Gielgud Theatre – The Theatre Playbook

Gielgud Theatre opens The Crucible after West End transfer

Take a look at these new production images from The Crucible, which is heading to the Gielgud Theatre following its West End transfer from the National Theatre.

Lyndsey Turner’s production is now playing at the Gielgud until September 2.

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.

Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) plays the role of Abigail Williams with Caitlin FitzGerald (Succession) as Elizabeth Proctor and Brian Gleeson (Bad Sisters) in the role of John Proctor. They are joined by Fisayo Akinade (Heartstopper) as Reverend Hale, Karl Johnson (Under Milk Wood) as Giles Corey and Matthew Marsh (Dunkirk) as Danforth.

The cast also features David Ahmad, Zoë Aldrich, Stephanie Beattie, Christopher Birch, Lucy Brindle, Raphael Bushay, Henry Everett, Grace Farrell, Nick Fletcher, Chyna-Rose Frederick, Colin Haigh, Nadine Higgin, Miya James, Ebony Jonelle, Gracie McGonigal, Alastair Parker, Tama Phethean, Amy Snudden, Joy Tan, Nia Towle, Tilly Tremayne and Samuel Townsend.

Turner and set designer Es Devlin are joined by costume designer Catherine Fay, lighting designer Tim Lutkin, sound design by Tingying Dong (content design) and Christopher Shutt (system design). Composer and arranger is Caroline Shaw and music director and arranger is 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, lead intimacy directors Ita O’Brien and Louise Kempton for Intimacy On Set, voice and dialect coach Kate Godfrey, dialect coaches Danièle Lydon and Hazel Holder, assistant music director Alice Grant and resident director Sophie Dillon Moniram.

Tickets available here: www.thecrucibleonstage.com

Full cast announced for Gielgud Theatre run of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends

Producer Cameron Mackintosh has unveiled the full cast for Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, which is coming to the Gielgud Theatre.

Haydn Gwynne, Damian Humbley, Bradley Jaden, Gavin Lee and Jason Pennycooke have joined a line-up that includes Broadway legends Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga alongside Christine Allado, Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Jac Yarrow, Marley Fenton and Beatrice Penny-Touré.

The company will also include Harry Apps, Bella Brown and Monique Young.

Devised and produced by Mackintosh, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends celebrates the life and work of the great Stephen Sondheim.

It is directed by Matthew Bourne, side by side with Julia McKenzie, with choreography by Stephen Mear, the Sondheim Orchestra conducted by Alfonso Casado Trigo, musical supervision is by Stephen Brooker, musical arrangements by Stephen Metcalfe, set design by Matt Kinley, projection design by George Reeve, costume design by Jill Parker, lighting design by Warren Letton and sound design by Mick Potter.

Mackintosh said: “To have gathered so many West End stars, as well as two legendary Broadway performers together for a new show such as this is rare outside a gala. Only the sublime talents of Sondheim could make this happen.

“Steve was always a Broadway Baby at heart, so I’m thrilled that this last show he and I started putting together during Covid is having a life beyond its triumphant gala. Featuring 39 of the greatest songs ever written for the musical theatre, performed by an incredible cast, staged by the incomparable Matthew Bourne, side-by-side with Julia McKenzie and choreographer Stephen Mear, audiences are in for a musical evening they will never forget in one great big Broadway show.”

Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends will run at the Gielgud Theatre for 16 weeks only from September 16, 2023 – January 6, 2024.

Tickets are on sale now at sondheimoldfriends.com

The Crucible cast in rehearsals for Gielgud Theatre launch

Here’s the cast of Lyndsey Turner’s National Theatre production of The Crucible in rehearsals as the show makes its West End transfer to the Gielgud Theatre.

With set designed by Es Devlin, this contemporary new staging of Arthur Miller’s gripping parable of power and its abuse will play at the Gielgud Theatre from June 7 until September 2.

Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) will play the role of Abigail Williams with Caitlin FitzGerald (Succession) playing the role of Elizabeth Proctor and Brian Gleeson (Bad Sisters) the role of John Proctor. Joining the previously announced cast is Karl Johnson as Giles Corey.

The ensemble also includes Christopher Birch, Lucy Brindle, Grace Farrell, Chyna-Rose Frederick, Miya James, Ebony Jonelle, Tama Phethean, Amy Snudden, Nia Towle and Samuel Townsend.

Returning to the production following its sold-out run at the National Theatre are Fisayo Akinade as Reverend Hale and Matthew Marsh as Danforth. Completing the cast are David Ahmad, Zoë Aldrich, Stephanie Beattie, Raphael Bushay, Henry Everett, Nick Fletcher, Colin Haigh, Nadine Higgin, Gracie McGonigal, Alastair Parker, Joy Tan and Tilly Tremayne.

Turner’s production of The Crucible originally ran at the National Theatre in autumn 2022.

Turner and Devlin are joined by costume designer Catherine Fay and lighting designer Tim Lutkin. Sound design is by Tingying Dong and Christopher Shutt. The composer and arranger is Caroline Shaw; and music director and arranger is 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; lead intimacy directors Ita O’Brien and Louise Kempton; voice and dialect coach Kate Godfrey; dialect coaches Danièle Lydon and Hazel Holder; assistant music director Alice Grant and resident director Sophie Dillon Moniram.

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.

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).

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.