Jennifer Saunders returns to the West End production of Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit
Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Lee Dean and Jonathan Church Theatre Productions are delighted to announce the West End return of Noël Coward’s classic comedy Blithe Spirit, directed by Sir Richard Eyre and starring Jennifer Saunders.
After celebrating a sell-out run at Theatre Royal Bath as part of its 2019 Summer season, a UK tour and a short run in London of just 12 performances before the country’s first lockdown curtailed its six-week run at the Duke of York’s Theatre in March 2020, this production now returns to the West End for 8 weeks from Thursday 16 September at the Harold Pinter Theatre.
Jennifer Saunders, one of the UK’s most popular comic actors, will revive her role as the preposterous clairvoyant Madame Arcati. She is joined by original cast members Geoffrey Streatfeild who will star as Charles Condomine, Lisa Dillon as Ruth Condomine, Simon Coates as Dr Bradman, Lucy Robinson as Mrs Bradman, and Rose Wardlaw as Edith. The production brings together a distinguished and multi-award-winning creative team, directed by former National Theatre director Sir Richard Eyre with design by Anthony Ward, lighting by Howard Harrison, sound by John Leonard and illusions by Paul Kieve.
Written in 1941, Coward’s inventive, witty and meticulously engineered comedy proved light relief and a popular distraction at the height of World War II when it was first staged. The show had a record-breaking run in the West End and on Broadway and remains one of the playwright’s most popular works.
Novelist Charles Condomine and his second wife Ruth are literally haunted by a past relationship when an eccentric medium inadvertently conjures up the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, at a séance. When she appears, visible only to Charles, and determined to sabotage his current marriage, life – and the afterlife – get complicated.
With a distinguished creative team who have won a plethora of awards between them, this is a Blithe Spirt full of sparkling and spirit-lifting hijinks. Get your tickets to see this iconic show below.
Cast announced for Heathers The Musical
Greetings, salutations and welcome to the West End 2021 class of Westerberg High.
Leading the cast in the highly celebrated return of Heathers the Musical in the West End is Christina Bennington (Bat Out Of Hell) in the role of high school geek Veronica Sawyer and Jordan Luke Gage (& Juliet) as the dark and moody teen, Jason Dean (JD).
Check out the video above and read our full story below to find all the latest details.
Related Article: Cast announced for Heathers The Musical
Public Domain releases brand new production images
Public Domain is a dark, funny, verbatim musical about the internet: Those who own it; those who live in it; and YOU!
Yesterday night, Kayley and Natalie from the Official London Theatre team went to check it out at the Vaudeville Theatre and described their #BackOnStage experience as “a really clever concept and original idea for a new musical.”
Swipe through the amazing new production shots above and read all about our experience in the story below!
Related Article: Our trip to Public Domain at Vaudeville Theatre
UK PREMIERE Wild Card: Christopher Matthews / formed view my body’s an exhibition at Sadler’s Wells
Choreographer and performance artist Christopher Matthews curates my body’s an exhibition at Sadler’s Wells on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 June. In this immersive event, multidisciplinary installations are scattered throughout the building in the foyers, studios, stages and backstage spaces, and explore themes of gender, class structure, intersections of the classical and contemporary, icon vs self and pop culture.
my body’s an exhibition presents over 22 works by international performance makers and artists in the form of video, photography, collage, sound, light, text and live movement installations.
Taking the Janet Jackson lyrics “my body’s an exhibition baby” from the song Feedback (2008) as inspiration, audiences are invited to explore the role of the spectator when observing the body as an object, as well as how bodies are seen, and what it means to be seen. Alongside this, Matthews asks how history and popular culture collide, or coincide.
The event includes the world premiere of Matthews’ own work My Body’s Number 1 as well as his work for gallery spaces, Lads. The event will also include a new work by Matthews, inspired by Sadler’s Wells’ history in pop culture. Additional contributing artists include Phoebe Berglund, Bhenji Ra, Fenia Kotsopoulou, John Philip Sage, Songhay Toldon, Nasheeka Nedsreal and Myrid Carten, all of whom will be making their Sadler’s Wells debut.
Paul Chowdhry joins Regent’s Park MoreOutdoor series
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre have announced that Paul Chowdhry is joining this year’s MOREoutdoor comedy line up. Other acts previously announced including Luisa Omielan, Aisling Bea, Jimmy Carr and Canned Laughter present a comedy fundraiser in support of the Trussell Trust featuring Lolly Adefope, Kemah Bob, Jen Brister, Bridget Christie, Ed Gamble, Rosie Jones, Jamali Maddix, Rose Matafeo, Mawaan Rizwan, and Suzi Ruffell.
MOREoutdoor events also include a 20th anniversary screening of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and a screening of The Shining both presented by The Luna Cinema.
Paul Chowdhry (18 July) is a multi-award winning comedy powerhouse, known for his Amazon Prime special Live Innit as well as Taskmaster and Live at the Apollo. He comes to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre for a night of new heavy jokes.
Luisa Omielan, (04 July) who brings her show God is a Woman to Regent’s Park, is the first British comedian to ever receive a BAFTA Breakthrough Award for comedy. She is known for her ground-breaking shows which are uplifting, thought provoking, ahead-of-the-times and damn funny. Cry your eyes out funny. Her past shows include What Would Beyoncé Do?!, Am I Right Ladies?! and Politics for Bitches which was adapted into a six part series for BBC Radio 4.
Aisling Bea (04 July) is an award winning writer comedian and actor known for her appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats, Netflix’s Living With Yourself and her Channel 4 sitcom This Way Up. She will be celebrating the 4th July at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre by playing around with some new and old material and inviting some of her exciting American friends to join her! A proportion of the profits from this show will be donated to Refuge – providing specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
Jimmy Carr (11 July) is one of Britain’s best known comedians, hosting 8 Out of 10 Cats and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. He brings his trademark black comedy to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre with his show, Terribly Funny.
Be sure to use #BackOnStage when sharing your theatre experiences so that we can support and celebrate all the amazing shows!