Category: News & Features

Broadway’s To Kill A Mockingbird is heading to London! Get all the details, plus, catch up on the latest casting news and more–including a recap of how Brits fared at the Tonys.

The Broadway production of To Kill A Mockingbird (pictured above) will transfer to the West End in 2020. Adapted by Aaron Sorkin from Harper Lee’s novel, and directed by Bartlett Sher, To Kill A Mockingbird will debut at the Gielgud Theatre in spring 2020. No casting has been announced yet for the London production. The current Broadway production stars Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch, with Celia Keenan-Bolger as Scout.

Ian McKellen is bringing his one man show to the Harold Pinter Theatre from 20 September. After performing in over 80 venues across the UK in celebration of his 80th birthday, Ian McKellen will raise money for theatre charities from the proceeds of his West End performances. Tickets are on sale today.

Falsettos announces casting for its run at The Other Palace. Directed by Tara Wilkinson, the production will star Natasha J. Barnes, Daniel Boys, Matt Cardle, Gemma K. Jones, Laura Pitt-Pulford and Oliver Savile. A musical about a tightly knit modern family, Falsettos runs at The Other Palace from 30 August.

The UK premiere of The Bridges of Madison County announces full casting. Joining Jenna Russell as Francesca will be Ed Baker-Duly as Robert, Georgia Brown as Chiara/Ginny/State Fair Singer, Maddison Bulleyment as Carolyn, Shanay Holmes as Marian, Gillian Kirkpatrick as Marge, Paul F. Monaghan as Charlie, David Perkins as Michael and Dale Rapley as Bud. Directed by Trevor Nunn, The Bridges of Madison County runs 13 July to 14 September at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Alex Fearns, Marc Elliott and Philip McGinley join the cast of The Girl on the Train. The record-breaking production, starring Samantha Womack and Oliver Farnworth and based on the thriller by Paula Hawkins, will play at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 23 July to 17 August.

The Old Vic production of Lungs, starring Matt Smith and Claire Foy, will run 14 October to 9 November, with tickets on sale 25 June. Casting had been announced previously, but the dates were just released.

The Donmar Warehouse announces full casting for Appropriate. Joining Monica Dolan will be Jaimi Barbakoff, Charles Furness, Edward Hogg, Steven Mackintosh, Isabella Pappas, Orlando Roddy and Oliver Savell. Ola Ince directs the UK premiere of Branden Jacob-Jenkins play about an American family who discovers an earth-shattering secret on their late father’s Southern plantation. Appropriate runs at the Donmar Warehouse 16 August through 5 October.

The National Theatre announces a new season. The 2019-2020 season will feature 15 productions, including My Brilliant Friend starring Niamh Cusack and Catherine McCormack; Tony Kushner’s The Visit, or the Old Lady Comes to Call starring Lesley Manville; Annie Baker’s The Antipodes starring Arthur Darvill, Hadley Fraser, Conleth Hill, Sinead Matthews, and Bill Milner; and The Ocean at the End of the Lane: the premiere of a new adaptation based on Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed novel. Maxine Peak will star in The Welkin, a new play by Lucy Kirkwood.

Charlotte Kennedy joins the cast of Les Misérables. Returning to the cast after making her professional debut in Les Misérables, Kennedy will play Cosette, taking over the role from Amara Okereke (who’s headed to Chichester to join their production of Oklahoma!).

Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain – Part Four will star Pip Chamberlain and Benedict Martin. After seven years in the West End and a sold-out 2018 run, Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain is back. Directed by Neal Foster, the production runs at the Apollo Theatre for the month of August.

Billionaire Boy will play in London this Christmas. Adapted from David Wallaims’ best-selling book, the play follows Joe Spud: the richest 12-year-old in the country, who decides to attend a public school instead of his posh private school. Billionaire Boy will play at the Bloomsbury Theatre from 13 December to 5 January as part of its national tour.

Alfie Boe and Danielle De Niese will play a joint concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 20 October. Accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Timothy Redmond, Boe and de Niese will perform classics from opera, Broadway, and the West End. Tickets are on sale today.

The UK touring cast of The Comedy About a Bank Robbery will take over from the current London cast. From 25 June, the London production will feature Sean Carey, David Coomber, Julia Frith, George Hannigan, Liam Jeavons, Damian Lynch, Killian Macardle, Jon Trenchard and Ashley Tucker.

Brits represented at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards! The Ferryman won several awards, including best play and best direction of a play, Bertie Carvel won best actor for his performance in Ink, and Hadestown (previously at the National Theatre) won best musical, best direction, best score, and numerous other awards.

 

If you’re like us, you’ve been hearing about the Prince of Egypt musical for what seems like forever. Now, you can finally get your tickets! But that’s not the only news in London theatre this week. Find more below.

Tickets are now on sale for the new Prince of Egypt musical, running for 32 weeks from 5 February 2020. Based on the DreamWorks animated film, The Prince of Egypt is an exhilarating new musical from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), set to run at the Dominion Theatre.

Dear Evan Hansen announces a new booking period. Starting 10 June, tickets will be available for performances to 4 April 2020.

Bill Ward joins the cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Known for his roles on Coronation Street and Emmerdale, Bill Ward will play Loco Chanelle starting 1 July.

Fiver announces full casting. The new musical will star Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Aoife Clesham (Peter Pan), Alex James Ellison (The Secret Garden), Dan Buckley (Eugenius!) and Hiba Elchikhe (Aladdin). Written by Alex James Ellison and Tom Lees, Fiver will receive its world premiere at Southwark Playhouse on 3 July, running until the 20th.

Jesus Christ Superstar at the Barbican announces full casting. Joining Robert Tripolino as Jesus, Ricardo Afonso as Judas, Sallay Garnett as Mary, Matt Cardle as Pilate, Cavin Cornwall as Caiaphas and Nathan Amzi as Annas will be Samuel Buttery as King Herod, Matthew Harvey as Peter and Tim Newman as Simon. Jesus Christ Superstar runs at the Barbican from 4 July to 24 August.

The National Theatre’s Peter Pan will return to London this summer. Directed by Sally Cookson, the production which ran at the National Theatre in 2016 will play at the new Troubadour White City Theatre from 20 July to 27 October. Casting has yet to be announced.

The Young Vic’s Death of a Salesman starring Wendell Pierce will transfer to the West End. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, the production also stars Sharon D. Clarke, Arinzé Kene and Martins Imhangbe. Death of a Salesman runs at the Piccadilly Theatre from 24 October 2019 to 4 January 2020.

You Only Live Forever comes to Soho Theatre. The comedy by Roxy Dunn and Alys Metcalf, which previously ran at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2016, will come to Soho Theatre from 14 to 17 August.

Red Palace, an immersive Gothic cabaret show, will play at The Vaults starting in September. Inspired by the Carnival of Venice, Edgar Allan Poe, and stories from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson, Red Palace is a combination of circus, dance and performance. The production runs from 24 September 2019 to 12 January 2020.

