Michael Jackson RIP
Well, who can believe it - the King of Pop, Wacko Jacko sadly died early this morning UK time. Whatever you call him, whatever you thought of his turbulent life, few would deny that there was something of a musical genius in there somewhere - however mis-guided that genius may have been at times.
I went to see Thriller - Live at the Lyric Theatre in London - back in January this year. One of my reasons for going was “this may be the closest I get to seeing Michael Jackson live”. Subsequently the O2 tour was announced, and I bought tickets to actually see the King of Pop live in January 2010 (because that was the earliest I could get tickets for!). I had hoped I would really get to see him live. Unfortunately my first thoughts were the right ones - Thriller - Live on stage is the closest I will get.
The show is excellent entertainment and is a good chronicle of his music across the years. I believe tickets will sell very quickly for the Lyric Theatre, in fact our sales have been massively increased since the announcement, so if you want to get as close as you can to seeing the King of Pop live, get tickets as soon as you can. To check availability go to Thriller - Live! Tickets
Prick Up Your Ears
Prick Up Your Ears is a new play by Simon Brent, and opens at Comedy Theatre in London on 17th September.
Matt Lucas (Little Britain) is to play Kenneth Halliwell alongside Chris New as playwright Joe Orton in Daniel Kramer’s production of Prick Up Your Ears.
The play is about aspiring playwrights, and is a darkly funny and moving play which imagines what really happened when the door slammed shut and Kenneth Halliwell was home alone and Joe Orton becomes the greatest, and most notorious comic playwright since Oscar Wilde. It tells the sensational story behind the domestic life of Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell.
For more information and to check availabilty of tickets, go to Prick Up Your Ears Tickets
Tom Tom Crew
Tom Tom Crew opened this Tuesday, 23rd June, at E4 Udderbelly, Southbank Centre - a different kind of venue!
Tom Tom Crew has received some rave reviewsand comes to London after sell-out seasons at both the Sydney Opera House and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This show is a super-charged collison of extreme circus, heart pumping music and 21st-century spectacle.
The show brings together Australia’s freshest acrobats with former Duos World Champion beatboxer Tom Thum, drumming sensation Ben Walsh and master record scratcher DJ Dizz1 to present an hour of explosive entertainment for all ages.
Tom Tom Crew is an extraordinary mix of audacious acrobatics, phenomenal beatboxing, master scratching and indescribable Asian inspired drumming displays.
For more information and to check availability, go to Tom Tom Crew Tickets but be quick, the show only runs until Sunday 19th July !
‘The Tom Tom Crew combines feats of rhythmical creativity and acrobatic daring… there can’t be many more exciting spectacles than this’ Glasgow Herald.
‘If you’re not applauding, stomping, cheering, whistling and kickin’ to the beats by the end, you’ve missed the point. High energy, high impact entertainment… it must be seen’ The Advertiser, Australia.
Open Air Theatre - Much Ado About Nothing
Not everybody’s “cup of tea” but for a summer experience, why not see a Shakespearean comedy at the “Open Air Theatre” in Regent’s Park?
Timothy Sheader’s second season…gets off to a cracking start with this charming and crowd-pleasing account of Shakespeare’s wittiest comedy’ The Guardian.
“I would rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me”
War-weary heroes return to their Mediterranean home, but now sparks fly as a different battle commences. Will love triumph?
Starring Shakespeare’s most reluctant lovers, Much Ado is a joyous, wise-cracking comedy of love, honour and second chances.
Please Note: there will be a captioned performance on the 16th June.
Refunds are not given for cancellation or abandonment as a result of the weather.
Tickets are on sale now, only until 27th June - for more information and to check availability, go to Much Ado About Nothing Tickets
Inherit The Wind at The Old Vic Theatre
Inherit the Wind depicts two legal Titans who confront each other when a community puts freedom of thought on trial. It is directed by Trevor Nunn and will star Kevin Spacey.
