The news this week is big. Huge! With two incoming Broadway transfers and a Dave Malloy production, plus the Royal Shakespeare Company’s London season announcement and casting news for the Everybody’s Talking About Jamie film, we’re beside ourselves! Catch it all right here.
Broadway’s Pretty Woman will transfer to the West End in 2020. Details about casting and venue have yet to be announced. The current Broadway production, based on the 1990 film, stars Samantha Barks and Andy Karl.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford will star in the West End transfer of Sunday in the Park with George. The pair will reprise their roles from the recent Broadway production of Sondheim’s musical, which played at the Hudson Theatre in 2017. Directed by Sarna Lapine, Sunday in the Park with George will play the Savoy Theatre from 11 June to 5 September 2020.
Dave Malloy’s Ghost Quartet will open the new Boulevard Theatre in Soho. A song cycle about four people caught in multiple, interwoven stories, Ghost Quartet has played in New York and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Bill Buckhurst will direct, with casting to be announced later. Ghost Quartet runs from 31 October to 4 January.
Girl From the North Country will return to London this December. The Old Vic’s production of Conor McPherson’s play featuring songs by Bob Dylan ran at the Old Vic and the Noël Coward Theatre in 2017. Now, it will play at the Gielgud Theatre from 10 December, with tickets on sale 24 June. The cast will include Katie Brayben (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Gloria Obianyo, Rachel John (Hamilton) and Anna-Jane Casey.
Rhys Ifans and Rakie Ayola will star in On Bear Ridge at the Royal Court Theatre. Following a short run at the Sherman Theatre, Ed Thomas’ play will open at the Royal Court Theatre 24 October. Tickets are on sale now.
Singin’ in the Rain will play a five week run in London next summer. The Chichester Festival theatre’s award-winning production starring Adam Cooper will run at Sadler’s Wells from 24 July to 30 August 2020.
The Life I Lead will transfer to the West End for eight performances. Starring Miles Jupp as actor David Tomlinson, the production runs at Wyndham’s Theatre from 16 to 21 September.
Lynette Linton announces her first season as the Bush Theatre’s artistic director. The new season, opening in August, will feature debuts by British and Irish writers. The lineup includes Jackie Kay’s Chiaroscuro, Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer, Bijan Sheibani’s Arrival, Temi Wilkey’s The High Table and Malachi Kirby’s Level Up. Meanwhile, the studio space will host Zia Ahmed’s I Wanna Be Yours and Margaret Perry’s Collapsible.
The Royal Shakespeare Company will bring As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure to the Barbican later this year. The Company’s London season will run 26 October 2019 to 18 January 2020. Tickets are on sale now.
Waitress extends through 7 December, with tickets now on sale.
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story announces full casting. Eric Da Costa, Jeff Kingsbury and Kelsey McNulty will join the previously announced Ben Caplan and Mary Fay. The genre bending Klezmer folk musical plays at Wilton’s Music Hall from 18 to 28 September.
Disney’s Aladdin celebrates three years in the West End. The musical opened on 15 June 2016. Aladdin will end its West End run 24 August.
Stephen Fry’s adaptation of Kind Hearts and Coronets, the classic comedy film, is coming tentatively to London in 2020. Producer Sonia Friedman is hoping to mount a production, depending on theatre availability and casting.
The film adaptation of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie announces casting. Richard E. Grant (Game of Thrones, Doctor Who) will star as Hugo/Loco Chanelle, with Max Hardwell as Jamie New, Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe) as Miss Hedge, Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley) as Margaret and Shobna Gulati reprising her role as Ray from the original London cast. John McCrea, who originated the role of Jamie in the London production, will have a cameo.
