Larry Lamb News

The Drive Project have recruited actors and celebrities Ray Winstone, Joanna Lumley, Clare Balding, Larry Lamb, Michelle Collins, Hugh Bonneville, Ray Fearon, Olivia Poulet, Nick Knowles, Robert Rinder, Richard Wilson, and Matt Barber to join veterans and business leaders to appear in 3 short films to raise awareness of the Veterans Work Campaign.

Read all about it! Following a wildly successful run at the Almeida in the summer, James Graham's first of three new plays for 2017 has transferred to London's West End for a limited run at the Duke of York's Theatre. It will soon have Labour of Love as a close neighbour on St Martin's Lane, and Quiz will make its debut at Chichester later in the year.

Fleet Street. 1969. The Sun rises. James Graham's ruthless, red-topped new play Ink leads with the birth of this country's most influential newspaper - when a young and rebellious Rupert Murdoch asked the impossible and launched its first editor's quest, against all odds, to give the people what they want.

James Graham's portrait of Seventies politics, This House, recently enjoyed a West End outing, and his latest epic venture into Britain's past may well follow suit. If slightly weighed down by detailed research, it's still a riveting depiction of the birth of The Sun as we know it, and the revolution it signalled in the way we tell our national story.

Last night (9 February 2016) was Carole King's birthday and at the Aldwych Theatre the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winningBeautiful - The Carole King Musical celebrated its second birthday in the West End. 

Over the past eleven years family-run pantomime producers, Evolution Productions have built up a reputation for being the UK's number-one creators of bespoke high-quality pantos. The 2016 line up does nothing to disprove this.  The company, which is run by husband and wife team, former TV presenter Paul Hendy and Oxford graduate and former film production manager Emily Wood, will be presenting a festive banquet of seasonal shows across the country from then end of November 2016 to mid-January 2017.  The line up comprises Dick Whttington starring Stephen Mulhern (ITV's Catchphrase, Big Star Little Star) as Billy at The Marlowe in Canterbury, Peter Pan starring Emma Barton (Honey Mitchell - Eastenders) as Tinkerbell and Shaun Williamson(Barry Evans - Eastenders and himself in Extras) at The Hawth in Croydon, Sleeping Beauty at Lichfied Garrick Theatre starring Rebecca Keatley (CBeebies) as Fairy Moonbeam and the great dame himself Sam Rabone as Nurse Nellie, Snow White at The Lyceum Theatre Sheffield starring Wendi Peters (Coronation Street - Cilla Battersby- Brown) and Phil Gallagher(CBeebies - Mister Maker), Snow White at The Alban Arena St Albans starring Rita Simons(Eastenders - Roxy Mitchell) and Ian Kirkby (Dick & Dom In Da Bungalow), Cinderella at Theatre Severn Shrewsbury with panto favourite Brad Pitt and Peter Pan at the Octagon Theatre Yeovill starring supervillain Andrew Fettes as Captain Hook. 

Actor Adam Gillen's credits include A Taste of Honey at the Royal Exchange Theatre, The School for Scandal at the Barbican and the RSC's Wendy and Peter, as well as TV hits Fresh Meat and Benidorm. He's currently starring as Mozart, opposite Lucian Msamati as rival composer Salieri, in the National Theatre revival of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, which begins previews later this month.

As the curtain falls on the 2015-16 pantomime season, Evolution Productions announce record-breaking figures, demonstrating beyond doubt that the pantomime renaissance has come of age.  With The Marlowe Theatre leading the way with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs playing at 99.06% capacity with the number of tickets sold a stunning 95,685 (nearly double the city's population), box office figures over their seven shows across the country came in at 91% attendance, an increase across the board of 10.3% in financial terms on the previous year.

On Monday 23 November, The National Youth Theatre hosted a fundraising gala 'Stars and Stripes Thanksgiving Feast' at The Bloomsbury Hotel, attended by current NYT performers, past alumni and VIP guests. The event raised more than £80k which will continue to support The National Youth Theatre's ongoing projects. Scroll down for photos from the evening!

The UK's most successful family run pantomime production company, Evolution Productions has announced its line up of bespoke high quality Christmas shows for 2014. The company, which is run by husband and wife team, former TV presenter Paul Hendy and Oxford graduate and former cinema commercial production manager Emily Wood, will be presenting a lucky seven of the best pantomimes across the country from then end of November 2014 to mid-January 2015.

West End veteran Michael Ball will be the next star to join the cast of SPAMALOT, beginning tonight at the Playhouse Theatre, as 'God' on screen. Past participants have included Hugh Bonneville, Bradley Walsh, Barbara Windsor, Simon Callow, Christopher Biggins, Michael Palin, Larry Lamb, and Brian May, who have taken part in the 'The Summer of Charity Spamalot Gods (in 2D).' All play 'God' on screen during Spamalot for a week at a time, with money being donated to their nominated charities.

Monty Python legend Michael Palin has decided to 'fart in the general direction' of fellow Python legend, Eric Idle, when he appears as God on screen in Monty Python's Spamalot, this summer at The Playhouse Theatre to raise money for charity. At the same time, the show has now announced that it is extending its current run until 8th February 2014.

The West End revival of The Pride by Alexi Kaye Campbell and directed by Jamie Lloyd celebrated its press night on August 13, 2013 at the Trafalgar Studios. BroadwayWorld has photos of the stars at the premiere below!

Comedian and actor Les Dennis will be reunited with his Life's Too Short co-star, film and TV actor Warwick Davis, when they star together as King Arthur and Patsy in Monty Python's Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre, in Warwick Davis' towering West End debut (he was the tallest actor we could find at short notice). Scroll down for a sneak peek at the duo in costume!

Celebrity Actors will be appearing as God in Monty Python's Spamalot, this summer at The Playhouse Theatre to raise money for charity.

It's the Olivier Awards next Sunday - look back at the 2010 ceremony with us!

Starting July 8, The Menier Chocolate Factory's two play revivals --- EDUCATING RITA and SHIRLEY VALENTINE, will transfer to the West End at Trafalgar Studios. The two plays previously ran in repertory through May 8. Playing in repertory again EDUCATING RITA and SHIRLEY VALENTINE will have their official opening on July 26.

Starting July 8, The Menier Chocolate Factory's two play revivals --- EDUCATING RITA and SHIRLEY VALENTINE, will transfer to the West End at Trafalgar Studios. The two plays previously ran in repertory through May 8. Playing in repertory again EDUCATING RITA and SHIRLEY VALENTINE will have their official opening on July 26.

With two BAFTAs, four British Comedy Awards, and a slew of rave reviews to its name, hit contemporary comedy Gavin & Stacey is back for more heartwarming and hilarious moments in the tangled lives of four young people and their friends and family. The Los Angeles Times said 'Gavin & Stacey is a gem of a show - funny, touching and welcome proof that the romantic comedy can and will survive irony, Botox, Judd Apatow and all the vagaries of the modern age' while The New York Times called it 'the most endearing comedy about love to come to television since the Manolos were packed up and put away.' Gavin & Stacey Season Three premieres Friday, May 14, 9:00p.m. ET/PT.

The Menier Chocolate Factory will present the first major London revivals of Willy Russell's award-winning Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine, playing in repertoire from 26 March to 08 May, with the press day on 08 April.