Category: News & Features

The Drive In will open 4 July 2020. A new drive in movie theatre is set to open in North London this summer. Offering socially distanced entertainment, the theatre will screen movies including La La Land, The Terminator, Dirty Dancing and more. Stand up comedy and live concerts are also in the works. Get all the details here.

Hairspray Live! will air for free via The Shows Must Go On. The YouTube channel will present the Hairspray Live! production from 2016 starring Maddie Baillio, Kristin Chenoweth, Harvey Fierstein, Ariana Grande, Derek Hough, Jennifer Hudson and Martin Short. Directed by Kenny Leon, Hairspray is available to watch for free for 48 hours from 7 pm today (Friday). Watch it here.

The 2020 season of BBC Proms will feature eight weeks of television, radio and online broadcasts. For the first night, a virtual orchestra will mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. Special live performances will occur later in the season, with a grand finale on 12 September. The 2020 season opens 17 July on BBC Radio 3 and 19 July on BBC Four. Tapping into BBC archive footage as well as live performances from the Royal Albert Hall, the 2020 Proms will celebrate the past, reflect on the present and build for the future. You can find more info here.

The Jamie Lloyd Company postpones The Seagull and A Doll’s House. The Seagull starring Emilia Clarke, and A Doll’s House starring Jessica Chastain will both open as soon as possible after the theatre shutdown ends, with full casts and dates to be announced.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will return in 2021. The production has been rescheduled to begin 1 July 2021. Joseph will still run at the London Palladium, with stars Jason Donovan and Jac Yarrow returning from last year. Current ticket holders will be contacted.

Hello, Dolly! starring Imelda Staunton has been postponed to 2022. The show was originally set to open at the Adelphi Theatre this summer. The longer delay comes because Imelda Staunton is committed to shoot the fifth season of The Crown in 2021. Ticket holders will be contacted and offered a refund.

The Old Vic will stream Lungs starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith. Following a run of socially distanced performances of Duncan MacMillan’s Lungs, the Old Vic will produce a series of rehearsed play-readings, all streamed live from the Old Vic stage. Find more info here.

James Graham’s This House is available for streaming on National Theatre at Home. The National Theatre production is available from now until 7 pm BST 4 June. Watch it here.

The Royal Shakespeare Company will broadcast Romeo and Juliet on BBC Four. As part of the Culture in Quarantine project, the production from 2019 will stream at 9 pm BST on 7 June.

David Tennant and Michael Sheen star in new BBC comedy series Staged. The show will be a six-part series filmed remotely, about the cast of a West End play suddenly furloughed. The cast will also star Georgia Tennant, Lucy Eaton and Anna Lundberg, with guest stars to include Nina Sosanya and others. Staged premieres next month on BBC One, with exact dates to be announced.

The London Cast Recording of Amélie releases 5 June. The album features Audrey Brisson and the original London cast.

Danny Becker and Lauren Samuels will lead a virtual production of The Last Five Years. The pair will perform Jason Robert Brown’s musical from lockdown using only what is available to them. The production will stream for three nights from June 25 to 27 at 7:30 pm BST, with a limited number of tickets, each costing £8, available per show.

Toby Jones and Owen Teale star in A Case of Mistaken Identity. Written by Gus Crotty and directed by max Elton, the production is now available via all podcasting platforms. You can also listen here.

Although theatres are still closed, there are plenty of ways to get your entertainment fix. One is The Drive In: a new movie theatre opening 4 July in North London. We’ve got everything you need to know about The Drive In below, plus info on how to get tickets!

What is the Drive In?

The Drive In is a new contact-free theatre in London. Hearkening back to the classic 1950s drive in movie experience, The Drive In will allow you to watch classic and modern movies from inside your own vehicle. Sound will be broadcast to your car radio, and social distancing will be strictly observed throughout.

How will The Drive In observe social distancing?

Vehicles will be spaced two metres apart, and tickets will be scanned through the closed window of your car. All tickets must be purchased in advance online. Snacks and drinks will be available to order via mobile app, and staff will deliver them safely in a contact-free manner.

What movies will play at The Drive In?

So far, the list of movies includes Dirty Dancing, Bad Boys for Life, The Terminator, 1917, La La Land, The Shawshank Redemption and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Click here to get tickets!

The Drive In also plans to produce stand-up comedy and live concerts, with further details to be announced.

Where is the Drive In?

The Drive In is located just off the North Circular at Troubadour Meridian Water, Hawley Road, London.

Will discounts be available?

10 free car tickets for each performance will be available for NHS staff and care workers who book through The Drive In’s website and enter the code NHSSTAFF at checkout.

When does The Drive In open?

The Drive In opens 4 July 2020 with a screening of Dirty Dancing at 7:30 pm, followed by Bad Boys for Life at 10:40 pm.

Pull up to The Drive In and enjoy a (safe) summer of great entertainment!

The National Theatre cancels all performances through July and August. The National Theatre building will remain closed to the public until 31 August. While the National Theatre is closed, productions from the theatre’s past will be available to stream for free on YouTube.

