Internationally acclaimed actress and performer Megan Mullally comes to the West End this month

For the first time outside of the US, in a European and UK first, internationally acclaimed actress and performer Megan Mullally will take to the West End stage with her band, Supreme Music Program, in a new one-woman show, for eight performances only. continue reading »

2009 breaks box office records for takings and attendance

The Society of London Theatre (Solt) has reported that 2009 was a record year for both box office takings and attendance.

The number of visitors to London’s West End theatres in 2009 passed the 14 million mark for the first time, hitting 14,257,922 — up 5.5% — and box office revenues surpassed the half billion barrier for the first time with a revenue of £504,765,690 — up 7.6%. continue reading »

Rachel Weisz has been named best actress at this year’s Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for her performance in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Mark Rylance was named best actor for Jerusalem and Jude Law the best Shakespearean performance prize for playing the title role in Hamlet.

Spring Awakening, which ran for a short time in the West End last year, picked up the best musical accolade.

This year’s awards were handed out at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.

Read the BBC’s full report.

Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle is to direct a stage version of Frankenstein at the National Theatre next Winter.

Boyle directed plays at the Royal Court and the Royal Shakespeare Company earlier in his career.

The National Theatre’s Artistic Director Nicholas Hytner commented – “What will be exciting will be to see how a theatre director with a really recognisable personal style has been altered by what he’s discovered about himself over 15 years making movies.”

The play is by Nick Dear and is based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

We will bring you more news as and when we get it.

Avenue Q is moving to the Wyndham’s Theatre in March 2010

The puppet show with a difference goes to it’s third theatre in it’s fifth year in London. Having only moved in to the Gielgud Theatre last June it seems that Avenue Q is on a bit of a tour of the West End.

But that’s not all. There is a bit of a game of “musical theatre” going on with Avenue Q moving to the Wyndham’s on March 19th, Stephen Daldry’s production of An Inspector Calls closes a week early on March 13th and Hair moves in to Avenue Q’s current home of the Gielgud Theatre from April 11th.

To call it a puppet show does Avenue Q disservice. Sesame Street for grown-ups isn’t right either. There’s no handy way to describe Avenue Q except as the furriest, and one of the funniest, shows you’re likely ever to see–if you can catch up with it that is.

There are also some cast changes to mention with Paul Spicer, who has previously starred in Fame and Taboo replacing the popular Daniel Boys as Princeton/Rod and Delroy Atkinson is scheduled to return as Gary.

A Man of No Importance transfers to the Arts Theatre

The Arts Theatre is delighted to announce the transfer of A Man of No Importance following its sell-out production at the Union Theatre.

Based on a 1994 independent film starring Albert Finney, A Man Of No Importance is about the journey of self-discovery and acceptance of Alfie Byrne, a Dublin bus conductor who is prone to reciting poetry to the patrons on his bus.

He is also the director of the local community theatre, which operates out of a small parish hall in the neighborhood church.

Alfie’s passengers are also his performers: amateur thespians that come to see the magic the theatre offers through Alfie’s eyes.

A Man of No Importance plays at the Arts Theatre for a limited run from the 10th February until the 27th February.

Tickets are on sale now and we have a special offer on performances until the 20th February with a discount price of £18.50, down from £25 or you can combine tickets with a pre theatre dinner at Kitchen Italia for just £23.50 per person.

See the theatre tickets page for more information and booking.

Nunsense A-Men is a hilarious spoof about the misadventures of five nuns trying to manage a fundraiser – with all of the characters being portrayed by male musical comedy performers!

When Sister Julia’s vichyssoise kills off some of the sisterhood with botulism the remaining nuns stage a talent show to raise the funds to bury their dearly departed.

Tickets are on sale now for the 25th January until the 25th March and we have a discount on tickets of £15 value down to £13.50.

The hilarious Fringe First winning satire comes to the West End

Two years after picking up the if.comedy Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Fringe, Tom Basden brings his beguiling and startlingly accomplished Fringe First winning debut play to London’s Arts Theatre for a limited West End run.

Tickets are on sale now for the 1st until the 13th March at £25 aprt from the 1st March which is currently available for £12.50.

See the theatre tickets page for more info and booking.

Naked Boys Singing returns to the Arts Theatre

Naked Boys Singing is a musical comedy revue featuring an original score of 16 songs celebrating the splendours of male nudity.

Playing at the Arts Theatre on Wednesdays to Saturdays at 10pm, tickets are on sale now from the 27th January until the 27th March and we have a discount on tickets for all performances – down from £15 to £13.50.

Tickets now on sale for Carmen – The World’s most popular opera

Carmen, the world’s most popular opera, will take over The O2 in May for just three performances, from the 21st to the 23rd.

This is the first fully staged opera to be hosted at the O2 and follows on from highly successful and popular classical stagings of Carmina Burana, Andrea Bocelli and the forthcoming world premiere of Ben Hur Live at the venue.

Sung in English, Bizet’s unforgettable score contains some of opera’s finest arias and best loved music.

The rousing Song of the Toreador, the beguiling Seguidilla, the tantalising Habanera and the enchanting Flower Song – sensual music that perfectly captures the very essence of Spain.

Accompanied by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gareth Hancock, this world class company of singers, musicians and artists will provide an unforgettable production of Bizet’s Carmen, staged on an epic scale.

See the theatre tickets page for booking.