If you were planning on seeing Bernadette Peters in London, bad news. Due to contractual issues, Peters’ UK tour dates have been canceled. The award-winning actress posted an apology on Twitter: “I’m so disappointed,,,sorry to my U.K. audience,,,So unfortunate I won’t get to see you.”

Happy Friday! Here’s your round-up of all the latest and greatest news in the world of London theatre.

Nikki Bentley and Helen Woolf (pictured above with Alastair Brammer) will join the cast of Wicked this summer. Nikki Bentley will take over the role of Elphaba from 22 July, with Helen Woolf as Glinda. Other new cast members will include Kim Ismay as Madame Morrible, Idriss Kargbo as Boq and Simeon Truby as Doctor Dillamond. They join the previously announced Alistair Brammer as Fiyero, with Andy Hockley continuing as the Wizard and Carina Gillespie playing Nessarose.

Ramin Karimloo and Laura Baldwin join the cast of Godspell at Cadogan Hall. The one-night concert will also feature Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Rachel John (Hamilton) and Max Bowden (EastEnders). The British Theatre Academy’s performance of Stephen Schwartz’s musical based on the Gospel of Matthew will play Cadogan Hall on 29 June.

Amour, Michel Legrand’s musical currently running at the Charing Cross Theatre, will close 8 June. That means you’re running out of chances to see this critically acclaimed and Tony-nominated production.

Zoë Wanamaker and Zrinka Cvitešić will star in the world premiere of Two Ladies at the Bridge Theatre. Written by Nancy Harris, the play focuses on the first ladies of France and America, who find themselves in a side room as their husbands negotiate international crises. The play runs from 14 September to 26 October. Further casting will be announced later.

Blake Harrison will join the cast of Waitress. Starting 17 June, Harrison, best known for playing Neil Sutherland in The Inbetweeners, will play Ogie in Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre.

David Morrissey will star in Jack Thorne’s the end of history… at the Royal Court Theatre. Morrissey is best known for his critically-acclaimed performances in television series like The Walking Dead and The Deal. A story about a middle-aged couple whose oldest children have just come home from university, the end of history… will also star Lesley Sharp, Zoe Boyle (Downton Abbey), Laurie Davidson (Will), Kate O’Flynn (Doctor Thorne) and Sam Swainsbury (Victoria). John Tiffany directs the production, which runs from 27 June to 10 August.

Sue Johnston will play Mrs. Watson in The Man in the White Suit at Wyndham’s Theatre. Known for her roles in Coronation Street, Downton Abbey, The Royle Family and Brookside, Johnston joins Stephen Mangan and Kara Tointon in the world premiere of this new play based on the 1951 film. The Man in the White Suit will play in London from 26 September 2019 to 11 January 2020.

The Leeds Playhouse production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe will transfer to the Bridge Theatre this Christmas. The play comes to London for a run from 9 November 2019 to 2 February 2020. Casting will be announced at a later date.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin will transfer to the Harold Pinter Theatre this summer. Rose Theatre Kingston’s production of the play, based on Louis de Bernières’ best-selling novel that takes place on a Greek island during the Italian and German occupation of WWII, will run in London from 4 July to 31 August.

Queen of the Mist will transfer to Charing Cross Theatre from 15 August. Pint of Wine Theatre Company’s production of Michael John LaChiusa’s musical is based on the story of Anna Edson Taylor–who in 1901 decided to become the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. With the original cast intact, the production will play in London from 15 August to 5 October. Queen of the Mist will also release a cast recording ahead of its transfer.

Love Is Only Love will headline The Other Palace’s Pride Festival. After a sold-out run last year, Sam Harrison’s play returns to The Other Palace from 1 to 6 July.

The Young Vic announces its 2020 season. Kicking off the new season will be Stef Smith’s retelling of A Doll’s House, directed by Elizabeth Freestone and produced with Citizens Theatre. The season will also include the premiere of Nmon Ford’s Orfeus: A House Music Opera; Nat Randall’s and Anna Breckon’s The Second Woman; Cush Jumbo in Greg Hersov’s Hamlet; and Ruth Negga in Marina Carr’s play Portia Coughlan.

Ready for your weekly news round-up? Get excited to welcome a new Jenna to the diner, catch Samantha Womack in her latest stage role, and prepare for the West End transfer of Equus–among other things.

Lucie Jones and Ashley Roberts (pictured above) will star in Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre. Starting 17 June, Jones will replace Katharine McPhee as Jenna, with Roberts replacing Laura Baldwin as Dawn.

Samantha Womack will star in The Girl on the Train at the Duke of York’s Theatre. Based on the novel by Paula Hawkins, the production will play in the West End as part of its national tour, from 23 July to 17 August. Womack, known for her role as Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders, will play Rachel Watson. Further casting will be announced later.

Equus will transfer from Theatre Royal Stratford East to Trafalgar Studio One this summer. Starring Ethan Kai, Robert Finch, Keith Gilmore, Norah Lopez Holdren, Ira Mandela and Zubin Varla, with further casting to be announced, Equus plays in London from 6 July to 7 September.

Dark Sublime at Trafalgar Studio Two announces full casting. Starring Marina Sirtis (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Mark Gatiss (Doctor Who, Sherlock), this sci-fi comedy will also feature Jacqueline King, Kwaku Mills, Simon Thorp and Sophie Anna Ward. Dark Sublime runs from 25 June to 3 August.

Miles Jupp will star in the West End engagement of The Life I Lead. The play tells the story of British actor David Tomlinson: known for playing Mr. Banks in Disney’s film Mary Poppins and Professor Emelius Browne in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. A comic yet moving tale, The Life I Lead explores the relationships between fathers and sons across generations. As part of its UK tour, the production will play at Wyndham’s Theatre from 16 to 21 September.

Bitter Wheat announces full casting. Joining John Malkovich in David Mamet’s new play will be Doon Mackichan, Ioanna Kimbrook, Alexander Arnold, Teddy Kempner, Matthew Pidgeon and Zephryn Taitte. Directed by David Mamet, Bitter Wheat runs 7 June to 21 September.

Caroline Sheen will reprise her role as Violet in 9 to 5. After taking over the role from Louise Redknapp, Sheen continued to 22 March, at which point Redknapp resumed the role. Now, following Redknapp’s last performance on 29 June, Sheen will step in starting 4 July. The rest of the cast will continue in their roles until the end of August, with further casting news to come.

Secret Cinema, in collaboration with Netflix, will present an immersive Stranger Things theatre experience. Drawing on all three seasons of the Netflix TV series, Secret Cinema presents Stranger Things will allow audience members to relive their favorite moments as they explore the town of Hawkins and create their own character. Performances begin 13 November.

Matt Baker will star in the London Palladium pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears. From 7 December, Goldilocks will play for a five-week run, with tickets on sale next Friday. The show will star TV presenter Matt Baker (The One Show) along with Paul O’Grady, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot. Further casting will be announced later.

