s the West End for you at the moment.

(Source: Associated Press)

** book SPAMALOT theatre breaks **

London Theatre ticket receipts break records February 13, 2008

A Guardian article about arts and culture in the capital refers to some stunning statistics about London theatre revenues last year:

Cultural capital | Politics | guardian.co.uk

Last year, a record number of people– almost 14 million – went to the theatre in London, with ticket revenues rising to a record £470m.

Cast Changes for Mamma Mia! February 11, 2008

There are cast changes for the hit musical Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre. The new cast will start performances on Monday March 3. Linzi Hateley will continue to head the cast as ‘Donna Sheridan’, with Joanna Monro as ‘Rosie’ and Jane Gurnett as ‘Tanya’. Richard Laing will play ‘Sam Carmichael’, Paul Ryan ‘Harry Bright’, Andrew Hall ‘Bill Austin’, Katie Brayben ‘Sophie Sheridan’, Oliver Hembrough ‘Sky’, Jodie Read ‘Ali’, Laura Selwood ‘Lisa’, Giovanni Spano ‘Pepper’ and Matt Wilman ‘Eddie’. At certain performances the role of ‘Donna Sheridan’ will be played by Melissa Jacques.

Ring Round The Moon - The Playhouse February 10, 2008

Ring Round The Moon - The Playhouse

Originally uploaded by Andyrob

The playhouse at Charing Cross is one of the West End theatres that specialises in more serious plays and comedy instead of broadway style musicals, but they are often much shorter runs.

Ring round the Moon is currently booking until 29th March

Olivier Nominations Announced - full list. February 7, 2008

The 2008 Olivier nominations have been announced:
BEST ACTRESS

- Anne-Marie Duff for SAINT JOAN at the Olivier
- Kelly Reilly for OTHELLO at the Donmar Warehouse
- Kristin Scott Thomas for THE SEAGULL at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
- Fiona Shaw for HAPPY DAYS at the Lyttelton
- Penelope Wilton for JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN at the Donmar Warehouse

BEST ACTOR

- Chiwetel Ejiofor for OTHELLO at the Donmar Warehouse
- Ian McKellen for KING LEAR at the New London
- Mark Rylance for BOEING-BOEING at the Comedy
- John Simm for ELLING at the Trafalgar Studios 1
- Patrick Stewart for MACBETH at the Gielgud

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

- Michelle Fairley for OTHELLO at the Donmar Warehouse
- Pam Ferris for THE ENTERTAINER at The Old Vic
- Conleth Hill for PHILISTINES at the Lyttelton
- Rory Kinnear for THE MAN OF MODE at the Oliver

BEST NEWCOMER IN A PLAY

- David Dawson for THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY at the Gielgud
- Tom Hiddleston for CYMBELINE at the Barbican
- Tom Hiddleston for OTHELLO at the Donmar Warehouse
- Stephen Wight for DEALER’S CHOICE at the Trafalgar Studios 1

BEST NEW PLAY

- A DISAPPEARING NUMBER by Simon McBurney at the Barbican
- THE REPORTER by Nicholas Wright at the Cottesloe
- VERNON GOD LITTLE by DBC Pierre, adapted by Tanya Ronder at the Young Vic
- WAR HORSE based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by Nick Stafford at the Olivier

BEST NEW COMEDY

- ABSURDIA: THE CRIMSON HOTEL by Michael Frayn at the Donmar Warehouse
- ELLING based on a novel by Ingvar Ambjørnsen, stage adaptation by Axel Hellstenius in collaboration with Peter Næss translated by Nicholas Norris
- RAFTA RAFTA by Ayub Khan-Din based on All in Good Time by Bill Naughton at the Lyttelton
- WHIPPING IT UP by Steve Thompson at the New Ambassadors

BEST REVIVAL

- BOEING-BOEING by Marc Camoletti, translated by Beverley Cross at the Comedy Theatre
- DEALER’S CHOICE by Patrick Marber at Trafalgar Studios 1
- MACBETH by William Shakespeare at the Gielgud
- SAINT JOAN by Bernard Shaw at the Olivier
- THE SEAGULL by Anton Chekhov, a version by Christopher Hampton at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court.