National Theatre at Home streams Gillian Anderson in A Streetcar Named Desire (pictured above). The Young Vic production which also stars Vanessa Kirby and Ben Foster is available from 21 until 28 May on YouTube.

Shakespeare’s Globe streams The Winter’s Tale for free on YouTube. Directed by Blanche McIntyre, this production from 2018 stars Will Keen, Priyanga Burford, Sirine Saba and Becci Gemmell. The Winter’s Tale is available until Sunday 31 May 2020. Watch it here.

The Donmar’s Midnight Your Time extends until 27 May. The virtual production directed by Michael Longhurst and starring Diana Quick is available for free streaming on YouTube. Watch it here.

Christina Bianco, Matt Henry and more lead The Barn Theatre’s second virtual concert. The Barn Theatre Presents: The Music of Finn Anderson will celebrate the work of Scottish musical theatre composer Finn Anderson. The concert will feature Christina Bianco, Matt Henry, Joanne Clifton, Niki Evans, Claire-Marie Hall, Danielle Hope, Rebecca Jayne-Davies, Brienne Keller, Emmanuel Kojo, Nicholas McLean, Oliver Ormson and Ella Young. The virtual concert releases on the Barn Theatre’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter channels 23 May at 7:30 pm BST.

Burn Bright presents Better In Person: a series of short plays by women writers, broadcast over Zoom. Directed by Abigail Sewell, the plays will air live on Monday, 25 May. Sharon Small, David Yelland will star in Charlotte Jones’ play The Cardigan, with Cherelle Skeete and Temi Wilkey starring in Natasha Brown’s Mahoganie Jo. Arinder Sadhra and Naveed Khan will star in Sharmila Chauhan’s I’m Better In Person, Luke Barton and Kat Rose-Martin in Krystina Nellis’ Recipes and Debra Baker, Amba Rose Mendy and Timothy O’Hara in Tori Allen-Martin’s and Sarah Henley’s Options.

Ian McKellen, Elaine Paige, Carrie Hope Fletcher and more perform monologues to support entertainment professionals. A group of stars came together as part of the #ForTheLoveOfArts initiative to support arts professionals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants also included Derek Jacobi, Sharon D. Clarke, Joseph Fiennes, Pearl Mackie and more. You can watch all the videos here.

Club 11 London cancels Stephanie J. Block’s Cadogan Hall performance. The concert, originally set for 30 August 2020, will be rescheduled in 2021.

Derren Brown’s Showman will tour the UK from February to July 2021. The popular illusionist and mind reader originally scheduled his tour for 2020.

West End LIVE will stream two highlights programmes on 20 and 21 June. The programming will replace the live event at Trafalgar Square, which has been cancelled this year due to COVID-19. The highlights programmes will feature the best of West End LIVE performances from the last five years. Both will be captioned and available for 24 hours.

National Theatre at Home announces its next line-up of productions. All will be available for free 7-day streaming on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel.

• 14 – 21 May: Barber Shop Chronicles by Inua Ellams
• 21 – 28 May: A Streetcar Named Desire starring Gillian Anderson
• 28 May – 4 June: This House by James Graham
• 4 – 11 June: Coriolanus starring Tom Hiddleston

Hamilton is coming to Disney+ 3 July! The Broadway show was filmed with the original cast at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 2016. That cast includes Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton and Leslie Odom, Jr. as Aaron Burr, as well as Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Leslie Odom, Jr., Christopher Jackson, Jonathan Groff, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Okieriete Onaodowan and Anthony Ramos.

Ramin Karimloo, Liz Callaway, Rob Houchen, Fra Fee, Louise Dearman and more will take part in online concert Kings of Broadway 2020. Celebrating the music of Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman and Jule Styne, the concert will premiere 31 May at 7 PM on the Quick Fantastic channel on YouTube.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre postpones its entire 2020 season. The 2020 season productions will now open in 2021, starting 15 May 2021 with 101 Dalmatians, followed by Romeo and Juliet and Carousel.

Sleepless postpones its London premiere to 25 August 2020. Based on the film Sleepless in Seattle, the new musical was set to premiere 25 March at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. It will now run from 25 August to 3 October.

Almeida Theatre postpones Robert Icke’s The Doctor until 2021. The production will still star Juliet Stevenson, with further casting to be confirmed later.

Broadway on Demand will be available to UK audiences in June. This new, free (with paid-for premium services) platform will offer more than a hundred archive recordings, along with live concerts and other features. You can sign up for early access membership here.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Shows Must Go On will stream Cats on 15 May. The 1998 production starring Elaine Page, who originated the role of Grizabella in the West End, will be available for 48 hours on the YouTube channel from 7 PM BST today (Friday). And Andrew Lloyd Webber himself will provide live audio commentary, with two streaming options available: one with commentary and one without.

The Lyric Hammersmith will stream A Doll’s House for free on 20 May. From 2:30 pm to midnight BST on Wednesday, 20 May, you can watch the 2019 production on the Lyric’s YouTube channel.

