That was September in London theatre land with added mobile phone disturbances and actor drop outs
04/10/2017
Ben Whishaw in Against. Picture Johan Persson.
* Suranne Jones, Nina Sosanya and Jason Watkins have been cast in Frozen (the Bryony Lavery play not the Disney thing) which opens at Theatre Royal Haymarket in February.
*Punchdrunk announced its latest London production which is a six hour, two at a time walk. And no I'm not the least bit bothered about seeing it, I'm still scarred by The Drowned Man.
* The Almeida announced casting for Mike Bartlett's new play Albion which includes Victoria Hamilton, Margot Leicester, Vinette Robinson, Christopher Fairbank and Nicholas Rowe. Previews from Oct 10.
* Up in Stratford, Christopher Eccleston is to play Macbeth with Niamh Cusack as Lady M. (How many Dr Who's is that who've trod the boards in Stratford?) It opens for previews on March 13. I'm hoping for a London transfer.
* Kwame Kwei-Amah was announced as the new artistic director of the Young Vic and takes over the role next year. Love the Young Vic and I think he's a great choice.
* The Donmar announced its new season. Michael Longhurst is to direct James Norton and Imogen Poots in Amy Herzog's Belleville from December. Then there is Peter Gill play The York Realist from Feb and I must admit I'm not a huge fan of his work but it's got Katie West in it so... The season finishes with The Way of the World which I've only seen once before, at the Sheffield Crucible, and I loved it. Linda Bassett stars and it's directed by James Macdonald. Full season details on the Donmar website.
* And we had a couple of high profile actors withdraw from productions during rehearsal. James Dreyfus pulled out of the The Lie at the Menier Chocolate Factory to be replaced by Alexander Hanson and Sarah Lancashire similarly withdrew from James Graham comedy Labour of Love at the Noel Coward Theatre with Tamsin Greig stepping into the breach.
* This is a 'wish I'd been there' but apparently when the same mobile phone went off twice during a performance of Against at the Almeida Ben Whishaw ad libbed a pointed remark while in character.
* Thesp spots: John Heffernan at the National - near a promotional poster of Saint George and the Dragon, thesp turned pop star Olly Alexander in Shoreditch, James Purefoy at the Royal Court and, Ivo Van Hove fans Rupert Goold and Simon Stephens were spotted at the Barbican watching After The Rehearsal/Persona.