Bob Marley musical to open at Lyric Shaftesbury – Get Up Stand Up
The brand new Bob Marley musical Get Up Stand Up is to open at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue in October 2021. Tickets are now on sale.
Lee Hall
Cats Movie Casting Announced
Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, Taylor Swift and Sir Ian McKellen are to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats movie musical. Working Title and Universal have confirmed that Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, James Corden and Sir Ian McKellen are to star in the Cats movie musical to be directed by Les Miserasbles director Tom Hooper. Cats is based on T S Eliot’s poetry which featured in The Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats. Hooper has been preparing the Cats movie musical for the past few years. The film is adapted by Billy Elliot’s Lee Hall. Cats the musical is Broadway’s fourth longest-running musical and the West End’s sixth longest-running musical. It is estimated to have grossed more than $USD 340 million to date and has been translated into more than 20 languages. Cats on stage featured direction by Trevor Nunn, iconic choreography by Gillian Lynne and design by John Napier.
REVIEW: Network, Lyttelton, National Theatre ✭✭✭✭✭
Paul T Davies reviews Lee Hall’s adaptation of Network starring Bryan Cranston, Douglas Henshall and Michelle Dockery at the National Theatre.
Douglas Henshall joins Bryan Cranston and Michelle Dockery in Network
The National Theatre have announced that Douglas Henshall will play Max Schumacher in the world premiere of Network – Lee Hall’s new adaptation of the Oscar-winning film by Paddy Chayefsky. Henshall joins Tony Award winner Bryan Cranston as Howard Beale and Michelle Dockery as Diana Christenson. Network will be directed by Ivo Van Hove. Howard Beale, news anchor-man, isn’t pulling in the viewers. In his final broadcast he unravels live on screen. But when the ratings soar, the network seizes on their new found populist prophet, and Howard becomes the biggest thing on TV. Network depicts a dystopian media landscape where opinion trumps fact. Hilarious and horrifying by turns, the iconic film by Paddy Chayefsky won four Academy Awards in 1976. Network will have set and lighting design by Jan Versweyveld, video design by Tal Yarden, costume design by An D’Huys, music and sound design by Eric Sleichim. A very … Read more
Top 100 Greatest Musicals Poll – Number 7 – Billy Elliot
It’s not often that a British film captures the imagination of the world but Billy Elliot did just that. Released in 2000 the film was a sensation worldwide thanks to its honesty, sincerity and humour. The story of a boy who favoured ballet shoes over boxing gloves, it was set against the background of the UK Miner’s strike. Billy Elliot features music by Elton John with book and lyrics by Lee Hall who had also written the film’s screenplay. The production was directed by Stephen Daldry and choreographed by Peter Darling. Billy Elliot premiered at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre in May 2005, having abandoned plans to open in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Billy Elliot played 4600 performances in London and is now undergoing its first UK national tour. Further productions opened in Australia in 2007 and on Broadway in 2008. In Australia, the show won seven Helpmann Awards including Best Musical … Read more
REVIEW: Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour, National Theatre ✭✭✭✭
Be warned, this is not a night at the theatre for the prissy or faint-hearted, the “Ladies” swear like sailors and the subject matter here is at times more like pornography, but that aside its one hell of a tale.
Billy Elliot’s Final Victoria Palace Performance
After 4600 performances, Billy Elliot the musical played its last performance on Saturday night (9 April 2016) at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre. The theatre will now undergo a major renovation. The sold out performance had 1530 people on their feet during the curtain call which in true Billy Elliot style included past and present Billy Elliots and members of the show’s creative team. 32 Billy Elliots appeared in the curtain call (the most onstage ever), 24 past Michaels and 18 past Debbies as well as several adult members of the original company. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, Billy Elliot the Musical has won more than 80 theatre awards and has now been seen by nearly 5.4 million people in London, while globally it has been seen by almost 11 million. Over the eleven year run in the West End, the Victoria Palace Theatre was home to 531 young performers … Read more
Billy Elliott Announces West End Closure
Producers have announced that after 4600 performances, Billy Elliot will close at the Victoria Palace Theatre on 9 April 2016 to allow for planned theatre refurbishments. The closure will co-incide with the shows eleventh birthday, with the show having been seen by over 5.25 million people in London and nearly 11 million people worldwide. Billy Elliot has grossed over $800 million worldwide and is the winner of over 80 theatre awards internationally. Based on the Oscar nominated film released in 2000 and set in a northern mining town against the background of the 1984/’85 miners’ strike, Billy’s journey takes him out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever. Elton John said: “I’ve said it before and it still remains true, Billy Elliot has been one of the most rewarding … Read more