Bristol Old Vic will offer free streaming on YouTube. Details, including dates, are yet to come, but among the shows offered will be the 2017 dramatized production of Handel’s Messiah, the Olivier Award winning A Monster Calls, and the musical The Grinning Man.

The Stratford Festival recently launched the Free Shakespeare Film Festival: a series of free recordings of past Stratford Festival productions available on YouTube. Productions currently available include King Lear, Macbeth and Coriolanus, with more shows including The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet to follow. Watch here and check out the schedule below.

The Show Must Go Online will perform Richard II this week. Catch the live Shakespeare performance over Zoom at 7 PM BST on Wednesday. Meanwhile, if you missed the performance of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars, you can still catch it here.

The Met Opera streams Verdi’s Rigoletto this weekend. Catch the performance of Verdi’s great tragic opera on Sunday, or tune in on Saturday to watch Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Les Misérables -The Staged Concert is now available for digital download. Currently available in the UK and Australia, the download will be used to raise money for performers, musicians and the NHS. You can purchase Les Misérables -The Staged Concert here.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre announces the postponement of Romeo and Juliet. The production joins 101 Dalmatians, which will now open in 2021.

The Harold Pinter Theatre cancels The Watsons. The theatre hopes to reschedule the Jane Austen show for a later date.

The Royal Shakespeare Company launches a worldwide virtual Shakespeare celebration. The theatre invites audiences everywhere to create a unique Shakespeare interpretation and share it with the hashtag #ShareYourShakespeare, tagging @theRSC. Selected pieces will feature in the RSC’s global celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday on 23 April. You can find more info here. Meanwhile, watch this video of RSC actors performing “All the World’s a Stage” in lockdown.

The Old Vic postpones Local Hero. The new musical was set to premiere this summer. In a statement, Old Vic artistic director Matthew Warchus announced the postponement of the show, and confirmed that the theatre is working to reschedule both Local Hero and 4000 Miles, the latter starring Eileen Atkins and Timothée Chalamet. He also announced the return of Jack Thorne’s A Christmas Carol this November.

Hampstead Theatre extends its free digital streaming series. Nina Raine’s Tiger Country and Howard Brenton’s #AIWW: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei will be available to watch on demand on Hampstead Theatre’s website. Howard Brenton’s Drawing the Line is currently available through Sunday.

New Adventures announce A Festival of Classics. Starting 19 April, rare screenings and broadcast premieres will show on Sky TV, including Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet, and Sadler’s Wells’ dance thriller The Car Man. Find more info here.

MPTheatricals and The Other Palace will present a digital song cycle. Written by more than 60 composers from around the world, including Rob Rokicki, Benjamin Scheuer and Vikki Stone, the experience will be a live musical theatre trilogy exploring the different aspects of hope. Performers, choreographers, arrangers, animators and editors will bring the pieces to life. On Hope will stream on The Other Palace’s YouTube channel on 29 April, 6 May and 13 May at 7:30 pm. Find more info here.

No Limits, a new song cycle by Sam Thomas, will run at The Other Palace from 30 November. The production has been rescheduled due to the theatres shutdown, but the cast and creative team will remain the same. No Limits will star Aoife Clesham, Maison Kelley, Georgia Gagen, Luke Bayer, Bree Smith, Michael Mather and Katie Ramshaw. Amy Petts directs.

Judi Dench in conversation at the Orange Tree Theatre will be available for streaming. An exclusive 90-minute conversation from 2017, the video will be available for on demand paid streaming from 26 April. Find more info here.

The West End cast of Mamma Mia! put together a virtual performance of the show’s title song. Watch it below!

Stephanie McKeon will play Anna in the West End premiere of Frozen. She joins the previously announced Samantha Barks as Elsa, in a production directed by Michael Grandage. Frozen will reopen the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane in October 2020. The two actresses met up several weeks ago and snapped this photo.

CurtainCall launches a series of live virtual performances starring Jenna Coleman, David Morrisey, Denise Gough and others. Presented through Zoom, these will be live, one-of-a-kind performances involving actors, creatives and technicians. Find more info here.

Happy birthday, Mamma Mia! The West End production just celebrated its 21st birthday. Check out our brand new video celebrating the hit musical’s legacy around the world.

Audible will release audio productions of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Audra McDonald and more. The 2020 Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts will this year take place on the audio platform Audible. Audio productions will include A Streetcar Named Desire starring Audra McDonald, Bobby Canavale and Carla Gugino. Productions will be available globally on Audible. You can find more info here.

Hope Mill Theatre will stage an online concert of Rodgers & Hammerstein music. The theatre was planning to host the UK premiere of the Broadway version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella before the COVID-19 shutdown. Now, a live-streamed concert featuring the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein is planned for Sunday 26th April at 7 pm, featuring West End stars like Maria Friedman, Louise Dearman, Sophie Louise-Dann and the cast of the cancelled production of Cinderella. A crowdfunder launched the same night will help raise money for the theatre to reopen after the shutdown ends.

Missing your theatre fix? Here are some of the top streaming options for the coming week.

