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English National Opera gets hitched (again) to The Marriage of Figaro

English National Opera will present Joe Hill-Gibbins’ acclaimed production of The Marriage of Figaro at the London Coliseum this February.

The seven performances between February 5-22 mark the first revival of Hill Gibbins’ take of Mozart’s comic opera, which is described as a bold, contemporary staging.

It also marks the show’s return to the Coliseum after opening for one performance in March 2020 before the Covid pandemic shut all theatres.#

The comedic story is set in a single crazy day – the wedding of Figaro and Susanna. A whirlwind of mistaken identities, deception and general mayhem, the couple try to elude their employer – a philandering and promiscuous Count – teaching him a lesson in fidelity he’ll never forget.

It was originally based on La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro, preceded by Il barbiere di Siviglia, both by Pierre Beaumarchais. This opera is a sequel of The Barber of Seville, composed by Gioachino Rossini.

Directed by Hill-Gibbins,  conductor Ainārs Rubiķis makes his ENO debut and leads the orchestra. Tess Jackson conducts on Wednesday, February 12. 

In the titular role of Figaro is British bass-baritone David Ireland. He will be joined by British soprano Mary Bevan as Susanna.

Dr Bartolo will be performed by Welsh bass-baritone Neal Davies, Welsh soprano Rebecca Evans returns to ENO in the role of Marcellina and Polish mezzo-soprano Hanna Hipp reprises her role from March 2020 as Cherubino.

Ireland-based Australian tenor Hubert Francis performs the roles of Don Basilio/Don Curzio. British soprano Nardus Williams is Countess Almaviva. Performing alongside her as Count Almaviva, American baritone Cody Quattlebaum makes his house debut. 

Completing the cast is Canadian bass Trevor Eliot Bowes performing as Antonio, and Irish soprano Ava Dodd as Barbarina. 

Johannes Schütz is the set designer, Astrid Klein is the costume designer, Matthew Richardson is the lighting designer, Jenny Ogilvie is the associate director and movement director, and the translation is by Jeremy Sams.

A coproduction with Oper Wuppertal, The Marriage of Figaro opens on Wednesday, February 5 for seven performances: February 5, 7, 12, 14, 17, 20. Tickets: www.eno.org

The Old Vic takes in The Brightening Air

Chris O’Dowd, Brian Gleeson, Rosie Sheehy, Seán McGinley and Hannah Morrish will come together for The Brightening Air, an entrancing tale of fate, family and unseen forces in 1980s Ireland. 

From writer and director Conor McPherson (The Weir, Girl from the North Country), the play will have its world premiere at The Old Vic.

Dermot (O’Dowd) returns home to County Sligo with hidden aims. His siblings (Gleeson and Sheehy) are desperate to hold on to the family home but with an ex-clergyman uncle and sister-in-law (McGinley  and Morrish respectively) looking for their own answers, plans soon go awry.

The full cast features Derbhle Crotty (Portia Coughlan), Eimhin Fitzgerald Doherty (Juno and the Paycock), Gleeson (Bad Sisters), Aisling Kearns (Juno and the Paycock), McGinley (A Whistle in the Dark), Morrish (The Merchant of Venice 1936), O’Dowd (Bridesmaids) and Sheehy (Machinal). They are joined by understudies Ella Maria Carmen, Callum Cronin, Joseph McCarthy and Amy Vicary-Smith.

Set & costume is by Rae Smith, lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Gregory Clarke, movement & intimacy by Lucy Hind, casting by Serena Hill, voice by Charlie Hughes-D’Aeth, dialect by Danièle Lydon and fights by Kate Waters.

The associate director is Anastasia Osei-Kuffour, associate set is Niall McKeever, the costume supervisor is Poppy Hall, the props supervisor is Fahmida Bakht and the music associate is Benjamin McQuigg.

The Brightening Air is at The Old Vic from April 10-June 14, 2025. Tickets are on sale now: oldvictheatre.com

Play On! to end UK tour at Lyric Hammersmith

Twelfth Night-inspired musical Play On! will bring its UK tour to an end at the Lyric Hammersmith later this month.

From Black theatre company Talawa, the show is described as a joyous, musical retelling of Shakespeare’s beloved play brings to life the 1940s New York jazz scene, set to a timeless, toe-tapping Duke Ellington score.