Based on the famous 1925 Scopes ‘Monkey’ trial in which science teacher John Scopes was accused of violating a Tennessee state statute by teaching Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to his students.
Nunn, the former Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, is one of Britain’s most acclaimed directors who has worked across drama and musicals. His recent work includes the critically acclaimed production of Sondheim’s A Little Night Music in the West End.
Kevin Spacey, who plays Henry Drummond has also starred in several productions on the Old Vic stage including A Moon For The Misbegotten, National Anthems, Richard II and Speed-The-Plow.
Tickets are on sale now, for the opening of Inherit The Wind on 18th September 2009 - for more information and to check availability go to Inhert the Wind Tickets
Ed Byrne - Different Class - Comedy in the West End
Ed Byrne - half toff, half pikey… All comic!
Irish comic (and star of Mock the Week and Live at The Apollo) Ed Byrne returns to the West End at the Vaudeville Theatre following two sell-out national tours - for a very limited run in September.
“a masterful display of the comics art…This is a seamless and perfectly timed show that could stand proudly next to any Izzard, Bailey, Carr or Skinner stadfium-filler.” Sunday Times
Tickets are on sale now, booking from 7th September 2009 - for more information and to check availability go to Ed Byrne Tickets
Six Degrees of Separation
Six Degrees of Separation opens in London at the Old Vic Theatre in January 2010.
This story of a streetwise black man charming his way into the home of a wealthy white New York couple is based on a true story. He changes their lives for ever.
Acid wit, sharp observation and designer cool combine to create an hilariously funny and often shocking great late 20th century mystery.
Tickets are on sale now, booking from 7th January 2010 - for more information and to check availability go to Six Degrees of Separation Tickets
Please Note: contains male nudity
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is Tennessee Williams’ prize-winning classic and, following its sell-out run on Broadway, it opens at the Novello Theatre in London’s West End in November.
The show features an all black cast which includes award winning actors James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad, Adrian Lester and Sanaa Lathan.
In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, a powerful Southern family gathers at a birthday celebration for patriarch Big Daddy (Jones), who does not know that he is dying of cancer. In a scramble to secure their part of his estate, family members hide the truth about his diagnosis from him and Big Mama (Rashad). Tensions mount between alcoholic former football hero Brick (Lester) and his beautiful but sexually frustrated wife Maggie “the Cat” (Sanaa). As their troubled relationship comes to a stormy and steamy climax, a shockwave of secrets is finally revealed.
New Classics for London Theatre
Coming to London in September are two very well known titles - An Inspector Calls and Breakfast at Tiffanys.
An Inspector Calls is the magnificent West End and Broadway production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller. Directed by the Oscar nominated Director of films The Reader, The Hours and Billy Elliot, this production is hailed as the theatrical event of our generation, and has won more awards than any other play in history.
It is showing at the Novello Theatre in London for a limited time, opening on 22nd September and running only until 14 November 2009.
For more information and to check ticket availability, go to An Inspector Calls Tickets.
Breakfast at Tiffanys is Samuel Adamson’s new stage adaptation of Truman Capote’s classic novella, set in New York City in 1943.
Sean Mathias directs the second production in his Theatre Royal Haymarket Season, featuring the Oscar-winning song Moon River by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, and starring Anna Friel and Joseph Cross.
For more information and to check ticket availability, go to Breakfast at Tiffanys Tickets.
Chun Yi: The Legend of Kung Fu
Chun Yi (The Pure One in Chinese) is a unique, spectacular show of unbelievable athletic feats of kung fu artistry with ballet and modern dance.
The show is a multi-award winning phenomenon in Beijing, where it has been running for over 4 years, and has also proved a massive hit with tours to Japan, Russia and Canada. Acclaimed Broadway director Ray Roderick, leads the Chinese team and a company of 65 young professional Kung Fu practitioners, dancers, and acrobats.
The show opens at The London Coliseum on 29th July for a very limited run until 16th August, so buy your tickets soon.
For more information and to check ticket availability go to Chun Yi Tickets.