The National Theatre streams Jane Eyre through 16 April. A collaboration with Bristol Old Vic, the five-star adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic is available to stream for free on YouTube. Find more info here.

Playbill will stream the Broadway musical Bandstand from 8 PM EST April 10. The first in a new series of Playbill streaming musicals, Bandstand will be available to rent via Playbill’s website, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Actors Fund. Available through April 17, the stream will also feature an interview with the stars of the show, Laura Osnes, Corey Cott and Beth Leavel, along with members of the Tony winning creative team. You can find more info here.

Andrea Bocelli will perform a solo concert on Easter Sunday. On 12 April at 6 pm, the Italian opera singer will perform in an empty Duomo, the historic cathedral of Milan, Italy. The concert will be able for streaming on YouTube at this link.

The Metropolitan Opera streams Roméo et Juliette, Cosi fan tutte and more. Catch the sumptuous Roméo et Juliette starring Diane Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo starting today. Or watch Donizetti’s Don Pasquale starring Anna Netrebko from 11 April. Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (starring Kelli O’Hara) is available from 12 April. Highlights for the coming week include Rusalka starring Renee Fleming and Madama Butterfly. Find more info here.

Kander and Ebb’s Tony Award winning musical Curtains will stream 14 April. The musical mystery stars Jason Manford, Carley Stenson and Ore Oduba. The live stream begins at 7:15 pm, with the musical officially starting at 7:30. Profits will benefit Funds for Freelancers. Find more info here.

On Easter Sunday, Peter Michael Marino will stream Desperately Seeking the Exit. This show chronicles the making (and unmaking) of his West End musical Desperately Seeking Susan, which opened on the West End in back in 2007 and closed a month later. Find more info here.

Need a little boost? Watch this video of 70 West End stars performing Do You Hear the People Sing from their homes.

Fra Fee will star in the new Irish musical Breakfast on Pluto. Written by Bob Kelly with music by Duke Special, the production will also feature Niamh Perry, David Ganly, Kate Gilmore and Rickie O’Neill, with full casting to be announced soon. Directed by Des Kenney, Breakfast on Pluto will play a seven-week run at the Donmar Warehouse from 2 October to 21 November.

Terry Gilliam will direct Into the Woods at the Old Vic. The screenwriter, director, actor, and former Monty Python member will helm a new production of Sondheim’s musical this winter, with more details to come.

Lucie Jones and David Hunter will return to Waitress. From 23 March, Jones and Hunter will reprise their roles as Jenna and Dr. Pomatter, respectively. They replace Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel, performing in the roles until 21 March. Waitress is currently running at the Adelphi Theatre until 4 July 2020.

Elton John and Jake Shears will hold a workshop for their musical about Tammy Faye Bakker. Directed by Rupert Goold with a book by James Graham, Tammy Faye: The Musical looks at the life of infamous TV evangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. With a workshop set for April, the musical aims to premiere at the Almeida Theatre in 2021.

The National Theatre announces full casting for Jack Absolute Flies Again. Directed by Thea Sharrock, this new comedy based on Sheridan’s The Rivals will star Laurie Davidson, Natalie Simpson, Caroline Quentin and Richard Fleeshman. Joining them will be James Fleet, Lisa McGrillis, Helena Wilson, Jordan Metcalfe, James Corrigan, Akshay Sharan, Tim Steed, Theo Cowan and Azan Ahmed. Written by Richard Bean and Oliver Chris, Jack Absolute Flies Again runs in the National Theatre’s Olivier from 15 April until 25 July.

Southwark Playhouse announces casting for The Beast of Blue Yonder. The play’s ensemble cast will star Jade Ewen, Mirren Mack, Rachel Bright, Unique Spencer, Steve Furst, Charlie Quirke, Lucy Gape and Tyler Conti. They will be joined by Joseph Drake, Mike Evans, Nat Johnson, Joseph Potter and Kyle Rowe. Directed by Wiebke Green, Philip Ridley’s dark comedy runs at Southwark Playhouse from 2 April to 9 May.

Bring It On: The Musical (pictured above) will play in London following its UK and Ireland tour. Inspired by the 2000 film, the production features music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Kitt, lyrics by Miranda and Amanda Green, and a book by Jeff Whitty. The cast includes Vanessa Fisher, Amber Davies, Louis Smith, Alicia Belgarde, Georgia Bradshaw, Ayden Morgan, Samuel Wilson-Freeman, Chloe Pole, Frances Dee and Marvyn Charles. Bring It On runs at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall from 9 December 2020 to 10 January 2021.

Clare Halse and Tyrone Huntley join Hello, Dolly!. Full casting is now confirmed for the new production at the Adelphi Theatre. Joining Imelda Staunton, Andy Nyman and Jenna Russell will be Clare Halse as Minnie Fay, Tyrone Huntley as Barnaby Tucker and Harry Hepple as Cornelius Hackl. Directed by Dominic Cooke, Hello, Dolly! runs 11 August 2020 to 6 March 2021 at the Adelphi Theatre.