In the Cotton Club, New York City, a young songwriter arrives ready to make her name – but disguising herself as a man will give her a better shot in a male-dominated music world. As she meets club impresario The Duke and sensational singer Lady Liv, Vy is swept up in a syncopated symphony of melodies, mistaken identities and romance.

Tsemaye Bob-Egbe (SIX The Musical) heads the cast as Viola, who sets forth to make a name for herself in the New York jazz scene, while Kori Hedgemon (Lovin’ Vegas) is Lady Liv, the star singer at The Cotton Club. The club’s world famous song writer The Duke is played by Earl Gregory (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical).

The cast also includes Llewellyn Jamal (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical) as Jester; Cameron Bernard Jones (Ain’t Too Proud) as Rev; Lifford Shillingford (Britain’s Got Talent) as Sweets; Tanya Edwards (Sister Act The Musical) as Miss Mary; and Gleanne Purcell-Brown (Living) as Ceecee.

The ensemble comprises Natalia Brown (Sister Act The Musical); Freya Karlettis (Sleeping Beauty); Amber Cayasso (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe); Jarnéia Richard-Noel (SIX The Musical); Andre Coulson (Five Guys Named Moe); Alex Okoampa (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical); Tanaka Bingwa (Free Your Mind); and Dylan Blake-Colbet in his stage debut.

The exciting jazz musical is conceived by Sheldon Epps, with a book by Cheryl L West. It is directed by Talawa’s artistic director Michael Buffong (A Kind of People); Kenrick Sandy is the choreographer; and Liam Godwin is the musical supervisor.

Play On! has toured Belgrade Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Playhouse and Salisbury Playhouse since September last year, and now comes to the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from January 28–February 22. For tickets, lyric.co.uk/shows/play-on/.

Play On! is produced by Talawa Theatre Company and Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, in partnership with J Clare Productions and Chuchu Nwagu Productions, with coproducers Birmingham Hippodrome; Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres; Lyric Hammersmith Theatre; and Wiltshire Creative, Salisbury.

National Theatre sets full cast for Alterations revival

Arinzé Kene and Cherrelle Skeete will lead a cast featuring Karl Collins, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr and Raphel Famotibe in Lynette Linton’s revival of Michael Abbensetts comedy Alterations, coming to the National Theatre in February.

Shining a light on the Guyanese experience of 1970s London and focusing on the aspirations and sacrifices of the Windrush generation, this new production from director Linton (Blues for an Alabama Sky) will be the largest ever staging, reinvigorated with additional material by writer Trish Cooke (Black Street Mammy).

Kene (Get Up, Stand Up: The Bob Marley Story) makes his National Theatre debut as Walker Holt and Cherrelle Skeete (Hanna) returns to the National as Darlene Holt.

Additional casting includes Collins (Nine Night) as Horace, Eustache Jnr (Small Island) as Buster, Famotibe (Wonder Boy) as Courtney, Tyler Fayose (Phoenix Rise) as Ensemble + Understudy Walker, Richard Emerson Gould (The Vaudvillains) as Ensemble + Understudy Mr Nat, Joshua John (Romeo & Juliet) as Ensemble + Understudy Courtney, Colin Mace (War Horse) as Mr Nat, Samuel Nunes de Souza (The Prince and the Pauper) as Ensemble + Understudy Horace/Buster and Yolanda Ovide (Slave: A Question of Freedom) as  Ensemble + Understudy Darlene.

The story follows Walker Holt, who has big dreams for his tailor’s shop, and an even bigger order to complete. Over the course of 24 hours, he must work tirelessly to satisfy his new client’s impossible tailoring needs. But as the night goes on, it’s not just the trouser hems that start to fray, as tensions rise, and Walker’s friendships and relationships are pushed to their limits. His success comes at a cost, but what price is he willing to pay?

Linton is joined by set and costume designer Frankie Bradshaw, lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, movement director Shelley Maxwell, composer XANA, sound designer George Dennis, Wigs, hair and make-up designer Cynthia De La Rosa, casting director Naomi Downham, fight director Kate Waters, dramatherapist Wabriya King, voice and dialect coach Hazel Holder, assistant voice coach Tamsin Newlands, associate set and costume designer Natalie Johnson and staff director Kaleya Bax.

Alterations plays in the National’s Lyttelton theatre from February 20-April 5. Tickets are now on sale at nationaltheatre.org.uk

Unicorn Theatre to host Pig Heart Boy world premiere

Southwark’s Unicorn Theatre will premiere the new stage adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s novel Pig Heart Boy this month.

