Sonia Friedman Productions and the Royal Court Theatre today confirm the return of Ian Rickson’s production of Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem to London’s West End for a strictly limited 16-week engagement. Mark Rylance and Mackenzie Crook will reprise their celebrated roles as Johnny “Rooster” Byron and Ginger respectively, with further casting to be announced at a later date.
Previewing at the Apollo Theatre from 16 April 2022 with the opening night on 28 April 2022, Jerusalem will run until 6 August 2022. There will be over 800 seats at £15 or under each week across the house throughout the run with additional education rates of £25 per student ticket. Sign-up is open today (29 July 2021) for priority booking at www.jerusalemtheplay.co.uk from 10am with exclusive priority booking for those who have signed up by 10am Monday 9 August 2021. Tickets will go on general sale Monday 16 August 2021 at 10am.
The original creative team will return for this 2022 production – designer Ultz, lighting designer Mimi Jordan Sherin, composer Stephen Warbeck, sound designer Ian Dickinson for Autograph and casting director Amy Ball CDG.
Jez Butterworth’s award-winning play, which premiered at the Royal Court in 2009, returns to the West End following record-breaking sold-out runs at the Royal Court and the Apollo Theatres in 2009, 2010 and 2011 as well the Music Box Theater on Broadway in 2011.
On St George’s Day, the morning of the local county fair, Johnny Byron is a wanted man. The Council officials want to serve him an eviction notice, his son wants his dad to take him to the fair, Troy Whitworth wants to wreak his revenge and a motley crew of mates wants his ample supply of drugs and alcohol.
Perry and Croft’s classic BBC sitcom is brought gloriously to life in three episodes of the hugely popular television series hilariously and lovingly enacted by two master performers.
David Benson (‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ and ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’) and Jack Lane (‘Wisdom of a Fool’ and ‘7 Days’) transport the audience right back to Walmington, working from original radio scripts – complete with sound effects, vintage music and all of Perry and Croft’s beloved characters and catchphrases. Highly acclaimed by critics and by audiences of all ages.
Featuring three episodes newly adapted for stage:
‘When You’ve Got To Go’
Prviate Pike passes his call-up medical A1 (in spite of his chronically bad chest, his painful sinuses, his weak ankles and recently acquired nervous twitch). At the evening’s parade, Mainwaring and the platoon decide to celebrate Private Pike’s departure with a dinner in his honor at the local fish and chip restaurant.
‘My Brother and I’
Just as Captain Mainwaring gives the go-ahead for a sherry party with local dignitaries, his drunken brother, Barry, turns up to spoil the occasion.
‘Never Too Old’
The final ever episode of ‘Dad’s Army’, originally broadcast on Sunday 13 November 1977. The wedding reception of Lance Corporal Jones and Mrs Fox is interrupted as the platoon are put on full invasion alert.
Jack Lane said, “We love ‘Dad’s Army’ as much our audiences do and it is a privilege for us to have the opportunity to share our delight in our nation’s best-loved sit-com with audience’s all over the UK, Our aim has always been to be as true to the original, in finding the voices and mannerisms of the characters, as possible. No messing about it with it or trying to be ‘cleverer than it was’ by sending it up.”
Sound Designer Daniel Barnes. Original Production directed by Owen Lewis. Produced by Engine Shed and Something For The Weekend.
David Benson
Best-known for his performance as Noel Coward in the BBC’s classic war-time comedy ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’. David exploded onto the theatre scene with his first solo show ‘Think No Evil of Us: My Life With Kenneth Williams’, in 1996. The show became an instant classic, winning praises from audiences, critics and Dames Maggie Smith and Barbara Windsor for the accuracy of his portrayal as the ‘Carry On’ star. He followed this with a succession of solo shows on a wide variety of subjects, including Frankie Howerd, Dr. Johnson, the death of Diana Princess of Wales and an award-winning examination of the Lockerbie bombing.
David was a member of the National Theatre’s smash hit comedy ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ with James Corden, playing 1,015 performances of the show. He appears in the film ‘Blade Runner 2049’ as a hologram of Liberace!