Anna Nguyen will star in Summer Rolls: the first British-Vietnamese play to be staged in the UK. The cast will also include David Lee Jones, Kwong Loke, Keon Martial-Phillip, Christopher Nguyen, Linh-Dan Pham and Michael Phong Le. Written by Tuyen Do, this play about a second generation immigrant is directed by Kristine Landon-Smith.

Bare: A Pop Opera announces casting. Featuring a cast of West End, Broadway and screen stars, the musical will feature Darragh Cowley, Lizzie Emery, Stacy Francis, Mark Jardine, Jo Napthine, Daniel Mack Shand. Bare: A Pop Opera runs at The Vaults from 21 June to 4 August.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole announces its children’s cast. Rufus Kampa, Aaron Gelkoff and Michael Hawkins will alternate in the role of Adrian Mole.

Mamma Mia! The Party extends its booking period to 16 February 2020, with new tickets now on sale.

The Lyric Hammersmith announces its 2019/2020 season. Helmed by Rachel O’Riordan as the new Artistic Director, the season will include a new version of A Doll’s House; a Cinderella Panto; Mike Bartlett’s award-winning Love, Love, Love; Seamus Heaney’s translation of Antigone; dark comedy The Beauty Queen; and a new play based on the cult science fiction novel Solaris by Stanislaw Lem.

Broadway star Caissie Levy will give a concert in London this fall. Currently starring as Elsa in Broadway’s Frozen, Levy’s other roles have included Fantine in the 2014 Les Misérables revival, Molly in Ghost, Sheila in Hair and Elphaba in Wicked. She’ll perform a solo concert at Cadogan Hall on 15 September.

Happy Friday! Here’s your weekly round-up of all the latest news in the world of London Theatre. Now go out and see a show!

Jenna Russell will star in The Bridges of Madison County at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Russell previously appeared on stage in Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George and Fun Home. On the screen, she’s appeared in EastEnders and Call the Midwife, among other things. The UK premiere of Jason Robert Brown’s Tony Award winning musical, directed by Trevor Nunn, will run from 13 July to 14 September.

Back to the Future: The Musical will premiere in the West End in 2020. Based on the 1985 movie, the show will feature Olly Dobson (Bat Out of Hell, Matilda) as Marty McFly. Dates, venue, and further casting will be announced later.

Tootsie announces a West End transfer. The show, currently nominated for 11 Tony Awards on Broadway, will come to London in 2021. Based on the film starring Dustin Hoffman, Tootsie tells the story of a down-and-out actor who dresses up as a woman in order to land a part.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat announces full casting. Joining Jason Donovan, Sheridan Smith and Jac Yarrow will be Richard Carson (Reuben), Michael Pickering (Simeon), Jack Wilcox, James Ballantyne, Joshua Steel, Femi Akinfolarin, Carl Spencer, Vanessa Fisher, Casey Al-Shaqsy, Emily Ann Potter, Thalia Burt, Harriet Samuel Gray, Kelsie-Rae Marshall, Georgina Parkinson, Michael Cortez, Matt Krzan, Hannah Taylor, Ahmed Hamad, Matthew Rowland, Blythe Jandoo and Lydia Bannister. Joseph is at the London Palladium from 27 June to 8 September.

Come From Away extends its London run. The Tony and Olivier Award winning musical is now booking to 15 February 2020 at the Phoenix Theatre.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole will feature Rosemary Ashe, Ian Talbot and John Hopkins. Other cast members will include Lara Denning, Andrew Langtree, Amy Ellen Richardson, Holly Ashton and Matthew Craig, with details on the child cast members to come. We also hear the musical will be appearing at this year’s West End Live!

Tyrone Huntley will star in The View UpStairs at the Soho Theatre. Huntley previously acted in Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre (for which he received an Olivier Award nomination), Memphis and The Book of Mormon. The View UpStairs runs from 18 July to 24 August.

Matthew Kelly joins the cast of Carousel at Cadogan Hall. Kelly, an Olivier Award winner, will play the Star Keeper. He joins Joanna Riding, Janie Dee, Hadley Fraser, Chizzy Akudolu, Stewart Clarke, Lucy Schaufer and Gavin Spokes for this one night concert on 19 May.

A revival of How Love Is Spelt heads to Southwark Playhouse. Written by Chloë Moss (Dickensian, This Wide Night), How Love Is Spelt originally played at the Bush Theatre in 2004. Charlotte Peters will direct, with casting to be announced later. The production runs 4 to 28 September.

Meaghan Martin will make her professional stage debut in The Actor’s Nightmare at the Park Theatre. Written by Christopher Durang, the play follows an accountant who, after being mistaken for an actor’s understudy, is forced to perform in a play. Best known for her roles in Camp Rock and 10 Things I Hate About You, Martin will be joined by Layo-Christina Akinlude, Stefan Menail, Adrian Richards and Kate Sumpter. The Actor’s Nightmare runs from 8 July to 10 August.

Anna Ziegler’s Actually will star Yasmin Paige and Simon Manyonda. A play that follows a man and a woman who hook up at a party and then spend the night together, Actually explores topics of sexual consent, gender politics, and the need for absolute truth in a society slammed with fake news and victim shaming. Making its European premiere, the play runs at Trafalgar Studios from 6 to 31 August.

Touching the Void will transfer to the Duke of York’s Theatre in 2020. Directed by Tom Morris (War Horse, The Grinning Man), Touching the Void previously played a sold-out world premiere at the Bristol Old Vic in 2018. Thrilling and darkly funny, the play charts two mountain climbers’ struggle for survival on the Siula Grande mountain in the Peruvian Andes. Casting will be announced later.

Europe at the Donmar Warehouse announces casting. Directed by Michael Longhurst, David Greig’s play will star Teo Barklem-Biggs, Ron Cooke, Billy Howle, Kevrok Malikyan, Faye Marsay, Natalia Tena, Stephen Wright and Shane Zaza. Europe runs from 20 June to 10 August at the Donmar Warehouse.

Juliet Stevenson and Ria Zmitrowicz will star in The Doctor at the Almeida Theatre. Adapted from the play by Arthur Schnitzler and directed by Robert Icke, The Doctor runs from 12 August to 28 September.

Open Air Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream announces full casting. Directed by Dominic Hill, the Shakespearean comedy will star Amber James as Hippolyta/Titania and Kieran Hill as Theseus/Oberon, with Susan Wokoma as Bottom and Myra McFayden as Puck. The young lovers will be played by Remy Deasley (Helena), Gabrielle Brooke (Hermia), Michael Elcock (Lysander) and Pierro Niel-Mee (Demetrius). A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs at Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre 28 June to 27 July.

Heathers the Musical will release its Original West End Cast Recording 31 May. Ghostlight Records has announced that the album, currently available only for digital download and streaming, will be available online and in stores on Friday, 31 May.