Jenna Russell will play Edith Piaf in a new play at Nottingham Playhouse. Pam Gems’ play Piaf explores the French singer’s life through some of her most famous songs, including “La Vie en Rose” and “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.” Directed by Adam Pinford, Piaf runs from 8 to 23 May.

Arthur Darvill and Genevieve O’Reilly will lead Rare Earth Mettle. The world premiere of Al Smith’s brutal comedy will also star Carlo Albán, Ashleigh Castro, Marcello Cruz, Lesley Lemon, Giselle Martinez, Rachel Ofori, Golda Rosheuvel and Rick Warden. Directed by Hamish Pirie, Rare Earth Mettle runs at the Royal Court Theatre from 2 to 25 April.

Alice Fearn, Karl Queensborough, Adam Pearce, Sharon Rose, Rob Houchen and Tyrone Huntley will lead Children of Eden in concert at Cadogan Hall. Featuring a newly revised score, Stephen Schwartz’s and John Caird’s Biblical musical will run 3 May at 1:30 PM and 6 PM.

Moira Buffini’s new play Manor runs at The National Theatre this spring. Starring Nancy Carroll, Ben Daniels, Amy Forrest and Edward Judge, Manor also features Michele Austin, Peter Bray, Gillian Dean, David Hargreaves, Shaniqua Okwok and Eliot Salt. Directed by Fiona Buffini, the production runs 7 April to 15 July 2020.

Magic Mike Live extends to 13 September 2020. Tickets are now on sale direct from Magic Mike Live, with additional tickets going on sale next Wednesday.

Pretty Woman: The Musical opened Monday at the Piccadilly Theatre. Starring Aimie Atkinson and Danny Mac, the new musical is currently running until January 2021.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella pushes back its start date. The new production will now begin performances 9 October instead of in September. Opening night will be 28 October. Directed by Laurence Connor, Cinderella stars Carrie Hope Fletcher and runs at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

The Donmar Warehouse announces casting for In the Blood. The new production of Suzan-Lori Parks’ play based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter will star Nikki Amuka-Bird, April Koyejo-Audiger, Paul Bazely, Ginny Holder, Martins Imhangbe, Sinead Matthews and Sule Rimi.

Olivier nominations are in! & Juliet is leading the way with nine nominations, including Best New Musical, but Fiddler on the Roof and Dear Evan Hansen are close behind with eight and seven noms, respectively. In addition to & Juliet, contenders for Best New Musical are Dear Evan Hansen, Waitress, and Amélie. Nominated actors include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Andrew Scott, Sharon D. Clarke, James McAvoy, Toby Jones, Hayley Atwell and Jac Yarrow. You can find the full list of nominees here. The 2020 Olivier Awards take place 5 April at the Royal Albert Hall.

The New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra will come to London in 2021. Met Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will lead the orchestra on its first European tour in nearly 20 years. The orchestra will play at the Barbican Centre on 29 June 2021, joined by internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato.

Ivo Van Hove will direct a new stage adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. The Tony Award winning director, currently directing West Side Story on Broadway, is confirmed as director of the new play based on the horror classic, adapted by playwright Simon Stephens (Sea Wall, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Heisenberg). Produced by Sonia Friedman, The Shining has yet to announce dates, venue, or casting.

The Prince of Egypt extends by seven weeks at the Dominion Theatre. The new musical based on the animated film opened Tuesday. Tickets are now on sale to 31 October 2020. Check out the brand new production photos below!

Be More Chill extends through 14 June, making it the longest running musical at The Other Palace. Joe Iconis’ sci-fi musical, previously on Broadway, opened 18 February at The Other Palace. The production stars Scott Folan, Blake Patrick Anderson, Miracle Chance and Stewart Clarke.

Dear Evan Hansen releases tickets to 27 June 2020. The West End transfer of Pasek and Paul’s Broadway musical is now running at the Noël Coward Theatre starring Sam Tutty.

Aisha Jawando and Jammy Kasongo join Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. From 17 March, Jawando will play Tina and Kasongo will play Ike Turner. Jawando, who originally played Tina’s sister Alline Bullock, has been with the company since the show’s world premiere in 2018. Kasongo, also a member of the original company, previously played Richard and Raymond.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Steve Pemberton will lead The Pillowman. Martin McDonagh’s play runs from 24 July at the Duke of York’s Theatre, with tickets available on a pay what you can basis. This is the show’s first West End run since The Pillowman played at The National Theatre in 2003. Matthew Dunster directs.

The Haystack extends at Hampstead Theatre. The world premiere of Al Blyth’s thriller will now run until 12 March 2020. Tickets are now on sale.

Angels of the North will transfer to London in May. John Godber’s comedy previously played at Theatre Royal Wakefield and Beverley’s East Riding Theatre. A companion piece to Scary Bikers, Angels of the North stars John Godber, Adrian Hood and Martha Godber. The production runs from 12 May to 6 June at Trafalgar Studios 2.

