Matthew Dunster

Hangmen Proves To Be Financial Success

News, West End
Hangmen Tickets Now On Sale

Producers  have revealed that Matthew Dunster’s production of Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen has recouped in under six weeks. The news comes as the production is announced the winner of the Critic’s Circle ‘Best New Play’ and ‘Best Design’ Awards. Read our 5 star review of Hangmen. Following a sell out run at the Royal Court Theatre, Matthew Dunster’s production of Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen transferred to the West End’s Wyndham’s Theatre for a strictly limited season in December ending on 5 March. Matthew Byam Shaw, Producer for Playful Productions, said, “No-one expected a play about public lynchings to go wild at the box office over Christmas, but Hangmen is so entertaining and unique, the public has decided that this is the new play to see.” Lucy Davies, Exec Producer at the Royal Court said, “We programmed this play at the Royal Court in May, opened it to sold out houses in September, … Read more

Shakespeare’s Globe Announces First Season Under Emma Rice

News, Touring, West End
Emma Rice - Artistic Director Shakespeare's Globe

Shakespeare’s Globe today announced Emma Rice’s inaugural season as Artistic Director which will be entitled the Wonder Season. The season will comprise A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming Of The Shrew, Macbeth, 946 The Amazing Story Of Adolphus Tips and Imogen, whilst Jonathan Munby’s The Merchant Of Venice starring Jonathan Pryce will open at the Liverpool Playhouse, tour nationally and internationally and return to the Globe stage in October. The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse will host a touring production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Kneehigh’s The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk. Designer Les Brotherston will install a magical forest which will spill from the piazza onto London’s Bankside welcoming everyone to the Globe’s season of Wonder. A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Emma Rice will play from 30 April – 11 September, Caroline Byrne’s The Taming Of The Shrew will play from 13 May – 6 August, and Macbeth will … Read more

Hangmen Transfers to Wyndhams Theatre

News
Hangmen Martin McDonagh

It has been announced that Hangmen by Martin McDonagh will transfer to the Wyndham’s Theatre previewing from the 1st December 2015. The production transfers following a sell-out season at the Royal Court Theatre. In his small pub in Oldham, Harry is something of a local celebrity. But what’s the second-best hangman in England to do on the day they’ve abolished hanging? Amongst the cub reporters and sycophantic pub regulars dying to hear Harry’s reaction to the news, a peculiar stranger lurks, with a very different motive for his visit. After a decade-long absence from the London stage McDonagh returned to the Royal Court Theatre with Hangmen in September 2015 to critical and public acclaim, with tickets selling out for the production’s entire run. Original cast members David Morrissey and Johnny Flynn will reprise their roles for the transfer, performances which were heralded at the Royal Court Theatre. Producer Robert Fox … Read more

REVIEW: The Seagull, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ✭✭✭✭

Reviews, West End
The Seagull at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Betts’ adaptation (re-imagining is perhaps more accurate) certainly tries to evoke the same effect Chekhov must have had on his original audiences. There is a robust modernity about the language which makes the situations and characters instantly understandable, relatable and recognisable. This comes at a real cost to the lyricism that Chekhov penned, but, in the end, the clarity of the understanding is worth it. For some, no doubt, the text will be too coarse, too vulgar – but it distils the essence of Chekhov’s intent in a coherent and tangible way.

REVIEW: Love’s Sacrifice, The Swan Theatre ✭✭

Regional, Reviews
Love's Sacrifice at the Swan Theatre

Despite a delicious design from Anna Fleischle (the black velvet floor and beautifully detailed costumes especially) and some winning, often charming, performances from Catrin Stewart, Jamie Thomas King, Andy Apollo, Colin Ryan and Matthew Needham, Dunster’s production does not establish any case for Love’s Sacrifice to be revived.