After Dark; or, a Drama of London Life comes to the Finborough Theatre. Written in 1868, the play is a rip-roaring Victorian melodrama. Directed by Phil Willmott, After Dark runs for four weeks from 12 June.

Waitress will hold its next Cast Album Karaoke Night 26 June. For this karaoke night, the musical will partner with Gay Times in celebration of Pride Month.

Who’s excited for this year’s West End LIVE? While we’re still waiting on performance schedules, we now know who will be performing. Come From Away, Only Fools and Horses, Waitress, 9 to 5, Fiddler on the Roof and Magic Mike will all be giving their first West End LIVE performances. But you can also count on mainstays like Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King. Plus, we’ll get to see previews of On Your Feet!, & Juliet, Heartbeat of Home and Jesus Christ Superstar. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Six, Tina and more will also be there. Straight from West End LIVE’s website, here’s the official list of performers:

 

 

 

Who’s excited for Big the Musical? We now have full casting! Plus, get details on the European premiere of The Bridges of Madison County and find out which shows are headed your way!

The Bridges of Madison County will make its European premiere in London this summer. Jason Robert Brown’s Tony Award-winning musical comes to London in a production directed by Trevor Nunn, with casting to be announced later. The Bridges of Madison County runs at Menier Chocolate Factory from 23 July to 14 September. Tickets go on sale to the public 13 May at 9 AM.

Florian Zeller’s The Son will transfer to the Duke of York’s Theatre. The play recently had its English language premiere at the Kiln Theatre under the direction of Michael Longhurst. The cast, including Amanda Abbington, Laurie Kynaston, John Light and Amaka Okafor, will reprise their roles for the London transfer. The Son runs from 24 August to 2 November, with tickets on sale now.

Jay McGuiness, Wendi Peters, Kimberley Walsh and Matthew Kelly will star in BIG the Musical. Based on the movie with Tom Hanks, the musical runs at the Dominion Theatre from 6 September to 2 November. Jay McGuiness originated the role of Josh Baskin during the musical’s run in Plymouth back in 2016, and will star in the new musical when it comes to London. Wendi Peters (Coronation Street) will play Mrs. Baskin, with pop star Kimberley Walsh (Girls Aloud) as Susan Lawrence and Matthew Kelley (Waiting for Godot, Of Mice and Men) as George MacMillan. Tickets are on sale now.

9 to 5 extends at the Savoy Theatre. The musical is now booking to April 2020.

An immersive production of The Wolf of Wall Street will play in London starting in September. Based on stockbroker Jordan Belfort’s autobiography, The Wolf of Wall Street comes from the production team behind the immersive The Great Gatsby, and runs from 5 September to 19 January, with the location yet to be announced. Alexander Wright, who adapted the play, will direct.

Heartbeat of Home will return to London starting in September. Produced by the team behind Riverdance, Heartbeat of Home features 33 dancers who embark on a journey through various styles of dance: including Latin, Irish and hip-hop. Heartbeat of Home plays at the Picadilly Theatre from 4 September to 13 October, with tickets on sale today.

Charles Venn will join Somnium: A Dancer’s Dream at Sadler’s Wells in London. Actor and star of 2018’s Strictly Come Dancing, Venn will play the show’s narrator: Richard Porter–former dance coach of the show’s two main characters. Somnium stars real life couple Neil and Katya Jones (along with a company of dancers) and runs from 20 to 22 June.

The Royal Shakespeare Company will return to the Barbican in 2019-2020. From October through January, the Company will present As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure.

Noises Off at the Lyric Hammersmith announces full casting. A revival of the play first performed at the Lyric Hammersmith in 1982, Noises Off will star Meera Syal, Lloyd Owen and Daniel Rigby. Completing the cast are Lois Chimimba, Jonathan Cullen, Debra Gillett, Amy Morgan, Enyi Okoronkwo and Simon Rouse. The production runs from 27 June to 27 July.

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story will make its London premiere. This genre-bending Klezmer musical is based on the true story of two Jewish refugees who fly Romania for Canada in 1908. After critically acclaimed runs in New York, Canada, Edinburgh, and various other locations, Old Stock plays at Wilton’s Music Hall from 18 to 28 September.

 

 

 

Bet you didn’t know Daniel Radcliffe was in Endgame! Oops, not that Endgame. We’re talking about Samuel Beckett’s play, soon to get a revival at the Old Vic! Find out more details on this, plus the return of Hairspray to London and all the other news in the world of London theatre this week.

Hairspray returns to the London Coliseum next year, with Michael Ball as Edna Turnblad. Ball will be reprising the role he played in London in 2007. Further casting for the production, directed by Jack O’Brien, will be revealed later. Helmed by the show’s original creative team, Hairspray runs from 23 April to 19 July 2020, with tickets on sale today! Plus, Hairspray is going on tour again in 2020.

Daniel Radcliffe and Alan Cumming will star in a new production of Samuel Beckett’s Endgame at the Old Vic. Opening 27 January 2020, the production will feature a double bill: Endgame + Beckett’s one-act play Rough For Theatre II–rarely performed. Tickets go on sale 9 May.

Claire Foy and Matt Smith will make their West End debuts in Lungs at the Old Vic. The play, which premiered in New York in 2011 and made its UK premiere in 2013, examines what it means to give birth in today’s society. Dates have yet to be announced, and tickets are not yet on sale.

The Old Vic’s upcoming season will also feature Lucy Prebble’s A Very Expensive Poison, Jack Thorne’s A Christmas Carol, and the musical Local Hero. The latter, based on the film by Bill Forsyth, will run at the Old Vic from 18 June after receiving its world premiere in Edinburgh.

Starting 10 June, Mazz Murray will play Donna in Mamma Mia!. Murray previously played Tanya from 2015 to 2017. She’s also starred in Chicago, We Will Rock You and Rent. Joining her will be Taylor Bradshaw as Eddie, Cameron Burt as Sky, Kirsty Hoiles as Tanya, Sophie Matthew as Lisa, Danny Nattrass as Pepper and Melissa Nettleford as Ali. Cast members Lucy May Barker (as Sophie Sheridan), Ricky Butt, Stephen Beckett, Neil Moor and Richard Trinder will remain in the cast.

Rob Houchen and Bradley Jaden join the cast of Les Misérables: The All-Star Staged Concert. Houchen will reprise his role as Marius, which he first played in 2013; while Bradley Jaden, currently playing Javert at the Queen’s Theatre, will play Enjolras–a role he performed in London in 2015. The concert will run at the Gielgud Theatre from 10 August to 30 November, while the Queen’s Theatre undergoes renovation. In the meantime, you can still catch the original production at the Queen’s Theatre–but your window is closing!

It’s official: The Prince of Egypt musical will receive its West End premiere in February 2020. Based on the DreamWorks animated film and featuring 10 new songs, the musical will run at the Dominion Theatre from 5 February to 12 September 2020, with tickets on sale 3 June.

