Articles – Page 11 – The Theatre Playbook

The Witches find The Effect at the National Theatre

Roald Dahl’s The Witches and The Effect have been added to the National Theatre’s 2023 line-up, while casting has been announced for three more upcoming shows.

The Witches will play in the Olivier theatre from November in a new musical version of Dahl’s iconic story by Lucy Kirkwood and Dave Malloy, directed by Lyndsey Turner.

As the story goes, everything you know about witches is wrong. Forget the pointy hats and broomsticks: they’re the most dangerous creatures on earth. And now they’ve come up with their most evil plan yet.

The only thing standing in their way is Luke and his Gran. But he’s ten and she’s got a dodgy heart. Time is short, danger is everywhere, and they’ve got just one chance to stop the witches from squalloping every stinking little child in England.

The cast includes Katherine Kingsley (The Larkins) as the Grand High Witch and Daniel Rigby (One Man, Two Guvnors) as Mr Stringer, alongside Julie Armstrong, Chrissie Bhima, Zoe Birkett, Daniele Coombe, Molly-May Gardiner, Tiffany Graves, Tania Mathurin, Jacob Maynard, Laura Medforth and Ben Redfern.

It is directed by Turner (The Crucible) with book and lyrics by Kirkwood (Mosquitoes) and music and lyrics by Malloy (Natasha). The set and costume designer is Lizzie Clachan with choreographer Stephen Mear, music supervisor Nigel Lilley, music director Cat Beveridge, lighting designer Bruno Poet, co-sound designers Alexander Caplen and Ian Dickinson, video designer Ash J Woodward, illusions by Chris Fisher and Will Houstoun, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, associate director Séimí Campbell, staff director Priya Patel Appleby, associate set designer Shankho Chaudhuri, associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate choreographer Jo Morris, associate music director Natalie Pound and children’s and assistant music director Sarah Morrison.

The Witches will play in the Olivier theatre from November 7, recommended for ages 8+.

Meanwhile, The Effect by Lucy Prebble (Succession) and directed by Jamie Lloyd (Cyrano de Bergerac) will play in the Lyttelton theatre from August.

A funny and intimate examination of love and ethics, Connie and Tristan are falling for each other fast – but is their sudden and intoxicating chemistry real, or a side effect of a new antidepressant? As two young volunteers in a clinical drug trial, their romance poses startling dilemmas for the supervising doctors.

Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) is cast as Tristan and Taylor Russell (Bones and All) as Connie, with further casting to be announced.

The set and costume designer is Soutra Gilmour, with lighting designer Jon Clark, composer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante, sound designer George Dennis, movement directors Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui (SAY), fight director Kate Waters, intimacy co-ordinator Ingrid Mackinnon and casting director Alastair Coomer.

The Effect will play in the Lyttelton theatre from August 1.

The National theatre has also announced casting for the revival of The Father and the Assassin.

Director Indhu Rubasingham reunites with Anupama Chandrasekhar for this essential exploration of oppression and extremism.

Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of non-violence, beloved leader. Nathuram Godse: journalist, nationalist – and the man who murdered Gandhi. This gripping play traces Godse’s life over 30 years during India’s fight for independence: from a devout follower of Gandhi, through to his radicalisation and their tragic final encounter in Delhi in 1948.

The cast includes Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) as Nathuram Godse with Paul Bazely reprising his role as Mahatma Gandhi. The cast also includes Azan Ahmed, Ravi Aujla, Ayesha Dharker, Ravin J Ganatra, Raj Ghatak, Halema Hussain, Nadeem Islam, Tony Jayawardena, Nicholas Khan, Raj Khera, Hari Mackinnon, Sid Sagar and Akshay Shah.

The set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, with lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, movement director Lucy Cullingford, composer Siddhartha Khosla, additional music by David Shrubsole, sound designer Alexander Caplen, fight directors Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown, casting director Alastair Coomer and associate set and costume designer Khadija Raza.

The Father and the Assassin will play in the Olivier theatre September 8–October 14.

Will Young brings Song From Far Away to Hampstead Theatre

Will Young will star in Song From Far Away during a strictly limited run at Hampstead Theatre.

Marking Young’s first live theatre role for a decade, the play was staged at HOME Manchester earlier this year and is now heading to London.

Song From Far Away is described as an unforgettable story and a personal letter to those left behind. One crisp winter day in New York, Willem receives a phone call – it’s time to go home. Home to Amsterdam – to estranged family and forgotten relationships. As he reflects on his life, unwilling to face the future, he finds himself reaching out to the brother he lost.

Written by Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) and Mark Eitzel, Song From Far Away is directed by Kirk Jameson and designed by Ingrid Hu with sound by Julian Starr. The composer, musical supervisor and arranger is Paul Schofield and the dialect coach is Penny Dwyer. It is coproduced by Thomas Hopkins, Guy Chapman and HOME.

Song From Far Away is at Hampstead Theatre from June 28-July 22.

2.22 – A Ghost Story brings new cast to Apollo Theatre

2.22 – A Ghost Story will introduce a sixth cast when it arrives at the Apollo Theatre next month.

Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill) will play Lauren, Ricky Champ (Him & Her) is Ben, Clifford Samuel (McMafia) stars as Sam and Jaime Winstone (Kidulthood) appears as Jenny.

Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer, so they are going to stay up… until 2.22am… and then they will know.

The move marks the fifth West End transfer in just two years for the supernatural thriller. It had its world premiere at the Nöel Coward Theatre in summer 2021 and subsequently received three Olivier nominations, including Best New Play and Best Actress.

The production began with stars Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser and Jake Wood. It then moved to the Gielgud Theatre with Stephanie Beatriz, James Buckley, Elliot Cowan and Giovanna Fletcher.

The first cast at the Criterion Theatre featured Tom Felton, Mandip Gill, Beatriz Romilly, Sam Swainsbury; the second Criterion Theatre cast included Tamsin Carroll as Lauren, Felix Scott as Sam, Matt Willis as Ben and Laura Whitmore as Jenny. The current run at the Lyric features Cheryl as Jenny, Jake Wood as Ben, Scot Karim and Sam and Louise Ford as Lauren, who will perform until April 23.

It will run at the Apollo from May 14-September 17, 2023.

2.22 – A Ghost Story is written by Danny Robins (The Battersea Poltergeist) and directed by Matthew Dunster. It features set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Cindy Lin, lighting design by Lucy Carter, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound, casting by Matilda James and illusions by Chris Fisher. The co-director is Gabriel Vega Weissman.

It is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David and Kater Gordon.

Elf Lyons, Nicholas Armfield sign up for Arcola’s The Misandrist

Elf Lyons and Nicholas Armfield will take the lead in Arcola Theatre’s The Misandrist.

Lyons (Swan) and Armfield (Camberwell Green) will play “intimidating” Rachel and “nice guy” Nick in the play, which sees them meet at a stick-floored bar in Piccadilly and what was meant to be a one-night stand becomes a sexual odyssey of self-discovery – and mutual destruction.

Prickly freelancer Rachel is at the beginning of an existential crisis. Trapped in endless short-term contracts for a faceless government department as the economy continues its slow decline, jobs are being squeezed. Nothing feels safe or secure. Nothing feels like it’s progressing. Maybe this existential limbo is Rachel’s punishment for stealing Tupperware at the office Christmas party. But that wasn’t her fault. It was the really good kind “The boxes fit into each other! They just stack so perfectly. You know what, there’s structure, that’s what it is”. And we all know that’s just too tempting.

Adrift, isolated, and insecure, they scramble for new ways to connect. Somewhere along the line, they decide to explore flipping the narrative. Metaphorically, and very, very literally. As they navigate their “situationship,” Rachel decides it’s time to TAKE BACK CONTROL. Can some playful, passionate pegging provide a pathway of discovery to new parts of themselves, and each other?

Bethany Pitts (The Beach House) directs the latest work from writer Lisa Carroll (Cuckoo). The designer is Cara Evans and the lighting designer is Peter Small.

The Misandrist is at the Arcola from May 11-June 10, 2023.

Bertie Carvel, Patsy Ferran to headline The Old Vic’s Pygmalion

Bertie Carvel and Patsy Ferran will star in Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw’s classic play, at The Old Vic this autumn.

Richard Jones (Endgame, The Hairy Ape) directs Carvel (The 47th) and Ferran (Camp Siegfried) in the story of Eliza Doolittle (Ferran), who aspires to more than selling flowers on the streets of Covent Garden.

After a chance meeting with Professor Henry Higgins (Carvel) and Colonel Pickering, she finds herself the subject of a rash bet to pass her off as a lady amongst the great and the good of London society.

A funny, biting and subversive satire on class, the ruthless linguist Higgins attempts to transform the brilliantly irrepressible Eliza – who breaks the mould he creates for her.

Pygmalion will play at The Old Vic from September 6-October 28, 2023.

House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock enters The Crucible

House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock will make her West End debut in a new production of The Crucible, at the National Theatre this summer.

Alcock will play Abigail in Lyndsey Turner’s acclaimed production of Arthur Miller’s gripping parable of power and its abuse, which first ran at the National in autumn 2022. It is set designed by Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy).

A witch hunt is beginning in Salem. Raised to be seen but not heard, a group of young women suddenly find their words have a terrible power. As a climate of fear spreads through the community, private vendettas fuel public accusations and soon the truth itself is on trial.

The creative team are joined by costume designer Catherine Fay; lighting designer Tim Lutkin; sound designer Tingying Dong (content design); sound designer Christopher Shutt (system design); composer and arranger Caroline Shaw; music director and arranger Osnat Schmool; with casting by Alastair Coomer and Naomi Downham.

They are joined by associate director Blythe Stewart; associate set designer Ellie Wintour; associate lighting designer Max Narula; fight director Bret Yount; intimacy directors Ita O’Brien and Louise Kempton; dialect coaches Danièle Lydon and Hazel Holder and assistant music director Alice Grant.

