Tag: Naomi Downham

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

The Ocean at the End of the Lane set for West End return at Nöel Coward Theatre

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, the National Theatre’s award-winning show, will return to London’s West End this autumn at the end of its UK and Ireland tour.

Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, adapted by Joel Horwood and directed by Katy Rudd, this thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship will play for a strictly limited 7-week run at the Noël Coward Theatre from October 11 – November 25, 2023.

This first major stage adaptation of Gaiman’s work blends magic with memory in a tour-de-force of storytelling that takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it. 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane production received its world premiere at the National Theatre in 2019.  It made its West End debut at the Duke of York’s Theatre in 2021. 

Gaiman said: “Ten years since my novel was first published, The Ocean at the End of the Lane won lots of awards and people loved it, then the National Theatre turned it into the most amazing play. I am thrilled, overjoyed and absolutely delighted that this glorious adaptation of my book is going to be returning to the West End on St Martin’s Lane. It makes audiences laugh and cry and wonder. If you wanted to see it, now is your chance.”

The 17-strong ensemble cast currently on tour, who will all transfer with the show to the West End, are: Charlie Brooks (Ursula), Daniel Cornish (alternate Boy), Trevor Fox (Dad), Emma-Jane Goodwin (understudy), Paolo Guidi (ensemble), Millie Hikasa (Lettie Hempstock), Lewis Howard (understudy), Kemi-Bo Jacobs (Ginnie Hempstock), Jasmeen James (understudy), Ronnie Lee (ensemble), Aimee McGoldrick (ensemble), Laurie Ogden (Sis), Keir Ogilvy (Boy), Domonic Ramsden (ensemble), Joe Rawlinson-Hunt (understudy), Risha Silvera (understudy) and Finty Williams (Old Mrs Hempstock). 

The creative team includes set designer Fly Davis, costume and puppet designer Samuel Wyer, movement director Steven Hoggett, composer Jherek Bischoff, lighting designer Paule Constable, sound designer Ian Dickinson, magic and illusions director and designer Jamie Harrison, puppetry director Finn Caldwell and casting director Naomi Downham. 

The associate creative team includes associate director Sophie Dillon Moniram, associate set designer Tim Blazdell, associate movement director Jess Williams, associate lighting designers Rob Casey (for Ammonite) and Tom Turner, associate sound designer Chris Reid, associate magic and illusions director John Bulleid and associate puppetry director Gareth Aled.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is currently on a 39-week UK and Ireland tour until October 7 before it transfers to the Noël Coward Theatre. 

Tickets: oceanonstage.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. 

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) 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.

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.

Milly Alcock

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.

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.