Dame Patricia Routledge joins the concert production of Carousel at Cadogan Hall. In the role of Narrator, she joins the previously announced Chizzy Akudola, Stewart Clarke, Janie Dee, Hadley Fraser, Joanna Riding, Lucy Schaufer and Gavin Spokes.

Lea Salonga is going on tour! The singer, actress and Disney princess will embark on a solo UK tour, with two performances at the London Palladium on 21 July. An Olivier and Tony Award winner known for creating the role of Kim in Miss Saigon and for playing Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables, Salonga also sang as Jasmine and Fa Mulan in the Disney films Aladdin and Mulan. Tickets are now on sale.

Emilia at the Vaudeville Theatre will close 1 June 2019. The transfer of the acclaimed production from Shakespeare’s Globe tells the story of Emilia Bassano: Shakespeare’s alleged “Dark Lady.”

Stephen Fry will perform a stage adaptation of his book Mythos at the London Palladium. Returning to the stage after almost 40 years, Fry will be touring the UK, with three performances in London on the 13th and 14th of September. Tickets are on sale starting today.

Pheobe Waller-Bridge will appear in her play Fleabag in the West End. After its previews at Soho Theatre and its run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Fleabag will play at Wyndham’s Theatre from 20 August to 14 September. Waller-Bridge recently starred in the show Off-Broadway.

BalletBoyz is bringing their production Them/Us to the Vaudeville Theatre in June, in the group’s West End debut. The dance show looks at how humans define themselves through their relationships with the ‘other.’ Them/Us premiered at Sadler’s Wells in March. Tickets are on sale now.

Brainiac Live will run in the West End this summer. Based on the TV series Brainiac, the show chronicles scientific exploration in all its weirdness and wackiness–with live experiments and explosions. Brainiac Live plays in London from 31 July to 1 September.

Maria Friedman and Anita Dobson join the cast of Trevor Nunn’s Fiddler on the Roof at the Playhouse Theatre. Starting 18 June, Friedman will play Golde and Dobson will play Yente.

Audible announces a new London production of Radio: a one-man play about memory, love and spaceships. Starring Adam Gillen and directed by Josh Roche, the play runs at Arcola Theatre from 19 June to 13 July. Audible will also release a studio recording of the play.

The Royal Court Theatre announces its 2019-2020 season. Titled “A Year of Work” the season will feature Is God Is, three new plays by Caryl Churchill, and A History of Water in the Middle East, among other productions.

Courtney Reed, the original Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway, is currently starring in Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre. Meanwhile, Aladdin is closing at the end of the summer, so you’re running out of chances to see it!

This week, we’ve got some very exciting casting news, plus a new ENO season and all the details about incoming musicals. Read on!

Alistair Brammer will play Fiyero in Wicked this summer. Brammer, known for his roles as Marius in Les Misérables in the West End and Chris in Miss Saigon on Broadway, will join the cast of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre from 22 July. David Witts, currently playing Fiyero, will give his last performance 20 July. Further casting for Wicked will be announced soon. Get all the details here.

To Gillie With Love, featuring Sierra Boggess, Ramin Karimloo and more, is coming to the Gillian Lynne Theatre. A celebration of choreographer Gillian Lynne, the show will star a number of West End actors, along with a student choir from the Royal Academy of Music and Arts Ed. To Gillie With Love will take place 2 July in the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Tickets are now on sale.

Rylan Clark-Neal will star in Nativity! the Musical this December. The TV personality who has appeared on The X Factor and This Morning will make his stage debut as The Critic when the show returns to the Eventim Apollo this Christmas, from 11 to 29 December. He joins Simon Lipkin and other cast members who are soon to be announced.

The Starry Messenger, starring Matthew Broderick, announces full casting. Written by Academy-Award winner Kenneth Lonergan, The Starry Messenger will also feature Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), Jim Norton (Father Ted), Rosalind Eleazar (Howard’s End), Jenny Galloway (Les Miserables, original casts of Oliver!, Mamma Mia! and Mary Poppins), Sinead Matthews, Sid Sagar and Joplin Sibtain. Sam Yates directs. The Starry Messenger runs for 13 weeks at the Wyndham’s Theatre, from 16 May.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong will return to London this Christmas. The Mischief Theatre production will run at the newly reopened Alexandra Palace Theatre before embarking on a UK tour. Peter Pan Goes Wrong will play in London from 13 December 2019 to 5 January 2020. Tickets are on sale today!

Ben Platt will perform at the Eventim Apollo for one night on 15 June. Promoting his new album, the Broadway star of Dear Evan Hansen is embarking on a world tour. He will perform in London with special guest James TW in June. Tickets are on sale today.

Ricky Gervais announces a stand-up show in London. The comedian will give an intimate performance at Jacksons Lane on 7 May, but only 150 tickets will be available–on sale today.

Survivor: The Destiny’s Child Musical is heading to the West End. After a premiere in Houston, Texas in 2020, the musical plans to run on Broadway and the West End.

ENO announces its 2019-2020 season, which includes four operas that deal with the Orpheus myth. The new season at English National Opera will feature classics like Rusalka, Carmen, The Marriage of Figaro, Madam Butterfly, and The Mikado. The ENO will also mount several operas inspired by the Orpheus myth (perhaps prompted by Hadestown?): Orpheus and Eurydice (Gluck), Orpheus in the Underworld (Offenbach), The Mask of Orpheus (Birtwistle), and Orphée (Glass).

All My Sons, starring Sally Field, Bill Pullman and Jenna Coleman, opened on Wednesday. The Arthur Miller classic plays at the Old Vic through 8 June.

Chizzy Adkudolu and Laura Baldwin will host the next Waitress karaoke night on 8 May.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical celebrated its first birthday on the West End. Congrats!

The Vaudeville theatre made history by staging a baby-friendly performance of Emilia on Wednesday. We hear there were more than 170 babies in attendance–as well as some very happy parents.

Winner of two Tony Awards, the hit Broadway musical Falsettos–a hilarious, poignant story about a modern family–is finally set to premiere in the UK! Besides that, we’ve got news about changes to the 2020 Olivier Awards and plenty of casting details for exciting new productions. Read on!

Falsettos will make its European premiere at The Other Palace this autumn. The multi-award winning Broadway musical by William Finn and James Lapine comes to London at last: for a run at The Other Palace from 30 August to 23 November. Details on cast and creative are still to come, and tickets are not yet on sale.

John Partridge, Declan Bennett and Andy Mientus will lead The View UpStairs, a new musical, at Soho Theatre. The View UpStairs tells the story of a young fashion designer who unknowingly buys an iconic 1970s gay bar in New Orleans. He decides to bring the bar–now a burned down, abandoned space–back to life. Written by Max Vernon, the musical enjoyed a successful Off-Broadway run and multiple productions in the U.S. and Australia. This will be its UK premiere. Also in the cast will be Cedric Neal, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Gary Lee, Joseph Prouse and Derek Hagen. Jonathan O’Boyle directs. The View UpStairs runs 18 July to 24 August.

