Bristol Old Vic's production of
Long Day's Journey Into Night, featuring a superlative performance from
Lesley Manville alongside
Jeremy Irons, has at long last announced its transfer into the West End. It was
one of my highlights from last year and takes up residence in the Wyndham's from 27th January until 8th April.
As with Alan Ayckbourn, my lack of desire to see Oscar Wilde plays on the stage is often tested by casting decisions that I find hard to resist. Adding
Anne Reid to
Eve Best in
A Woman of No Importance is one of those decisions.
The Bush Theatre are having a busy time of it. Not only is Jon Gilchrsit stepping down as Executive Director, they've announced casting for two of their upcoming productions.
Ramona Tells Jim
Written by Sophie Wu
Directed by Mel Hillyard
Designed by Lucy Sierra
Cast includes:
Ruby Bentall (Ramona),
Joe Bannister (Jim) and
Amy Lennox (Pocahontas).
A Bush Theatre and Sheffield Theatres co-production
Of Kith and Kin
Written by Chris Thompson
Directed by Robert Hastie
Designed by James Perkins
Cast includes:
Joanna Bacon (Lydia and Carrie),
Donna Berlin (Arabelle),
James Lance (Daniel),
Chetna Pandya (Priya) and
Joshua Silver (Oliver).
Get a look here at the cast for
The Unknown Island, a world premiere directed by the Gate's new Artistic Director
Ellen McDougall and adapted by Ellen and Clare Slater (Literary Manager, Donmar Warehouse) from
Jose Saramago's short story
The Tale of The Unknown Island.
The Unknown Island is a play about getting stuck, about trying to escape, about shooting for the moon, about going further than the furthest thing. This is a play about finding something you didn't think you needed.
The Gate welcomes back
Jon Foster (
Idomeneus,
Trojan Women) and introduce
Thalissa Teixera (
Othello, Shakespeare's Globe and
Yerma, Young Vic),
Hannah Ringham (co-founder of SHUNT) and
Zubin Varla (
War Horse, National Theatre and
Twelfth Night, Donmar Warehouse).
And to round things off, the ever-lovely Amy Booth-Steel doing something lovely to the song 'Despacito' on a ukelele.