Ian McKellen and Mark Gatiss will appear onstage at The National Theatre. Elizabeth Day will interview actor, writer and producer Mark Gatiss and Ian McKellen will interview Armistead Maupin for part of The National Theatre’s Authors on Stage at the Lyttelton Theatre. The series will also see Sir Michael Parkinson interviewed by his son Mike. All three events take place in March.

Magic at the Musicals will return to the Royal Albert Hall on 3 May. The event will feature Lucie Jones, Jac Yarrow and others (yet to be announced) performing alongside a 60-piece orchestra. The program will include selections from & Juliet, Waitress, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mamma Mia! and more. Tickets for Magic Radio’s Magic at the Musicals are now on sale.

Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel extend their run in Waitress. The pair will now play Jenna and Dr. Pomatter through 21 March, with Lucie Jones and David Hunter returning to the roles at that time. Waitress currently runs through 4 July 2020 at the Adelphi Theatre.

Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor will star in Romeo and Juliet at the National Theatre. Fisayo Akinade also features as Mercutio. Directed by Simon Godwin, the production set in modern Italy runs at the National Theatre’s Olivier Theatre from August 2020.

The new National Theatre season will also feature eight other productions, including Blues for an Alabama Sky, a play set in 1930s Harlem starring Giles Terera, and a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights by Emma Rice.

Kate Fleetwood will play Cruella de Vil in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of 101 Dalmatians. Known for her roles in Victoria, Les Miserables, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and more, Kate Fleetwood has also appeared on stage at The Old Vic, The National Theatre, and on Broadway where she was nominated for a Tony Award. Based on Dodie Smith’s original novel, 101 Dalmatians is a new musical by Zinnie Harris and Douglas Hodge. Directed by Timothy Sheader, the production runs 16 May to 21 June.

Philippine Velge and Siu-See Hung complete the cast of 4000 Miles. The Old Vic production will star Timothée Chalamet and Eileen Atkins. Directed by Matthew Warchus, Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles runs from 6 April.

Giles Terera will lead a new Sammy Davis, Jr. musical. Titled Sammy!, the musical is written by Leslie Bricusse and directed by Clarke Peters. Further casting will be announced later. Sammy! runs at the Lyric Hammersmith from July.

The 10th anniversary revival of Clybourne Park announces casting. The production will star Alisha Bailey (The Twilight Zone), Michael Fox (Downton Abbey), Maddy Hill (EastEnders), Andrew Langtree (The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole), Richard Lintern (My Night with Reg), Imogen Stubbs (Alecky Blythe’s Little Revolution) and Eric Underwood (former Royal Ballet soloist). Directed by Oliver Kaderbhai, Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park runs from 25 March at Park Theatre.

A new Bob Marley musical will debut at the Lyric Theatre next year. Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical will star Arinzé Kene (The Lion King, Girl From the North Country) as Marley. Directed by Dominic Cook, the musical has a book by Lee Hall. Further casting and creatives will be announced later, with a run from 6 February 2021.

The Play That Goes Wrong announces a new booking period until 2 May 2021. Tickets are now on sale. The show is currently running at the Duchess Theatre.

David Tennant will star in a revival of C.P. Taylor’s GOOD. Olivier Award winning director Dominic Cooke reimagines the WWII-set drama, which will also star Fenella Woolgar and Elliot Levey. GOOD will play a 10-week run from 6 October at the Playhouse Theatre.

Carrie Hope Fletcher (pictured above) will star in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella. Fletcher will play Cinderella in the new production at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Directed by Laurence Connor, Cinderella begins performances 28 August, with tickets on sale in March.

Rufus Hound and Katy Brand join Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. The two comedian actors and writers will play Hugo/Loco Chanelle and Miss Hedge, respectively, from March. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is currently playing at the Apollo Theatre.

Jay McGuiness, Kimberley Walsh and Daniel Casey will star in Sleepless. The new musical based on Sleepless in Seattle will star McGuiness and Sam, Walsh as Annie and Casey as Walter. Joining them will be Harriet Thorpe as Eleanor, Tania Mathurin as Becky and Jake Sharp as Rob. Directed by Morgan Young, Sleepless runs from 24 March at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.

Jamie Parker and Chris Colquhoun join the cast of Robert Icke’s The Doctor. Directed by Robert Icke, the contemporary re-imagining of Arthur Schnitzler’s Professor Bernhardi will also feature Shelley Conn, Anni Domingo, Liv Hill and Millicent Wong, along with return alums Mariah Louca, Daniel Rabin, Joy Richardson, Naomi Wirthner and Hannah Ledwidge from the show’s run at the Almeida Theatre. Casualty runs 18 April through 18 July at the Duke of York’s Theatre.

Jeremy O. Harris’ Daddy announces full casting. The U.K. premiere will star Keisha Atwell, Rebecca Bernice Amissah, Jabari Braham, Katie Brayben, Alexander Hanson, David Jonsson, Ioanna Kimbook, John McCrea and Tanya Moodie. Directed by Danya Taymor, the Los Angeles-set melodrama runs from 30 March at the Almeida Theatre.