David was nominated for a BBC Audio Best Actor Award for his portrayal as Frankie Howerd in ‘Frankie Takes a Trip’.
David describes Dad’s Army Radio Show as “the best idea I ever had” and inviting Jack Lane to perform it with him, “the second best idea I ever had!”
Jack Lane
Jack founded Engine Shed Theatre Company in 2010. He soon adapted three episodes and two Christmas specials of the classic BBC sitcom ‘Steptoe and Son’ receiving approval from the original writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. In 2015 Jack premiered ‘Wisdom of a Fool’, a self-penned one-man play based on the life and career of comedy icon, Norman Widsom. The play opened to critical acclaim and was endorsed by Wisdom’s estate before embarking on an extensive tour.
Theatre includes: ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘Dad’s Army Radio Show’ (Edinburgh Festival/National Tour), ‘Wisdom of a Fool’ (National Tour), ‘The Ambassadress’ (workshop), ‘Great Britain’ (ASM, Theatre Royal Haymarket), ‘Gretel and Hansel,’ ‘Cue for a Song’, ‘Steptoe & Son’, ‘From Turner To Houston’, ‘National Theatre Connections’, ‘Steptoe & Son Christmas Special’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Aladdin’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens’, ‘Confusions’, ‘Annie’, ‘That’s
Entertainment’ (The Capitol, Horsham) and as Max Bialystock in ‘The Producers’ (The Hawth).
Film includes: ‘7 Days’ (Pixel Revolution Films)
TV includes: ‘Twirlywoos’ (BBC/Ragdoll)
Radio includes: ‘Casting the Runes ‘(Bafflegab Productions) and ‘Barbara Windsor Celebrates’ (BBC Radio 2)
Cast: David Benson (@DavidBensonSays)
Jack Lane (@RealJackLane)
WITH LIVESTREAM AVAILABLE VIA THEATRE DISCOVERY PLATFORM THESPIE
The star line up has been confirmed for the first concert of the series for Monday Night at the Apollo – which will be performed in front of a socially distanced audience at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue on Monday 24 May, and simultaneously live-streamed to viewers at home via the theatre discovery platform Thespie, which is dedicated to bringing the best live and recorded theatre to audiences around the world.
Aimie Atkinson (Six, Pretty Woman), Cassidy Janson (&Juliet, Beautiful), Lucie Jones (Waitress, Rent), Cedric Neal (Chess,Mowtown the Musical) and Julian Ovenden (South Pacific, Downton Abbey) will join on-stage for an intimate night of music and theatrical chat, featuring ovation worthy performances of songs from their favourite genres. Host Greg Barnett (Miss Littlewood, Swallows and Amazons) invites his audience behind the curtain to catch these castmates as you’ve never seen them before. Sharing their most cherished memories and experiences from their careers, alongside performances of music personal to them, West End royalty celebrate the craft and industry they’ve so dearly missed.
Monday Night at the Apollo has been conceived of to support the theatre industry, and a percentage of profits will be donated to Acting for Others, an organisation made up of 14 individual theatrical charities.
Tickets are on sale now for all three concerts: Monday 24 May, Monday 14 June and Monday 5 July. The producers will continue to review each date as it approaches and react according to government guidelines at the time. Line ups for the second and third concerts will be announced soon.
Producers Greg Barnett and Hugh Summers said, “We’re excited to be announcing the first of our all-star line-ups for ‘Monday Night At The Apollo’. We have five of British Theatre’s best performers joining us for this night to celebrate the re-opening of our wonderful industry and we simply cannot wait to be out on stage performing in front of a live audience. We are thrilled that all three performances will also still be live-streamed to viewers at home via Thespie.com. The industry faces huge challenges in its recovery and we still hope to be able to raise funds for the charity ‘Acting For Others’ to support the thousands of freelancers who continue to be hit hardest as our sector begins to slowly reawaken. Theatre and its audiences know how vital it will be to support each other on the road to recovery and in these seemingly crucial final months, we ask your support, kindness, and most of all your theatrical presence, as we embark on our journey back to the stage. Public health and the safety of our audiences are still our utmost priority and the performances will adhere to the current government guidelines.”
