Ian McKellen is honored for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.
Sir Ian McKellen is about to reprise his starring role in Pinter鈥檚 No Man鈥檚 Land, which he previously did on Broadway in 2013 opposite Patrick Stewart. The London opening at the West End鈥檚 Wyndham鈥檚 Theatre is set for September 20. During the run, he is already now set to receive a major U.K. award: October 9 he is to receive the annual in the U.K. Theatre Awards. According to the press citation, he will receive it 鈥渋n recognition of his tireless work both in championing diversity and for his commitment to theatre, including touring productions, across the country.鈥�
McKellen and Stewart both toured the production of No Man鈥檚 Land to sell-out houses in the U.K. As lead producer , 鈥淧atrick and Ian see it as part of their duty to take the show out to the regions. Because of the way their availability fell and Christmas, we couldn鈥檛 stay longer on the road, but they would have done it if they could. It鈥檚 been playing to capacity and it鈥檚 been an absolute joy; it鈥檚 wonderful for the local theatres to have stars of that calibre in a quality piece of work like that. It鈥檚 important and the theatres really appreciate it鈥攁nd hopefully they鈥檒l be making some money, too.鈥�
Ronald Harwood announces stipulation that no woman should play the leading role in his play The Dresser.
Veteran playwright Ronald Harwood, whose 1980 play, , has publicly stated that he would never permit a woman to play the lead role of the actor in that play, because that character has played King Lear 227 times. 鈥淚t would just make an absolute nonsense of my play and I don鈥檛 want to do that. It is just impossible. How could it happen? It鈥檚 impossible for a woman to play Lear more than 100 times. It would be nonsense, it wouldn鈥檛 happen.鈥� He鈥檚 obviously unaware of the fact that this fall .
Now Michelle Terry, who this past summer played the title role in Henry V at London鈥檚 Open Air Theatre, has , 鈥淢e having a vagina did not make any difference at all... It is so irrelevant, especially in a play like Henry V, which asks you: 鈥橭n your imaginary forces work.鈥� So it is the limits of your imagination that will define the extent of what we can do on stage. And thank goodness, most people鈥檚 imaginations are incredibly huge.鈥�
The Girls will transfer to West End鈥攚ith no premium pricing or booking fees.
Yet another stage musical is being newly made out of a British film, following in the footsteps of such tuners as Made in Dagenham, Bend It Like Beckham and Mrs Henderson Presents (all premiered in the West End) and Kinky Boots and The Full Monty (first premiered on Broadway). Now The Girls, a new musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth based on the 2003 film Calendar Girls, is set to begin performances at the West End鈥檚 Phoenix Theatre January 28. Calendar Girls was itself previously adapted for the stage in a straight play version that premiered at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2008 and subsequently transferred to the West End.
Throwing down the gauntlet to fellow West End producers, David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers have announced a commitment to there being no 鈥減remium-rated鈥� seats, no additional booking fees and reduced price previews.
Other London News
Joe DiPietro is the two-time Tony winning-librettist and lyricist of Memphis, who has also been represented on Broadway by his Tony-nominated book for Nice Work if You Can Get It, as well as his original play Living on Love and the book for the musical All Shook Up. His 2009 London fringe play F***ing Men, based on Schnitzler鈥檚 La Ronde, has been frequently staged at the King鈥檚 Head, Arts Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe. It is now set to return to London to play in . Full casting has been announced for the London bow of Lazarus, at King鈥檚 Cross Theatre from October 25. Michael C. Hall, Michael Esper and Sophia Anne Caruso are Gabrielle Brooks, Sydnie Christmas, Richard Hansell, Amy Lennox, Maimuna Memon, Jamie Muscato, Tom Parsons and Julie Yammanee. , coming to the Dominion from March 4, with Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope reprising the performances they originated. Ashley Day will be alternate to Fairchild, and assume the role full-time from June 19; they are joined by Jane Asher, Haydn Oakley, Zo毛 Rainey and David Seadon-Young in principal roles.
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