Sarah Brightman will return to London for a concert on 6 July. The internationally renowned singer and actress will perform at the historic Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. Tickets go on sale today.

Cheyenne Jackson will make his U.K. debut at Cadogan Hall. The Grammy nominated actor, singer and songwriter will perform 28 June at 2:30 and 6:30 pm.

The West End transfer of The Watsons announces casting. Based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel, the production will star returning actors Sam Alexander, Sally Bankes, Jane Booker, Elaine Claxton, Tim Delap, Sophie Duval, Louise Ford, John Wilson Goddard, Grace Molony, Elander Moore, Paksie Vernon, Cat White and Laurence Ubong Williams. Ralph Davis joins them as Lord Osborne, with additional casting to come later. Directed by Samuel West, The Watsons runs 8 May through 26 September at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Casting is complete for The Secret Garden at the London Palladium. Starring Lucie Jones, Ramin Karimloo and Jac Yarrow, the production will also feature Aoife Hughes and Darcy Jacobs sharing the role of Mary, with Finley Glasgow and Isaac Lancel Watkinson sharing the role of Colin. The rest of the cast includes Bianca Baykara, Adam J. Bernard, Lucy Drever, Louise Ellard-Turnbull, Ben Forster, Sejal Keshwala, Melanie La Barrie, Johndeep More, Michael Riseley and Celinde Schoenmaker. Directed by Nick Winston, The Secret Garden runs 4 April at 3 and 7:30 PM.

Let’s hear it for West End Broadway transfers! Pretty Woman: The Musical began performances this week at the Piccadilly Theatre. And Be More Chill started its run at The Other Palace.

The Seagull, starring Emilia Clarke, announces full casting. Joining Clarke in Anya Reiss’ adaptation of the Chekhov classic will be Danny Ashok, Robert Glenister, Tom Rhys Harries, Daniel Monks, Tamzin Outhwaite, Patrick Robinson, Seun Shote, Indira Varma and Sophie Wu. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, The Seagull runs at the Playhouse Theatre from 11 March.

Zubin Varla and Robert Tripolino join Zorro in concert at Cadogan Hall. Varla (Fun Home, Ghost Quartet) and Tripolino (Jesus Christ Superstar) will play Don Alejandro and Ramon, respectively, in the one-night-only concert event. They join Lesli Margherita, Emma Williams and Ricardo Afonso. Zorro plays Cadogan Hall on 23 February.

Olivier Award winner Clive Rowe will play Eddie Souther in Sister Act. Rowe won an Olivier for his work in the National Theatre production of Guys and Dolls. The new production, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Saunders, kicks off its U.K. and Ireland tour 21 April, with a London engagement to follow.

Earl Carpenter and Daniel Boys complete the cast of The Pirate Queen. Carpenter (Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera) will play Dubhdara, with Daniel Boys (The Boys in the Band, Avenue Q) as Lord Bingham. The two join the previously announced Rachel Tucker, Hannah Waddingham, Matthew Pagan, Steph Parry and Emma Norman in the one-night only concert production. The Pirate Queen plays the London Coliseum on 23 February, with proceeds to benefit Leukaemia UK.

Norman Bowman and Jacqui Danworth will star in the world premiere of Indecent Proposal. The new musical is inspired by the Jack Engelhard book and 1993 film. Bowman (42nd Street, Murder Ballad) will play Jonny, with Dankworth (Into the Woods) as Annie. More casting will be announced later. Directed by Olivier Award winner Charlotte Westenra, with music by Dylan Schlosberg and a book and lyrics by Michael Conley, Indecent Proposal premieres 29 May at Southwark Playhouse.

The Shark Is Broken, a comedy about the making of Jaws, comes to the West End this spring. Guy Masterson directs, with Ian Shaw playing his father Robert Shaw, Demetri Goritsas as Roy Schedier and Liam Murray Scott as Richard Dreyfuss. A hit at the Edinburgh Fringe, The Shark Is Broken will come to London’s Ambassadors Theatre from 11 May through 18 July.

Magic Goes Wrong announces a new cast for this spring. From 31 March, Laurence Pears and Lauren Ingram join the cast as Sophisticato and Spitzmaus, respectively, with Tom Babbage taking over Sophisticato from 2 June. Sydney K. Smith joins as Mickey from 5 April, with Kazeem Tosin Amore as The Blade and Laura Kirman as the Bear from 7 April. Harry Kershaw joins as Mind Mangler from 5 May. Magic Goes Wrong is currently running at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Ghostlight Records will release a cast recording of Rags The Musical. Stephen Schwartz’s musical will get a recording for the first time since 1991, when the Broadway show released a cast recording through Sony. Rags is currently running at the Park Theatre starring Carolyn Maitland.

Maiya Quansah-Breed will star in a new production of Cases at The Other Palace. Featuring a revamped score and new songs, Cases will also star Sabrina Aloueche, Andrew Patrick-Walker and Adrian Hansel. Directed by Grace Taylor, Cases runs 31 March to 18 April at The Other Palace.