The Crucible is at the National’s Gielgud Theatre from June 7 to September 2.

Sadler’s Wells makes a date with National Youth Dance Company’s 10th anniversary tour

In 2023, the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) celebrates its 10th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the group begins a UK tour this month before arriving at Sadler’s Wells on June 3.

Described as the country’s flagship company for young dancers, which is run by Sadler’s Wells, the tour features the NYDC’s new work, Novacene.

It is choreographed by guest artistic director and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Wayne McGregor.

The NYDC comprises 35 dancers, aged between 16 and 24 years old, hailing from 19 towns, cities and villages across England.

During a dancer’s time with NYDC, they are offered a unique insight into the dance profession, living and working closely together as a company, alongside NYDC staff and the artistic team. The year-long experience within the company provides members with the necessary skills and techniques to find career opportunities and raise aspirations, self-esteem and confidence. The dancers are mentored during four intensive residencies in school holidays to create and rehearse the new piece.

Over the last 10 years, NYDC has worked with more than 6,000 young people through workshops and projects across the country, while 313 young people have joined the company, creating 10 full length dance productions by internationally renowned choreographers including Alesandra Seutin, Russell Maliphant, Botis Seva, Sharon Eyal, Damien Jalet, Michael Keegan Dolan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan and Jasmin Vardimon.

The Birds and the Bees land in Richmond

The Birds and the Bees, a comedy starring Helen Lederer and Michael Starke, arrives at Richmond Theatre as part of its UK tour this June.

On Gail’s East Anglian farm, the honeybees are beginning to dry up, just like her love life. She hasn’t had her chimney swept since her husband bolted. Her daughter’s marriage is drooping just like her turkey farm. Neighbour Earl’s sugar beet yield is turning sour, as are his one-night stands.

Perhaps bio-student Ben can buck up those bees and trigger those turkeys. It could be that some booze and a boogie at the annual Turkey Day Dance will clear the buzzing in their heads and show them it’s best to commit to those closest to you – only, don’t get stung!

Writer and actor Lederer (Absolutely Fabulous) stars as Gail, with Starke (Brookside) as Earl. They are joined on stage by Laura Doddington and Jacob Bukasa as Ben.

Originally a Canadian comedy written by Mark Crawford, it has been reimagined for a UK audience, shifting the action from modern-day Canada to Norfolk. Additional material comes from James McDermott.

The Birds and the Bees is a New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich, Norwich Theatre and Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds coproduction. It is directed by Peter Rowe. The set and costume designer is Dawn Allsopp, with lighting design from Richard G Jones. The casting director is Debbie O’Brien.

The Birds and the Bees plays at Richmond Theatre from June 6-10.

Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, Tuppence Middleton and Janie Dee start rehearsals for National Theatre’s The Motive and the Cue

Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, Tuppence Middleton and Janie Dee are in rehearsals for The Motive and the Cue, a new play directed by Sam Mendes for the National Theatre.

Opening in the Lyttelton Theatre on April 20, it is inspired by the making of Burton and Gielgud’s Hamlet. Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title in an experimental new production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

The cast also includes Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams and Michael Walters.

The Motive and the Cue was originally commissioned by Neal Street Productions and has been developed and coproduced by the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions. Set design is by Es Devlin, costume designer is Katrina Lindsay, lighting designer is Jon Clark, composer is Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound designer is Paul Arditti, video designer is Luke Halls, casting by Alastair Coomer and Naomi Downham and associate director is Zoé Ford Burnett.

The Motive and the Cue is at the National Theatre from April 20 to July 15.

Supernova vaults to Clapham’s Omnibus Theatre

Space age play Supernova is heading to Clapham’s Omnibus Theatre after completing a three-day limited run at VAULT Festival last month.

Focusing on a girl, a boy and an unhealthy obsession with space, Supernova is described as a sharp, funny play about falling in love with someone whilst you’re falling out of love with yourself.

On paper Tess and Harry are perfect for each other: they both try too hard at fancy dress, have prepared escape plans for the apocalypse, and would happily stay in together for three days straight eating take-out and watching Star Wars.

But Tess is not well, and, in the shadows of her depression, she shuts down and she begins to sabotage her relationship. Harry tries his best to be there for her, but whilst he’s fighting for their relationship, sometimes Tess is just … fighting.

Supernova marks the debut play from award-winning writer and performer Rhiannon Neads, one half of musical comedy duo Stiff & Kitsch. Neads (Call the Midwife) also stars in the play with Sam Swann (Pomona).

The play is directed by by Jessica Dromgoole (The Madness of Esme and Shaz, Ripped, Just Not Fair).

“I wanted to write a show about mental health that was also properly funny,” Neads says. “A show with a high-functioning depressive as the protagonist, who allows us to laugh in even the darkest moments. It deals with the greater impact depression can have on surrounding loved ones, and the difficulties of maintaining relationships. But first and foremost, it’s about the potential for recovery, and the possibility of making peace with the scariest corners of our brains.”

Supernova will run at Omnibus Theatre from April 25-May 13.