3 London theatre stories that caught my attention this week - and an actor encounter
21/10/2018
1. Exciting casting announcement at the Donmar
One of my favourite films growing up in the 80s was The Goonies so imagine my excitement when learning that Martha 'Stef' Plimpton is going to be starring in the Donmar Warehouse's production of Sweat (previews from Dec 7).
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play was written after playwright Lynn Nottage starting spending time in Reading, Pennsylvania - one the poorest cities in America.
2. Trevor Nunn returns to the Jermyn Street Theatre
The Jermyn Street Theatre announced its Spring/Summer 2019 season which sees the return of Trevor Nunn who is directing Agnes Colander, Harley Granville Barker’s play exploring love, sexual attraction and independence.
The play was written in 1900 but was only discovered at the British Library 100 years later and is described as a 'hidden gem'.
It's a revival of a production that ran at the Ustinov Studio at Theatre Royal, Bath earlier this year. Jermyn Street Theatre 12 Feb - 16 Mar.
New Diorama and Underbelly have launched their award-winning artists support programme the Untapped Awards.
Three production companies are supported and among last year's winners were Nouveau Riche whose play The Queens of Sheba was one of the highlights of my visit to the Fringe in August.
For more details on how to enter head to the official site.
Shakespearean actor encounter
I'm not one of those people who goes up and talks to actors but when Niamh Cusack starts chatting to you while you both wait at a red light, it would be rude not to respond.
She was cycling to the Barbican for the matinee of Macbeth. I was heading into town to meet a friend before a matinee of A Guide for the Homesick at the Trafalgar Studios - both of which came up during our brief conversation.
Coincidentally I'm seeing Macbeth on Monday which I might have mentioned.
A question for actors: Did I cock up by referring to it as Macbeth or is it only referred to as the 'Scottish play' when you are in the theatre?