Austentatious announces a new weekly residency at the Fortune Theatre. The popular improv troupe will perform 24 February to 27 July 2020.

Saffron Burrows will star in a one-night-only staged reading of Lorien Haynes’ Everything I Ever Wanted to Tell My Daughter About Men. Directed by Tara Fitzgerald, the production will star Saffron Burrows (Mozart in the Jungle, You), Oliver Christ, Enzo Cilenti, Matthew Cooke, Charlie Field, Jonathan Firth, Jason Isaacs, Joe Sims and Belinda Stewart-Wilson. The performance takes place at The Globe’s Sam Wanamaker Playhouse on 20 February.

& Juliet announces a special sing along performance on 12 May. The new pop musical is currently running at the Shaftesbury Theatre through October 2020.

Gemma Lawrence and Huw Parmenter will star in the world premiere of Cordelia O’Neill’s Anything Is Possible If You Think About It Hard Enough. Directed by Kate Budgen, the production runs at Southwark Playhouse from 1 to 25 April.

Mamma Mia! The Party extends into 2021. The immersive experience is now booking until 28 March 2021 at the O2 London.

The Prince of Egypt is now in previews. Currently playing at the Dominion Theatre, the new musical adaptation of the animated film opens 25 February.

Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical releases a live cast recording. Recorded during the production’s run at the Savoy Theatre, the album features Caroline Sheen, Amber Davis, Natalie McQueen, Bonnie Langford and Brian Conley. The recording is now available to stream and download. 9 to 5 is currently running at the Savoy Theatre.

Director and former Royal Shakespeare Company leader Terry Hands died 4 February at the age of 79. Hands helmed the musical adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie and directed countless productions at the RSC (with whom he worked from 1966 to 2001) and other venues. His accolades include two Olivier Awards and three Tony nominations.

Brian Cox will direct the U.K. premiere of Sinners–The English Professor. Joshua Sobol’s two-hander play will star Nicole Ansari as Layla and Adam Sina as Nur. Sinners–The English Professor runs from 25 February at The Playground Theatre.

Hiran Abeysekera (pictured above) will star in Life of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre. The actor originated the role in the production’s world premiere in 2019. He will be joined by Mina Anwar, Sagar Arya, Alex Chang, Fred Davis, Tom Espiner, Kirsten Foster, Daisy Franks, Raj Ghatak, Nuwan Hugh Perera, Romina Hytten, Sarah Kameela Impey, Tom Larkin, David K.S. Tse, Syreeta Kumar, Deeivya Meir, Habib Nasib Nader and Scarlet Wilderink. Directed by Max Webster, Life of Pi runs from 28 June at Wyndham’s Theatre.

Alexandra Silber and Corey English will lead Indecent at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Joining them will be Beverley Klein, Finbar Lynch, Molly Osborne, Peter Polycarpou and Joseph Timms. Directed by Rebecca Taichman, Paula Vogel’s Indecent runs from 13 March at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel join the London production of Waitress. The pair joined the cast on 27 January as Jenna and Dr. Pomatter, respectively. And on 24 February, the two will host a post-show karaoke night. They will continue until 9 March, when Lucie Jones and David Hunter will return to reprise the roles. Waitress is currently running at the Adelphi Theatre until 4 July 2020.

The 10th anniversary revival of Clybourne Park announces casting. Directed by Oliver Kaderbhai, the production will star Michael Fox, Imogen Stubbs and Eric Underwood. Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park runs from 25 March to 2 May at the Park Theatre.

The Guild of Misrule’s immersive The Great Gatsby extends through 26 July. Created and directed by Alexander Wright, the show has extended due to popular demand. The Great Gatsby is currently playing at IMMERSIVE | LDN through 26 July 2020.

Disney’s Frozen delays priority booking. Priority tickets for the London transfer of Frozen were set to go on sale this week, but have since been delayed until next week. Frozen begins previews 30 October at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with an opening night of 12 November.

Sister Act will now start a week earlier than announced. The London run of the revamped musical’s U.K. tour will play from 21 July through 30 August at the Eventim Apollo. Sister Act stars Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Saunders.

Sony and Netflix will produce Matilda the Musical movie. Helmed by Matthew Warchus, who directed the original stage production, the movie is currently in the works, with no release date or casting announced yet. The film is expected to be released in theatres and on home video, followed by a streaming deal on Netflix.

Kerry Ellis will star in the workshop of new musical Legends of Arahma. An epic adventure of two clans at war, the musical will run at St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden on 30 March.

Louise Dearman will perform in concert at Cadogan Hall. Known for playing both Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked, Dearman is set to give her biggest solo concert yet on 31 May at 6:30 pm.

The Royal Shakespeare Company announces casting for The Winter’s Tale. Cross-cast with The Comedy of Errors and Pericles, the production will star Joseph Kloska as Leontes, Kemi-Bo Jacobs as Hermione, Ben Caplan as Camillo, Amanda Hadingue as Paulina and Andrew French as Polixenes. Directed by Erica Whyman, The Winter’s Tale runs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 28 March, with a line cinema broadcast on 10 June.