Simon Annand News

Theatre for a New Audience kicks off its 2018-2019 season with the U.S. premiere of The Emperor, featuring virtuosic shape-shifting actor Kathryn Hunter and Ethiopian musician Temesgen Zeleke, founder of Krar Collective. Walter Meierjohann directs this parable about power in decline-an adaptation by Colin Teevan of Ryszard Kapuscinski's celebrated and controversial 1978 book of the same title, about the downfall of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie.

Michelle Terry's first season at the Globe continues apace, with what some will have marked out as a highlight since its announcement back in January. Mark Rylance returns to the Globe stage, once again directed by Claire van Kampen, starring as Iago alongside American actor Andre Holland in the title role. This is another strand in Terry's Emilia arc, which will culminate in Morgan Lloyd Malcolm's new play about Shakespeare's 'Dark Lady', Emilia Bassano.

Shakespeare's Globe has announced full casting for Othello, directed by Claire van Kampen, opening in The Globe on Friday 20 July.

Somewhere in Europe the kingdom is disintegrating. It's the last day of King Berenger's life. Queen Marguerite is preparing for the end and Queen Marie is in denial. The King is 400 years old and dying, but he's clinging on for dear life...

Exit the King at the National Theatre has a beautiful design and wonderful performances from some of the cast, but it ultimately falls flat. While Patrick Marber's new version of Eugene Ionesco's absurdist drama about a dying king has its good moments, it seems to drag on for a play that is only an hour and forty minutes long.

Somewhere in Europe the kingdom is disintegrating. It's the last day of King Berenger's life. Queen Marguerite is preparing for the end and Queen Marie is in denial. The King is 400 years old and dying, but he's clinging on for dear life...

Exit the King marks the first time Eugène Ionesco work has been performed at the National. Playing on the vast Olivier stage, this absurdist play features a cast of just six actors, an intimate staging. One of those is actress Debra Gillett, making her return to the National. With the production opening tomorrow, Debra shares how rehearsals have been going and looks ahead to how Exit the King will resonate with audiences and actors alike.

The great tragicomedy EXIT THE KING is brought to life on the Olivier stage this summer, the first time Eugene Ionesco's work has been performed at the National Theatre. Patrick Marber (Three Days in the Country, Hedda Gabler) directs his new version of Exit the King with Rhys Ifans (A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic) in the title role and Indira Varma (Man and Superman) as his first Queen.

Charlie Brooks and Patrick Ryecart will play Sally and Mike respectively in the UK tour and London run of Torben Betts's new play MONOGAMY, joining the previously announced Janie Dee as Caroline Mortimer. They are joined by Jack Archer as Leo, Genevieve Gaunt as Amanda and Jack Sandle as Graeme.

The Inheritance, Matthew Lopez's witty, brutal two-part epic exploring the lives of gay men in New York clocks in at just short of 7 hours in total, but if you do go and see it, you're (mostly) in for a theatrical treat.

The Young Vic Theatre presents The Inheritance, starring Andrew Burnap, John Benjamin Hickey, Samuel H. Levine, Kyle Soller and Vanessa Redgrave. Joining them is Hugo Bolton, Robert Boulter, Hubert Burton, Syrus Lower, Michael Marcus, Luke Thallon and Michael Walters. Stephen Daldry directs this hilarious and profound heart-breaker - a major world premiere in two parts by New York playwright Matthew Lopez.

2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the Rose Theatre Kingston. Part of the celebrations sees Much Ado About Nothing take centre stage, directed by Simon Dormandy. Having played the role of Claudio early in his career, John Hopkins returns to the play to take on the role of Benedick. With rehearsals underway, John spoke to us about the darkness of the play, dream jobs and dancing.

'Only by forgetting all we've ever learned can we learn to live at all': wise words from a work that was, itself, forgotten.

Production images have just been released for the world premiere of Harley Granville Barker's Agnes Colander, revised by Richard Nelson. Check them out below!

Classic French farce gets a Bollywood makeover for the 21st century in Nigel Planer's enjoyable adaptation of Marivaux's comedy.

Kensington Palace, 1993. She was the Diana of her day. That day has gone, but HRH The Princess Margaret has a final chance to be of service. Acquiring sensational letters from Charles and Diana, she means to burn them all. But there are other papers, relating to Margaret herself. And when an ex-gangster admirer returns from her past, the Queen's sister has the choice to make or break her family yet again.

'A Princess Undone' has its London premiere at Park Theatre (Park 90), Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP from Tuesday 20 February - Saturday 17 March 2018.

The critically acclaimed Shakespeare's Globe production of Farinelli and the King, starring three-time Tony Award-winner (Twelfth Night, Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing) and Academy Award-winner (Bridge of Spies) Mark Rylance, begins tonight, December 5, 2017 in advance of an opening night on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at Broadway's Belasco Theatre (111 West 44th Street).

Production images are today released for the UK premiere of Will Eno's award-winning play The Open House, directed by former Artistic Director of the RSC, Michael Boyd. The production will run at the Ustinov Studio until Saturday 23 December, with opening night for press on Wednesday 29 November. It will then transfer to London from 18 January 17 February 2018, playing at Notting Hill's Print Room at the Coronet.

Casting is today announced for the UK premiere of Will Eno's award-winning play The Open House, directed by former Artistic Director of the RSC, Michael Boyd.