In partnership with Sheffield Theatres and Children’s Theatre Partnership, the show will kick off at the Unicorn from January 26-February 22, before moving to Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, Sheffield Theatres from February 27-March 15 and then embarking on a UK tour.

The young cast includes Immanuel Yeboah as Cameron, Tré Medley as Dr Bryce/Andrew, Akil Young as Mike/Rashid, Christine During as Cathy/Julie, Christina Ngoyi as Marilyn/Elrich/Presenter/Officer, Chia Phoenix as Nan/Trudy/Mrs Stewart/LEPAR Lady and Olivia Williams Freeman and Rhys Lanahan as understudies.

Blackman’s 1997 novel as been adapted for the stage by playwright Winsome Pinnock and directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, taking in themes of childhood illness, identity and the profound choices we make to survive.

The story introduces Cameron, who has always dreamed of living a normal life: making friends, going to school and diving to the bottom of his local swimming pool. But his world is turned upside down when he is diagnosed with a serious heart condition and faces an urgent need for a heart transplant. With time running out, Cameron is offered a new heart as he finds himself having to face a difficult decision – how far will he go to get the life he desperately wants back?

Pig Heart Boy is a coproduction with Unicorn Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and Children’s Theatre Partnership.

The UK tour will take in venues including Playhouse, Liverpool; Lowry, Salford; Belgrade, Coventry; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre; Norwich Theatre Royal; Newcastle Theatre Royal; Lighthouse, Poole; Blackpool Grand Theatre; Royal & Derngate, Northampton; Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury; and Curve, Leicester.

For full dates and details, visit unicorntheatre.com or contact the respective theatres.

NYT sets timetable for free nationwide auditions

Budding young actors have the chance to follow in the footsteps of Rosamund Pike, Rafe Spall and Zawe Ashton by joining the National Youth Theatre (NYT) when the company hosts free nationwide auditions across 14 UK cities.

Auditions will be held in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Glasgow, London, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Perth, Poole and Sheffield, with Welsh dates to be announced.

The auditions are open to all young people aged 14-25 and disabled and neurodivergent young people up to the age of 30.

Auditions in London will take place at the National Youth Theatre’s home in Holloway on January 11 & 12, and February 15. Previous NYT London members include Pike, Spall, Ashton, Joe Cole, Paapa Essiedu, Adeel Akhtar and William Gao.

Belfast auditions will take place on February 16 at the Lyric Belfast; Birmingham auditions will take place on February 10 at Birmingham BOA Stage and Screen Academy; auditions in Bristol will take place on February 22 at Bristol Grammar School; Exeter auditions take place on February 15 at the Barnfield Theatre; Glasgow auditions will be on February 22 at The Boardwalk; Leeds auditions will be on March 9; Liverpool auditions will take place on March 15 at LIPA; Manchester auditions are on March 15 & 22 at Contact Theatre; Newcastle auditions are on March 8 at Northern Stage; Perth auditions take place on March 1; Poole auditions will be on February 19; and Sheffield on March 1. Dates for Welsh auditions will be announced soon at nyt.org.uk. 

Young people can also audition by online, by recording a video of themselves  performing a monologue and answering a series of questions listed on the NYT website – visit nyt.org.uk/auditions/digital. More than 50 schools will also be participating in school auditions across the nation.

For the first time this year, an Audition Choice Award will see two young people from each location selected to receive a free course of study with the NYT and free accommodation on over 18 courses where accommodation is offered during their learning time. There will also be two recipients selected from online auditionees and a school with stand out talent will also be recognised.

Established in 1956 as the world’s first youth theatre, NYT produces ambitious theatrical productions in local communities, on leading global stages and in unusual spaces across the UK and beyond.

FIRST LOOK: And Then There Were None on road to Richmond Theatre

Here are photos from And Then There Were None, the Agatha Christie thriller embarking on a UK and Ireland tour that will visit Richmond Theatre.

Ten strangers are lured to a solitary mansion off the coast of Devon. When a terrible storm cuts them off from the mainland, and with their hosts mysteriously absent, the true reason for their presence on the island becomes horribly clear, as secrets from their past come back to haunt each and every one of them.