This concert series is musically directed by George Dyer, and produced by Greg Barnett and Hugh Summers for Wild Mountain Productions Ltd.
Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall. Photo: Sheila-Burnett
New dates are announced today for the return of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall on the Southbank. As the Government Roadmap will not permit the return of full capacity audiences by the planned reopening date of 18 May, performances will now resume from 3 August 2021. The production is booking through to 20 March 2022. Tickets are on sale at www.witnesscountyhall.com. Casting is to be announced soon.
Since opening to critical acclaim in 2017 Witness for the Prosecution has captured the imagination of thousands who have been gripped by the case of Leonard Vole, accused of murder in cold blood. Director Lucy Bailey (Oleanna,Ghosts, Love From A Stranger) thrillingly places the audience in the thick of the action, as Agatha Christie’s enthralling tale of justice, passion and betrayal unfolds around them.
Leonard Vole is accused of murdering a widow to inherit her wealth. The stakes are high. Will he be able to convince the jury of his innocence and escape the hangman’s noose?
The twists and turns of the case are played out in a spectacular courtroom setting inside the iconic London County Hall as prosecution battles defence and witnesses take the stand to give their shocking testimonies. The production received Best Revival nominations at the 2018 Olivier and WhatsOnStage Awards.
Witness for the Prosecution is designed by William Dudley, with lighting by Chris Davey, sound design by Mic Pool and casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.
Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Rebecca Stafford Productions present… Witness for the Prosecution
By Agatha Christie
Directed by Lucy Bailey
Designed by William Dudley
Lighting Design by Chris Davey
Sound Design by Mic Pool
London County Hall
The Chamber, County Hall, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 7PB
Currently Booking from 3 August 2021 to 20 March 2022.
Box Office: 0844 815 7141
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday to Saturday, 7.30pm and matinees on Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm and Sunday at 3pm.
Christmas Schedule: 21 December 2.30pm & 7.30pm, 22 December 2.30pm & 7.30pm, 23 December 2.30pm & 7.30pm, 24 December 2.30pm, 27 December 7.30pm, 28 December 2.30pm & 7.30pm, 29 December 2.30pm & 7.30pm, 30 December 7.30pm, 31 December 2.30pm, 2 January 1.30pm & 6.30pm.
TICKET PRICES
Tickets from £12
No booking fees if booked via the official website
Our exclusive VIP Jury Ticket will place you in the heart of the courtroom action. Jurors will receive a complimentary programme and 2 complimentary drinks (soft drink, beer or house wine) to be redeemed pre-show or at the interval.
Witness for the Prosecution is offering a range of Courtroom Gift Packages, including packages to sit on the Jury. For more information please visit https://www.witnesscountyhall.com/gift-packages
David Pugh, the renowned theatre company Told by an Idiot and Theatre Royal Bath Productions present Charlie & Stan created by Told by an Idiot, written and directed by Paul Hunter. It will open in Bath on 14 July and then play the Minack Theatre, Cornwall from 1 August. Further dates prior to the West End are to be announced.
In 1910, the then unknown Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel set sail on board a tramp steamer from Liverpool to New York as part of Fred Karno’s famous music hall troupe. On the voyage, they shared a cabin, they shared comedy routines, they shared laughter, but, by the end of the journey, they had drifted apart… yet they would both go on to become two of the biggest stars of the age.
Inspired by real life events, Told by an Idiot’s acclaimed production of Charlie & Stan is the remarkable story of the greatest comedy double act that nearly was. With an original piano score played live at every performance, Charlie & Stan is a hilarious and deeply moving homage to two men who changed the world of comedy forever.
Told by an Idiot have garnered critical acclaim and devoted audiences worldwide for their wonderfully theatrical shows. With Charlie & Stan they have uncovered a hidden and poignant chapter of comedy history, shining an unusual light on a pair of show business legends.
Tony and Olivier Award-winning theatre producer David Pugh said that Charlie & Stan is “one of the most exciting shows I have ever worked on. I’m looking forward to taking it to audiences all over the world, but Bath and Cornwall get to see it first.”
