The London West End Thread

[George Addison]

I thought we could have a thread for this, for the benefit of @BillCipher, @chrispepper, and any of us who share an interest for the stage? Everyone is welcome to post theatrical news from any country; I'll start with some West End updates from my adoption home, and let's see if this works.

Eileen Atkins, whose play VITA AND VIRGINIA is being made into a film this year, she's coming to the Wyndham's this Autumn with The Height of the Storm, Florian Zeller's new play after the triumph of THE FATHER, which has been performed in several countries (Molière for Robert Hirsch, Olivier for Kenneth Cranham, Tony for Frank Langella) and loosely adapted into Jean Rochefort's final leading man film vehicle, FLORIDE. Her co-star is Jonathan Pryce.

Yesterday, Ian McKellen has announced his reprising his legendary Lear at the Duke of York's in July:

I've seen the 2007 production (cast included Romola Garai and Frances Barber, among others) which was released in DVD and got him nominated for an Emmy. But I won't mind seeing it again. Other Summer treats:

Mark Rylance will play Iago next to MOONLIGHT's André Holland making his West End debut as the title role in the Globe's production of OTHELLO. I already have the tickets for my 8th date with the first, since it's nice for him to pop in every year (or 2), so that we can say: "Oh, hi, Mark".

Alfred Molina is reprising his towering portrayal of the artist Rothko in a revival of John Logan's RED. I saw it at the Donmar in 2009, and that was my introduction to his co-star Eddie Redmayne. Felt Fred owned the play from start to finish, and was really surprised to see the other guy getting Olivier and Tony in it. But then I began to know the man better, put 2 and 2 together and become aware of him hitting the campaign trail since there, appearing in videos for Gold Derby and a forming a lasting friendship with Tom O'Neil. Anyway, he's replaced by Alfie Enoch, this time around.

And POLDARK's Aidan Turner is being directed by Michael Grandage in Martin McDonagh's play THE LIEUTENANT OF IRISHMORE. Curious to finally see how the latter fares as a playwright, since I found his way of writing film characters often quite lacking.

Ok, I guess it's a good first round of news to get warmed up?

[haqyunus]

There is already thread for it. But, I guess, this is fine too.

[George Addison]

There is already thread for it. But, I guess, this is fine too.

Thanks, I didn't know. But this is slightly different, so they can both work for different purposes.

[haqyunus]

Thanks, I didn't know. But this is slightly different, so they can both work for different purposes.

How is that different?

[George Addison]

How is that different?

This is about updates, the other looks to be more about discussion (and not too frequently updated).

[haqyunus]

This is about updates, the other looks to be more about discussion (and not too frequently updated).

It was about both: news and discussion, just like this one will be. 'Not being frequently updated' is irrelevant in this context, as you could have updated that one too.

[George Addison]

It was about both: news and discussion, just like this one will be. 'Not being frequently updated' is irrelevant in this context, as you could have updated that one too.

Ok, fine. Anyway, if we update this more often, with both news and criticism, this will just be the first of many ones, just like for the film news. So, it won't be a problem if there's already a new one.

[BillCipher]

I would LOVE to see Rylance's Iago!
Thanks for posting George!

[George Addison]

I would LOVE to see Rylance's Iago!
Thanks for posting George!

You're welcome. Who knows, maybe they bring it to Broadway since it also has an American Othello.

[Eduardo Zuckerberg]

I think the point haqy is making is that a thread like this already exists and should have been updated instead. Thus, this thread is irrelevant and will probably get closed.

[George Addison]

[24Emmy]

Tom Hanks Will Mine Falstaff In L.A. ‘Henry IV’ Staging; Rita Wilson Also Stars

Forrest Gump as Sir John Sack-and-Sugar? Believe it. Tom Hanks is set to make his L.A. stage debut in Henry IV, which the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles will raise the curtain on in June. Rita Wilson also will star, but her role wasn’t revealed.

Daniel Sullivan, who won a Tony for directing 2000’s Proof and has been nominated five other times, will direct Henry IV. The show is set to open June and run for two dozen performances through July 1 outdoors at the Japanese garden on the Veterans Affairs campus near UCLA.

[George Addison]

Tom Hanks Will Mine Falstaff In L.A. ‘Henry IV’ Staging; Rita Wilson Also Stars

Interesting. And it looks like the soon to be Oscarized Oldman is also planning a rentrée:

Gary Oldman hints at West End return in Terence Rattigan Play

The current Oscar Wilde season in the West End continues with the return of Edward Fox opposite his son Freddie Fox

As for Romola Garai's new leading role...

[Alvy Singer]

Can a mod merge this into Random Theatre Thoughts? This is getting v. confusing.

[Eduardo Zuckerberg]

It's George addison's fault. Stubborn is as stubborn does.

[George Addison]

@BillCipher, @chrispepper. @haqyunus, @Alvy Singer, and everyone else who has some interest in this:

since this is thread is proving more controversial than I imagined, maybe I could change it to the West End thread, since Broadway has its one beyond the Random Thoughts one?

Just to sort this out for good.

[George Addison]

Ok, due to polemics, I changed this from a thread about updates about a theatre in general to a specific one for the West End, the perfect counterpart of the Broadway one. So, only London-related news here, from now on:

This may not be the same as doing Lear, but nothing stops this woman any longer now that the passion has returned.

[24Emmy]

Sally Field, Bill Pullman Set London Stage Debuts in ‘All My Sons’

Hollywood stars Sally Field and Bill Pullman are set to make their London stage debuts in a new production of Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons.” The pair will headline a spring 2019 production at London’s Old Vic Theatre.

Field and Pullman will star as Kate and Joe Keller, an American couple who, despite hard choices and even harder knocks, are a success story, having built a home, raised two more sons and established a thriving business. Set in 1947, the story sees the Kellers’ lives about to be shattered. With the return of a figure from the past, long-buried truths surface and the price of their American dream is laid bare.

Wish it was Broadway though.

[George Addison]

Sally Field, Bill Pullman Set London Stage Debuts in ‘All My Sons’





Wish it was Broadway though.

The two stars are Americans, so they'll come there after that, maybe?

Really want to see Field in the part; I saw one production of the play a few years ago with David Suchet and Zoe Wanamaker, and they were both excellent. I'm also curious to see what Pullman does with the role; I know he's been very active on Broadway over the last few years. I've seen very little of him in film, as of lately.

Interesting daily announcement:

Peter Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio is getting turned into a stage production

Wonder if Jones might reprise his role. He was seen on the West End at the beginning of the year in THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.

[Andy Hall]

I saw The Humans when I was in London a couple weekends ago and found it ... incredibly overrated? The actresses who played the two daughters were insufferable.