BEST NEW MUSICAL

- THE DROWSY CHAPERONE music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, by special arrangement with Paul Mack at the Novello
- HAIRSPRAY book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, based upon the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä with Christopher Nightingale at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- PARADE book by Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, co-conceived by Harold Prince at the Donmar Warehouse

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

- FIDDLER ON THE ROOF book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick at the Savoy
- LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS based on the film by Roger Corman, screenplay by Charles Griffiths, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken at the Duke of York’s and Ambassadors
- THE MAGIC FLUTE- IMPEMPE YOMLINGO adapted from Mozart by Mark Dornford-May, words and music by Mandisi Dyantyis, Mbali Kgosidintsi, Pauline Malefane and Nolufefe Mtshabe at the Young Vic

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

- Leanne Jones for HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury
- Lara Pulver for PARADE at the Donmar Warehouse
- Sheridan Smith for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at the Duke of York’s and Ambassadors
- Summer Strallen for THE DROWSY CHAPERONE at the Novello

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

- Michael Ball for HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury
- Bertie Carvel for PARADE at the Donmar Warehouse
- Henry Goodman for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at the Savoy
- Bob Martin for THE DROWSY CHAPERONE at the Novello

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

- Tracie Bennett for HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury
- Elinor Collett for HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury
- Shaun Escoffery for PARADE at the Donmar Warehouse
- Alistair McGowan for LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at the Duke of York’s and Ambassadors

BEST DIRECTOR

- Rob Ashford for PARADE at the Donmar Warehouse
- Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris for WAR HORSE at the Olivier
- Rupert Goold for MACBETH at the Gielgud
- Jack O’Brien for HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury

BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER

- Rob Ashford for PARADE at the Donmar Warehouse
- Jerry Mitchell for HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury
- Casey Nicholaw for THE DROWSY CHAPERONE at the Novello
- Toby Sedgwick for WAR HORSE at the Olivier

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

- HAIRSPRAY designed by Kenneth Posner at the Shaftesbury
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS designed by Paul Pyant at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- MACBETH designed by Howard Harrison at the Gielgud
- WAR HORSE designed by Paule Constable at the Olivier

BEST SET DESIGN

- HAIRSPRAY designed by David Rockwell at the Shaftesbury
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS designed by Rob Howell at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- MACBETH designed by Anthony Ward and Lorna Heavey at the Gielgud
- WAR HORSE designed by Rae Smith and Handspring Puppet Company at the Olivier

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

- THE DROWSY CHAPERONE designed by Gregg Barnes for at the Novello
- HAIRSPRAY designed by William Ivey Long at the Shaftesbury
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS designed by Rob Howell at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- THE MAN OF MODE designed by Vicki Mortimer at the Olivier

BEST SOUND DESIGN

- HAIRSPRAY designed by Steve C. Kennedy at the Shaftesbury
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS designed by Simon Baker at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- PARADE designed by Terry Jardine and Nick Lidster for Autograph at the Donmar Warehouse
- SAINT JOAN designed by Paul Arditti with music by Jocelyn Pook at the Olivier
- WAR HORSE designed by Christopher Shutt with music by Adrian Sutton and John Tams at the Oliver

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE

- THE BROTHERS SIZE at the Maria, Young Vic
- CINDERELLA at Theatre Royal, Stratford East
- GONE TOO FAR at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
- The cast of THAT FACE at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court

BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION

- English National Opera’s AGRIPPINA at the Coliseum
- The Royal Opera’s LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT at the Royal Opera House
- The Royal Opera’s PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE at the Royal Opera House
- English National Opera’s TURN OF THE SCREW at the Coliseum

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA

- Natalie Dessay for her performance in LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT at the Royal Opera House
- Gerald Finley for his performance in PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE at the Royal Opera House
- Angelika Kirchschlager for her performance in PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE at the Royal Opera House
- David McVicar for directing English National Opera’s TURN OF THE SCREW and AGRIPPINA at the Coliseum

BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION

- Fabulous Beast Dance’s THE BULL at the Barbican
- The Royal Ballet’s JEWELS at the Royal Opera House
- Mark Morris Dance Group’s MOZART DANCES at the Barbican
- Northern Ballet Theatre’s THE THREE MUSKETEERS at Sadler’s Wells

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE

- Savion Glover for his performance in LIVE FOR LONDON at Sadler’s Wells
- Jonathan Goddard for his performances with the Richard Alston Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells
- The Royal Ballet Company for their performances in JEWELS
- Wendy Whelan for her performance in The Christopher Wheeldon Company’s FOOL’S PARADISE at Sadler’s Wells