West End Plays: West End News - West End Tickets 2021

Lenny Henry To Host 2015 Olivier Awards

Douglas Mayo25th February 201613th March 2015 Events, News, West End

Lenny Henry will host the 2015 Olivier Awards to be held at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden

It has just been announced that Lenny Henry will host the 2015 Olivier Awards in a ceremony to be held at the Royal Opera House on Sunday April 12. A celebrated comedian and performer for many years, Henry made his West End stage debut in 2003, receiving great acclaim for his performance in So Much Things To Say at Wyndham’s Theatre. Since then, he has gone on to have many notable stage roles, including the title role in the Northern Broadsides production of Othello, which toured the UK and had a successful run at London’s Trafalgar Studios. He returned to Shakespeare in 2011 taking to the stage at the National Theatre’s Olivier auditorium in the role of Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy Of Errors. In 2013 he won Best Actor at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for his portrayal of Troy Maxson in Fences. Most recently, he starred in … Read more

Billy Elliot – 40 Billys and 10 Years Later…

Douglas Mayo25th February 201611th March 2015 News, West End

Thomas Hazelby joins the cast of Billy Elliot to play the show's 40th Billy

As Billy Elliot celebrates 10 years in London, Thomas Hazelby from Doncaster becomes the fortieth boy to play the title role in the award-winning musical. Ten year old Thomas Hazelby said: “I am 10 years old and I live with my mum, dad and sister Maya in Doncaster. I started dancing at the age of three at my mum’s dance school, Hazelbiz Performers Academy. I was lucky enough to win my first national award when I was five years old at the British Championships. Before auditioning for Billy Elliot I trained with Miss Hatton on the Royal Ballet School Associate programme. The best day of my life was when I was offered the role of Billy Elliot. My favourite hobby is football, and I support Manchester United. Before joining Billy, I played for South Kirby Knights FC as well as for the Norton Junior school cricket team. I would like … Read more

Top 10 New Plays In The West End 10 March 2015

Stephen Collins1st October 201810th March 2015 News, Reviews, West End

What Play should you see first in London? We have compiled this list to save you the trouble of working it out! It’s just our view – and everyone has one – based on our Reviewers’ thoughts. We will update the list regularly so new productions get on your radar and when original casts change that is factored in. Plays which have been running for more than three years are not included – this is a list for new or relatively new productions running in London. So go see them! 1. A View From The Bridge At the centre of the maelstrom of human experience that whips up and around and in Jan Versweyveld’s spare set is the towering, mesmerising and faultless turn from Mark Strong. Lean, muscular, a volcano approaching breaking point, Strong’s extraordinary Eddie is a once-in-a-generation performance. Read Our Review | Book Tickets 2. Taken at Midnight … Read more

REVIEW: Be Bop A Lula, Ambassador’s Theatre ✭✭✭

Douglas Mayo25th February 201610th March 2015 Reviews, Touring, West End

Be Bop A Lula Ambassadors Theatre London

Be Bop A Lula is a well-staged concert, to expect anything more would invite disappointment. What you will get from Be Bop A Lula is an evening of great music, delivered by an ensemble of performers with a love of the material that ensures it is performed with the love, care and respect that great Rock And Roll deserves.

Olivier Awards 2015 – Nominations Announced

Douglas Mayo25th February 20169th March 2015 Events, Features, News, West End

James McAvoy to co-host the 2015 Olivier Award nominations

The nominations for the 2015 Olivier Awards were announced today by James McAvoy and Lesley Manville. The awards ceremony will take place at the Royal Opera House on April 12, 2015. FULL NOMINATIONS LIST FOR THE OLIVIER AWARDS 2015 WITH MASTERCARD BEST REVIVAL A View From The Bridge at Young Vic & Wyndham’s Theatre A Streetcar Named Desire at Young Vic The Crucible at Old Vic My Night With Reg at Donmar Warehouse & Apollo Theatre Skylight at Wyndham’s Theatre BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE David Calder for The Nether at Duke of York’s Theatre Richard Goulding for King Charles III at Almeida Theatre & Wyndham’s Theatre John Light for Taken At Midnight at Theatre Royal Haymarket Nathaniel Parker for Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies at Aldwych Theatre BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Phoebe Fox for A View From The Bridge at Young Vic & Wyndham’s … Read more

Bad Jews Poster Censored By London Underground

Douglas Mayo25th February 20166th March 2015 News, West End

London Underground has banned a poster for the play Bad Jews after it was ruled it may cause “widespread or serious offence“. The poster advertises the West End transfer of the production which was a success at the St James Theatre. The poster contains the name of the show, three cast members fighting and some press quotes. Producer Danny Moar said the decision was ‘a form of censorship‘ – possibly driven by the mistaken belief the show was anti-Semitic. He told the London Evening Standard: ‘Half the cast are Jewish, I’m Jewish, the writer [Joshua Harmon] is Jewish and the word “bad” in the title, in so far as it matters, doesn’t mean “evil” — it means “non-observant”. ‘This is a form of censorship which is so weird and ironic when, in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo events, everyone marched against censorship.’ A Transport of London spokesperson said the … Read more

Top 10 New Musicals In The West End 6 March 2015

Stephen Collins6th March 2015 Features, News, West End

Katie Brayben plays carole King in Beautiful at London's Aldwych Theatre

What Musical should you see first in London? We have compiled this list to save you the trouble of working it out! It’s just our view – and everyone has one – based on our Reviewers’ thoughts. We will update the list regularly so new productions get on your radar and when original casts change that is factored in. Plays which have been running for more than three years are not included – this is a list for new or relatively new productions running in London. So go see them! 1. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical The throbbing, majestic and luminous heart of this production comes from Katie Brayben’s faultless, radiant and absolutely triumphant turn as Carole King. Brayben recreates the feel, the sound, the look of Carole King in a completely authentic and resonant way – she feels like the natural woman. Read our review | Book Tickets for … Read more

REVIEW: Dara, Lyttleton Theatre ✭✭✭

Stephen Collins5th March 2015 Reviews, West End

The vision that Fall and Ronder and their team have for Dara is as grand and awesome as the Taj Mahal itself. Lindsay’s wonderful set uses the full length, breadth and height of the Lytleton’s vast space. A series of beautifully patterned screens is employed, moving in constantly changing configurations across and above the stage, giving a truly exotic sense to proceedings. The kaleidoscope of activity, images and designs is visually intoxicating.