Charlie & Stan is directed by Paul Hunter and designed by Ioana Curelea, with lighting design by Aideen Malone, video design by Dom Baker, original piano score by Mercury Award nominee Zoe Rahman and song arrangement by Sophie Cotton. Jos Houben is physical comedy consultant and dance choreography is by Nuna Sandy for ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company. Charlie & Stan is from an idea by Irene Cotton, with additional material from the company.
Charlie & Stan is produced by David Pugh (Art, Calendar Girls and The Play What I Wrote), Told by an Idiot and Theatre Royal Bath.
Image: L-R Martin Shaw & Jenny Seagrove -Love Letters – Theatre Royal Haymarket – Photos by Paul Coltas
Just eighteen hours after the end of the UK’s current lockdown, Bill Kenwright presents MARTIN SHAW and JENNY SEAGROVE in A.R. GURNEY’s Love Letters, directed by ROY MARSDEN, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
The play opened on 3 December 2020, the first day after the Prime Minister decreed that lockdown would end.
This production of Love Letters was previewed at Theatre Royal, Windsor as part of its five-week, five-day, five-play season.
“The two stars shine, while A.R. Gurney’s already bittersweet play here acquires an extra, decidedly Covid-era piquancy”
★★★★
Dominic Cavendish Daily Telegraph 15 October 2020
THE PLAY
Love Letters first opened in New York in 1989 and was a finalist in the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Gaining huge popularity, it has since played in theatres across the globe, attracting both real-life and on-screen couples to star as the protagonists. The last Broadway production in 2014 featured Mia Farrow and Brian Dennehy.
When the young Andrew Makepeace Ladd III accepts an invitation to Melissa Gardner’s birthday party, Melissa writes him a thank you note… and a unique romantic friendship and delicately warm correspondence destined to last for almost half a century is born.
Love Letters is the tender, tragi-comic story of the shared nostalgia, missed opportunities, and deep closeness of two lifelong, complicated friends. A play that could have been written for the Covid era about two people physically separated yet brought together by candid communication and shared confidences, a romance blossoming across the miles and the years.
STARS REUNITED
The hugely popular TV series Judge John Deed ended its sixth and final series with one of TV’s most-watched cliff-hangers, keeping nine million TV viewers on tenterhooks as on-off lovers Judge John Deed (Martin Shaw) and barrister Jo Mills (Jenny Seagrove) were left in an empty wedding chapel.
Since then Judge John Deed has consistently topped polls of TV shows viewers most want to return.
Now Shaw and Seagrove are together again, live on stage, in a heart-warming love story…
In the interim, both have made several West End theatre appearances and Shaw has starred in several series as Inspector George Gently, while Seagrove has completed big screen appearances in Another Mother’s Son and Off the Rails.
Martin Shaw’s many West End successes include: Robert Bolt’s A Man For All Seasons and Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband (both Theatre Royal Haymarket), Alan Bleasdale’s Are You Lonesome Tonight, Clifford Odets’ The Country Girl, Reginald Rose’s Twelve Angry Men and most recently (and relevantly) as a tortured American presidential candidate in Gore Vidal’s The Best Man.
Jenny Seagrove last starred at the Haymarket in Alan Ayckbourn’s How The Other Half Loves and her many West End productions include Tennessee Williams’ Night of the Iguana, David Rabe’s Hurly Burly, David Hare’s The Secret Rapture, Noël Coward’s Present Laughter and Somerset Maugham’s The Letter.
Bill Kenwright presents…
LOVE LETTERS written by A.R. Gurney | Directed by Roy Marsden
Wednesday 7.30pm | Thursday 2.30pm and 7.30pm | Friday 7.30pm | Saturday 2.30pm & 7.30pm | Sunday 2.00pm and 5.30pm
Running Time: 1hr 50mins (including interval)
Ticket prices: £47, £37, £32, £22, (Premiums £67)
Covid Secure: The Theatre Royal, Haymarket will be operating under current DCMS guidelines (including the wearing of face masks and social distancing) in order to ensure that customers can enjoy their visit in a safe and comfortable environment. Full information will be provided with tickets.
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section 1.10.32.