Magic at the Musicals will feature performances from Six, Waitress, John Owen Jones and Louise Dearman, among others. The concert plays at the Royal Albert Hall on 10 May, with a 60-piece orchestra and a stellar line-up of stars from West End shows. Other musicals featured will be Aladdin, Jesus Christ Superstar, School of Rock, Come From Away, Fiddler on the Roof, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Tina, Matilda, The Lion King and Mamma Mia! Ruthie Henshall and Trevor Dion Nicholas will host the concert.

Kiln Theatre announces full casting for Samuel Adamson’s Wife. This story about four couples from four different generations centers on a production of Ibsen’s A Doll House. The world premiere, directed by Indhu Rubasingham, will star Richard Cant, Karen Fishwick, Pamela Hardman, Joshua James, Calam Lynch and Sirine Saba. Wife opens 4 June at the Kiln Theatre.

Education, Education, Education–a smash hit from acclaimed theatre company The Wardrobe Ensemble–will transfer to the West End this summer. An award-winning musical that takes place in a secondary school in 1997, Education, Education, Education will run at Trafalgar Studios for four weeks from 31 May to 29 June.

Scary Bikers extends at Trafalgar Studios. Starring John Godber and Jane Thornton, the comedy about two friends who bike across Europe is now booking until 4 May.

King’s Head Theatre will present two one-act plays by Tennessee Williams for its 2019 Queer Season. Directed by Jamie Armitage, Southern Belles unites two one-act plays by Williams: And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens and Something Unspoken. The double bill runs from 24 July to 24 August.

The 2020 Olivier Awards will look a little different. The Society of London Theatre has announced that, in the future, they will replace the Best Comedy and Best Entertainment or Family categories with two slightly altered categories: Best Comedy or Entertainment; and Best Family Show. The latter will be chosen by a panel of five adults (three of whom will be theatre professionals, and two of whom will be members of the general public) and five children.  The award for Outstanding Achievement in Music will now be known as Best Original Score or New Orchestrations.

Get ready to experience another breathtaking, gravity-defying performance from Cirque du Soleil when the troupe returns to London next year. Besides that, we’ve got casting news for some of this summer’s biggest productions, and a recap of the 2019 Olivier Awards!

Cirque du Soleil will bring Luzia to the Royal Albert Hall in 2020 for its European debut. Directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, Luzia features the sights and sounds of Mexico–performed by a troupe of acrobats, contortionists, jugglers and freestylers. Luzia marks Cirque du Soleil’s 30th anniversary performing in the UK, and runs at the Royal Albert Hall from 12 January 2020, with tickets going on sale soon.

Robert Tripolino and Richard Alfonso will lead the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Barbican, playing Jesus and Judas, respectively. They will be joined by Sallay Garnett as Mary, Matt Cardle as Pilate, Cavin Cornwall as Caiaphas and Nathan Amzi as Annas. Timothy Sheader will direct the production, which runs at the Barbican from 4 July to 24 August.

Samantha Pauly will play the lead role in Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Pauly has already starred as Eva Peron in two American productions of Evita. Joining her will be Broadway star Ektor Rivera as Juan Peron, Trent Saunders as Che and Francis Mayli MCCann as the Mistress. Jamie Lloyd directs, with the production running 2 August to 21 September.

Natalie Klamar, Francesca Henry and Arthur Hughes will lead the cast of Our Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this summer. Klamar will play Stage Manager, with Henry as Emily Webb and Hughes as George Gibbs. Other cast members include Karl Collins, Pandora Colin, Tom Edden, Thusitha Jayasundera and Nicola Sloane.

Mamma Mia! celebrated 20 years in the West End last Saturday. To commemorate the event, the musical brought back 13 Dynamos from its history to perform in a special finale number. Mamma Mia! is now booking until 7 March 2020–and you can buy tickets for Mamma Mia! the Party (happening this summer) now.

Rachel Bloom is coming to London for two performances at the London Palladium. The star and co-creator of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend will perform at the London Palladium on 2 and 3 June, accompanied by songwriter and music producer Adam Schlesinger. Her show will feature a mixture of songs and stand-up. Tickets are now on sale.

The Play That Goes Wrong extends until 3 May 2020. 

Stephen Mangan and Kara Tointon will star in The Man in the White Suit: a stage adaptation of the 1951 film. Directed by Sean Foley, The Man in the White Suit runs at Wyndham’s Theatre from 26 September to 11 January, with further casting to come.

Katherine Parkinson’s debut play Sitting will come to Arcola Theatre in April. The show ran for a month at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and will now play at London’s Arcola Theatre from 10 April to 11 May 2019. Sarah Bedi directs.

Pictures of Dorian Gray will play at the Jermyn Street Theatre in June, between runs in Scarborough and Oxford. An adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s novel by Lucy Shaw, Pictures of Dorian Gray features an ensemble cast directed by Tom Littler. The cast is comprised of Richard Keightley, Helen Reuben, Augustina Seymour and Stanton Wright.

Shakespeare’s Globe announces full casting for The Merry Wives of Windsor and Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair. Directed by Elle While, The Merry Wives of Windsor will star Pearce Quigley as Falstaff. The cast for both productions will include Hedydd Dylan, Sarah Finigan, Bryony Hannah, Richard Katz, Joshua Lacey, Forbes Masson, Anna Odeke, Jude Owusu, Anita Reynolds, Boadicea Ricketts, Dickon Tyrrell and Zach Wyatt. Blanche McIntrye directs Bartholomew Fair, which opens 23 August in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. The Merry Wives of Windsor opens 17 May in The Globe Theatre–and will be broadcast live on 20 June.

Ghost Stories extends at the Lyric Hammersmith. The production is now booking until 18 May 2019.

Did you watch the Olivier Awards? If you missed it, here are the big hitters:

Patti LuPone took home her third Olivier Award for her performance in Company. The production also won Best Musical Revival.

The Inheritance, Company, and Come From Away turned out to be the big winners of the night.

Come From Away scored four Olivier Awards–including Best New Musical.

Sharon D. Clarke won Best Actress in a Musical for Caroline, or Change, while Kobna Holdbrook-Smith won Best Actor in a Musical for Tina – The Tuna Turner Musical. In the play category, Kyle Soller won Best Actor for The Inheritance, while Patsy Ferran won Best Actress for Summer And Smoke.

Had a busy week? No problem! Catch up on everything you missed in the world of London theatre. We’ll wait.

Alex Jennings joins the cast of The Light in the Piazza. A three-time Olivier Award winner, Alex Jennings has appeared in The Crown as David, Duke of Windsor; in Victoria as King Leopold; and in The Lady in the Van as Alan Bennett–in addition to numerous other stage and screen credits. Jennings will play Signor Naccarelli–completing the cast of The Light in the Piazza‘s London premiere. The musical runs at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall from 14 June to 5 July. Tickets are on sale now!