Produced by Fiery Angel, Royal & Derngate, Northampton and ROYO, the cast includes Bob Barrett as Doctor Armstrong, Joseph Beattie as Philip Lombard, Oliver Clayton as Anthony Marston, Jeffery Kissoon as General Mackenzie, Andrew Lancel as William Blore, Nicola May-Taylor as Jane Pinchbeck, Louise McNulty as Understudy, Katy Stephens as Emily Brent, Lucy Tregear as Georgina Rogers, Sophie Walter as Vera Claythorne, Matt Weyland as Narracott/Understudy and David Yelland as Judge Wargrave.

This brand-new production has been reinvented for the 21st century, directed by Lucy Bailey (Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution.

Bailey returns with set and costume designer Mike Britton, lighting designer Chris Davey, sound designer and composer Elizabeth Purnell and movement direction by Ayse Tashkiran. Casting is by Ellie Collyer-Bristow, fight direction by Renny Krupinski and the assistant director will be Victoria Gartner.

General Management for the tour is by Rich Jones with Production Management by Setting Line Production Management. The stage management team will be Sian Wiggins, William Buckenham, Sara-Jayne Smith and Lewis Mote with wardrobe headed by Natasha Hancock.

And Then There Were None plays at Richmond theatre from October 31-November 4.

Deafinitely Theatre makes Promise with Lyric Hammersmith

Deafinitely Theatre is bringing its latest production, The Promise, to the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.

Coproduced by Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the show is co-written and directed by Deafinitely’s artistic director Paula Garfield and written with journalist Melissa Mostyn.

It will be performed at the Lyric Hammersmith from April 30 – May 11.

Rita is really confused. She can’t understand why the deaf education system she’s tirelessly championed throughout her teaching career is getting worse and worse, or why there is only one care home in the whole of England that looks after people in her language. On the Isle of Wight.  

She’s also confused about where her family is, and why she can’t remember where the milk goes…  

Performed in spoken English and British Sign Language (BSL) with captions, The Promise is set to address how dementia affects those in the deaf community and their families.

Influencer play FLIP! heads to Soho Theatre

Casting has been announced for FLIP! The play comes to Soho Theatre from November 7-25.

Meet Carleen and Crystal. The influencers with cultural commentary that will have you in stitches! Love them or hate them, there’s no stopping their fast-growing online following.

Offline, Carleen has her reservations about their cyber personas, but she idolises Crystal and would follow her anywhere…even to FLIP!, the new social media giant that has everyone hooked – and Carleen and Crystal are no exception; especially when it seems that their videos could make them famous.

Superstardom, followers, fame, influence, money: it’s all just one click away. FLIP! is the answer to everything they’ve ever dreamed of. But is it too good to be true?

Leah St Luce (9 to 5 The Musical) will play Carleen, with Jadesola Odunjo (School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play) as Crystal.

Writer Racheal Ofori and director Emily Aboud will be joined by set and costume designer Anna Robinson, sound designer Eliyana Evans, movement director Aline David and lighting designer KJ.

The play is produced by Fuel in association with Alphabetti Theatre.

Cinderella cast set for Lyric Hammersmith Theatre panto

Tilly La Belle Yengo will star as Cinderella in this year’s Lyric Hammersmith Theatre pantomime.

Cinderella is a bonafide boss-lady who runs her own business at Shepherd’s Bush Market. One day the most handsome Prince Henry, who dreams of a life less spare, wears a disguise to the Market and falls instantly in love with Cinderella. With the paparazzi in hot pursuit the Prince is forced to flee. And so begins the quest to unite the unlikeliest of likely romances, Cinderella and the hapless Prince. But will Cinderella’s step-sisters Muffy and Gusset and step-mother Lady Jelly Bottom get in the way of their happily ever after? Of course they will, it’s panto.

Written by Vikki Stone and directed by Tonderai Munyevu, Yengo is joined by Emmanuel Akwafo playing Lady Jelly-Bottom and Jodie Jacobs who will play the Fairy.

Charlie Cameron plays Muffy, Damien James plays Prince Henry, Meghan Treadway plays Gusset and Maya De Faria, Jerome Lincoln and Bella Macdonald join the Ensemble.

Set and costume designer is Good Teeth, with choreographer Arielle Smith, lighting designer Ciarán Cunningham, composer and arranger Corin Buckeridge, sound designer Nick Manning, musical director Adam Gerber, casting director Sophie Parrott and assistant director Mo Korede.

Cinderella is running from November 18, 2023 to January 6, 2024.

There will be further festivities with the return of Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas, adapted by Pins and Needles, which runs from Wednesday, November 22 to Saturday, December 30. Directed by Emma Earle, the family production is filled with live music and puppetry.