Christine Prades will reprise her Broadway role as Gloria Estefan in the London production of On Your Feet! Philippa Stefani (In the Heights, Ghost, Sister Act) will play the role at certain performances. George Ioannides (Mamma Mia!, Annie) will play Emilio Estefan, with Madalena Alberto as Gloria Fajardo and Karen Mann as Consuelo. On Your Feet! makes its national premiere at the London Coliseum from 14 June.

Dear Evan Hansen tickets go on sale Monday. On April 8 (if you hurry), you’ll have the chance to buy tickets for the West End transfer of this Tony Award-winning (x6) Broadway hit. Dear Evan Hansen begins previews 29 October at the Noël Coward Theatre. Meanwhile, we’re still waiting on those casting details….

Katharine McPhee will give her final performance as Jenna on 15 June. No details yet on who will be taking over for her, but we know someone will, because Waitress just extended until 19 October.

Anna O’Byrne and Gary Tushaw will lead the UK premiere of Amour at Charing Cross Theatre. The production will also star Alasdair Harvey, Elissa Churchill, Claire Machin, Keith Ramsay, Steven Serlin, Alistair So and Daniel Stockton. A musical fantasy by multi-award winning composer Michel Legrand, Amour runs 2 May through 20 July.

Extensions, extensions….

Wicked is now booking until 23 May 2020. The show just released 470,000 new tickets to the public.

Thriller Live extends to April 2020. Now in its 11th year on the West End, the show continues to break records.

The Comedy About a Bank Robbery extends. Celebrating its third birthday on the West End, Mischief Theatre’s hilarious production is now booking until 3 May 2020.

Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] announces casting. Park Theatre’s production will star a different guest performer each night, in a scripted murder mystery for which the performer has not rehearsed and has not received a script or any direction. The performer’s only tool will be an earpiece through which they’ll receive instructions as they try to solve the mystery. Narrated by Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Judi Dench, Whodunnit will feature a stellar line-up of guest performers: Clive Anderson, Gillian Anderson, John Bishop, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke, Jim Broadbent, Simon Callow, Ronan Keating, Damian Lewis, Maureen Lipman, Joanna Lumley, Juliet Stevenson, Meera Syal, Catherine Tate, Tim Vine and Ruby Wax. Even more guest performers will be announced later!

Francesca Henry will star in Our Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. She recently made her professional stage debut in The Wolves at Stratford East. Directed by Ellen McDougall (who also directed The Wolves), Our Town will launch Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 2019 season on 16 May.

Soldier of Orange will make its UK premiere in a 360-degree theatre in 2020. A Dutch musical by Edwin de Vries, Tom Harriman and Phillips Oland, Soldier of Orange is based on the story of a WWII Dutch resistance fighter. The musical will be performed in English in a special 360-degree theatre (with a rotating seat platform), which will be built later this year.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ – The Musical will come to the Ambassadors Theatre starting 15 June. This feel-good musical about an intellectual yet misunderstood young teenager, based on the books by Sue Townsend, premiered at the Leicester Curve Theatre in 2015 before playing for six weeks at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2017. Casting is yet to be announced.

The Worst Witch will play in the West End for seven weeks this summer. Based on Emma Reeves’ children’s books, The Worst Witch tells the story of an accident-prone young witch simultaneously trying to pass her classes and save her future. The Worst Witch plays at London’s Vaudeville Theatre from 24 July to 8 September.

The Donmar Warehouse announces a new season. Under new artistic director Michael Longhurst, the new season will include David Grieg’s Europe, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Appropriate, Alice Birch’s [BLANK], Mike Lew’s Teenage Dick and Caryl Churchill’s Far Away.

Full casting is announced for Class. Making its London premiere at the Bush Theatre, Class will star Sarah Morris, Stephen Jones and Will O’Connell–all reprising their roles from the 2017 Dublin Theatre Festival production. Class tells the story of a struggling nine-year-old student and his parents, who must decide if they can trust their son’s teacher. Written by Iseult Golden and directed by David Horan, Class runs from 7 May to 1 June.

If you haven’t heard, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical‘s cast recording is out now! Who’s listening?

Trevor Nunn’s long anticipated Fiddler on the Roof opened this week on the West End! But that’s not the only news. We hear The Tina Turner Musical has found its new star. Read on for all the latest and greatest in the world of London Theatre.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical announces casting for its second year. From 15 April, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe will play Tina. Obi-Melekwe recently starred Off-Broadway in the new musical Alice by Heart. She’ll be making her West End debut in Tina.

Joining her will be Ashley Zhangazha (Ike Turner), Maria Omakinwa (Zelma), Aisha Jawando (sharing the role of Tina), Irene-Myrtle Forrester (GG), Howard Gossington (Phil Spector and Terry Britten), Francesca Jackson (Rhonda Graam), Ava Brennan (Alline Bullock), Jammy Kasongo (Richard Bullock and Raymond Hill), Edward Bourne (Erwin Back) and Oscar Batterham (Roger Davies). Meanwhile, current Tina Adrienne Warren is preparing to star in the show’s Broadway transfer.

The National Theatre announces a new season that includes the return of Brian Friel’s Translations. Ciaran Hinds, Seamus O’Hara and Judith Roddy will reprise their roles in Translations. The lineup of this year’s productions also includes Hansard, The Secret River, ‘Master Harold’… and the Boys, Jellyfish and Peter Gynt.

Bianca Del Rio will join Everybody’s Talking About Jamie from 6 May. The RuPaul’s Drag Race star will take on the role of Hugo/Ioco.

John Owen-Jones, Ben Forster, Rachel John and John Robyns are coming to West End Proms! Also joining them will be Jodie Steele, Jamie Muscato, Lauren Samuels and Marisha Wallace. Proms will feature music from shows like Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, The Greatest Showman, Wicked and Dear Evan Hansen–performed by a live orchestra and some of the biggest names on Broadway and the West End. The show plays in London 4 July and in Scarborough 5 July, with tickets on sale today.

Big, a new musical based on the 1988 film, will play the Dominion Theatre this autumn. Jay McGuiness, of boyband The Wanted, will star as Josh Baskin. He starred in the musical’s UK touring production from 2016, and can currently be seen in Rip It Up at the Garrick Theatre. Big runs from 6 September to 2 November.

Casting is announced for The Glass Menagerie at Arcola Theatre. Directed by Femi Elufowoju Jr. (The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives), the production will star Michael Abubakar, Lesley Ewen, Charlie Maher and Naima Swaleh. Set in an African American community, the production opens in Watford before coming to the Arcola Theatre in London from 23 May to 13 July.

Casting is also announced for the Arcola Theatre’s Hoard–starring Ellen Thomas (EastEnders). Also featured will be Elizabeth Ita (The Favourite), Emmanuella Cole (An Octoroon), Kemi Durosinmi (The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives) and Tyler Furose (Much Ado About Nothing). Femi Elufowoju Jr. directs this new play by Bim Adewunmi that runs from 15 May to 8 June.

Danielle Hope, Joe McElderry, Jamie Muscato and Marisha Wallace will give solo performances at The Other Palace. They’ll perform as part of the Sunday Favourites concert series in May and June.

Reviews are pouring in for Trevor Nunn’s Fiddler on the Roof, which just opened on the West End. And the critics appear to have only good things to say: praising Nunn’s directorial magic and the show’s intimacy and resonance. But if you go see it, just be warned–we hear it packs an emotional punch.

We waited patiently, and the theatre gods rewarded us. Finally, news about Frozen‘s London opening and lead casting for Joseph! Could this week get any more exciting? We don’t think so. Catch up on all the latest right here.

The West End transfer of Disney’s Frozen will open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in autumn 2020. The musical stage adaptation opened in 2018 on Broadway, and now it’s coming to London. Frozen will be the first show to play in the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which closed for renovation after 42nd Street. We’re still waiting on casting news, and we’re told tickets will go on sale soon.

Jac Yarrow will play the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium. Jac, 21, will make his professional stage debut in the role, having previously starred in Newsies at the Arts Educational School. What a way to make an entrance! Joseph runs from 27 June.

Jude, based on the classic novel Jude the Obscure, will get its world premiere at the Hampstead Theatre in April. With a cast led by Isabella Nefar, Anna Savva and Emily Taaffe, the play chronicles a woman’s journey to pursue an Oxford education, after she’s fired from her cleaning job. The cast also includes Paul Brennen, Merch Husey, Caroline Loncq, Luke MacGregor and Shanaya Rafaat. Written by Howard Brenton (Lawrence of Arabia, Anne Boleyn), Jude will be directed by Edward Hall, Hampstead Theatre’s Artistic Director. Jude runs from 23 April to 1 June.

Danny Mac and Dan Burton will star in White Christmas at the Dominion Theatre. Danny Mac (On the Town, Wicked, Legally Blonde) and Dan Burton (Jersey Boys, The Pajama Game, Chicago) will reprise their roles as Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, respectively. Further casting will be announced later. Directed by Nikolai Foster, with choreography by Olivier Award-winner Stephen Mear, White Christmas will run at the Dominion Theatre 15 November to 4 January. Tickets are on sale now.

Dinosaur World Live will play a seven-week season at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre starting 18 July.

Waitress will hold its next karaoke night on 10 April, with hosts to be announced.

Faye Tozer will play Miss Hedge in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. A Strictly Come Dancing runner-up and singer for the group Steps, she’s also starred in stage productions of Tell Me On A Sunday, The Tailor-Made Man and Rhinestone Mondays. Tozer will step into her new role starting 6 May.

Tom Hiddleston is getting rave reviews in Betrayal at the Pinter. Critics are calling the production “haunting,” “revelatory,” and “sexy.” No surprises there. Betrayal opened last Friday. Due to popular demand, it’s now extended until 8 June.

Can’t wait for Mary Poppins to return? Already got your tickets for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat? Then you’ll love the news this week! We’ve also got the deets for shows like Night of the Living Dead and The Illusionists. Extra, extra, read all about it!

Jason Donovan joins the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium. Donovan, who played the title role in the 1990s, returns to star as the Pharaoh–alongside the previously announced Sheridan Smith as the Narrator (both pictured above). For those of you shouting, “Tell me more, tell me more!” You can read all about the announcement here.

Petula Clark and Joseph Millson join the cast of Mary Poppins. Famed singer Petula Clark will play the Bird Woman, with stage and screen actor Joseph Millson as Mr. Banks. Mary Poppins touches down in the West End starting 23 October.

Louise Redknapp will join the cast of 9 to 5 from 25 March. She was previously scheduled to open the production, but had to delay her entrance due to injury.

A new Harry Potter cast is on the way in! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child welcomes its fourth West End cast starting 22 May. Michelle Gayle will play Hermione Granger, with Rayxia Oho as Rose Granger and Dominic Short as Albus Severus Potter. Other cast members, including Jamie Ballard as Harry Potter, Thomas Aldrigde as Ron Weasley and Jonathan Case as Scorpius Malfoy, will continue in their current roles.

Andrew Scott will star in Present Laughter at the Old Vic. The Olivier Award winner and Sherlock star will play Garry Essendine in Noël Coward’s classic comedy. Sophie Thompson and Luke Thallon (The Inheritance) will also feature, alongside Suzie Toase and Indira Varma. The Old Vic’s artistic director Matthew Warchus will direct this production, which runs 17 June to 10 August.

The Illusionists, which returns to the West End this summer, will feature magicians James More, Enzo, Yu Ho-Jin, Adam Trent, Chris Cox, Paul Dabek and Jonathan Goodwin. The show runs at the Shaftesbury from 6 July to 1 September.

Magic Mike Live extends into January 2020. The show is now booking until 5 January 2020.

Night of the Living Dead announces full casting. Directed by Benji Sperring, the production will star Ashley Samuels, Jennifer Harding, Marc Pickering, Mari McGinlay, Mike Bodie and Tama Phethean. The production runs at Pleasance Theatre from 9 April to 19 May.

Louise Jameson and Thomas Mahy will reprise their roles in Vincent River when it transfers to Trafalgar Studios. Directed by Robert Chevara, Philip Ridley’s Vincent River played an acclaimed run at Park Theatre in 2018. It comes to Trafalgar Studios from 16 May to 22 June.

Peter Polycarpou joins Man of La Mancha at the London Coliseum. Known for his roles in the original productions of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, he’s also starred as the title character in The Phantom of the Opera. He’ll play Sancha Panza in the production running from 26 April.

Jennlee Shallow and Alexandra Burke will share the role of Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard. Joining them in the production at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre will be Benoît Maréchal, Micha Richardson, Peter Landi, Craig Berry, Gary Turner, Phil Atkinson and Simon Cotton. Alexandra Burke has already played Rachel Marron in the show’s West End run and tour. The Bodyguard runs 25 June to 6 July.

The Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending announces full casting. Directed by Tamara Harvey, the production will star Jemima Rooper, Hattie Morahan and Seth Numrich. Also featured will be Catrin Aaron, Michael Geary, Valentine Hanson, Jenny Livsey, Laura Jane Matthewson, Mark Meadows, Ifan Meredith, Ian Porter, Carol Royle and Carrie Quinlan. Orpheus Descending runs from 9 May to 6 July.

Michele Austin, Danny Kirrane, Tobias Menzies and Howard Ward will lead The Hunt at Almeida Theatre. Directed by Almeida’s Artistic Director Rupert Goold, David Farr’s The Hunt is based on a Danish film thriller. Further casting will come soon.

Jack McBrayer and Lucy Horobin will host the next Waitress karaoke night on 18 March. Get ready to belt your hearts out!