NEWS
2 BAFTA Wins for Sally Wainwright
Congratulations to Sally Wainwright who has won this year's Best Writer for TV Drama at the BAFTA TV Craft Awards, and Best Drama for LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX.
FRANKIE - written and created by Lucy Gannon, Tuesday 9pm, BBC 1
A new 6-part series written and created by Lucy Gannon, following the personal and professional life of dedicated district nurse, Frankie. Starring Eve Myles, Dean Lennox Kelly and Derek Riddell.
PLAYING WITH GROWN-UPS opens on Tuesday May 14th at Theatre 503
Hannah Eidinow's first show after the hit tour of MAURICE'S JUBILEE is Hannah Patterson’s follow-up to the acclaimed MUCH. PLaying until June 8th.
3 wins for TOP HAT at the 2013 Olivier Awards
Congratulations to the team at TOP HAT as the show recieved three awards including Best New Musical. The show also won nods for Best Theatre Choreographer and Best Costume Design. Congratulations to director & Co-Adaptor Matthew White!
5 star reviews for BALLO at the King's Head Theatre
Friday night was guest night at the King's Head Theatre in Islington for BALLO, the new adaptation of Verdi's opera 'A Masked Ball'. Reviews have been unanimous in declaring it a triumph of originality. Broadway World states that: 'There are times when theatre transcends entertainment, transcends its history, transcends time and space and takes you to another place - a place where all you can do is thank the Fates that conspired to put you right here, right now. Adam Spreadbury-Maher's Ballo (or A Masked Ball) takes you to that place....You won't have seen anything quite like it before, and you may never see anything quite like it again.' The British Theatre Guide calls it 'full of invention. Strongly sung, it makes great entertainment. Once again, Opera Up Close demonstrates how effective opera can be in intimate surroundings.'BALLO runs until May 25th.
THE POLITICIAN’S HUSBAND – written and created by Paula Milne, Thursday 9pm, BBC2
A companion piece to the multi award winning The Politician's Wife starring David Tennant and Emily Watson.
Paula Milne forensically charts the tensions within the marriage of two politicians, one of whose career is flourishing whilst the other flounders.
THE EMPRESS: by Tanika Gupta opens in Stratford this week at the Swan Theatre
TONY TEARDROP: St. Luke’s Bombed Out Church, Liverpool - continues until 6th April
Set in and around a residential support centre for the homeless and inspired by real stories, Esther Wilson’s play is a biting, humorous play about people living on the edges of society.
ROGUE HERRIES: Theatre by the Lake, Keswick – continues until 20th April
Hugh Walpole’s novel has been adapted for the stage by Louise Page.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Michelle Magorian on the Olivier nomination in the Best Entertainment and Family category for the stage adaptation of her novel GOODNIGHT MR TOM.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Mike Bartlett on his BAFTA Television Craft Award nomination for Breakthrough Talent for THE TOWN.
ENDEAVOUR: ITV1, 9pm – Begins Sunday 14th April
Following a successful pilot episode last year the MORSE prequel returns with a series of three 2-parters, written by series creator Russell Lewis.
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS: The Greenwich Theatre - Thu 4th - Sat 6th April, 11am & 3pm
This is the European premiere of an exciting new family musical, written by the Olivier Award winning writing team George Stiles & Anthony Drewe. Directed by Paul Taylor-Mills.
BARE: The Union Theatre – 24th April to 25th May
The creative team behind ‘Steel Pier’ reunite to present the European premiere of this cult rock musical. Through its pulsating rock score and emotionally charged story, bare has thrilled audiences around the world since its first staging in Los Angeles over a decade ago. Directed by Paul Taylor Mills.
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG: Harold Pinter Theatre – Previews from 23rd April
Following a sell-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Merrily We Roll Along opens in the West End for a strictly limited 12 week season. Associate Director is Adam Lenson.
THE EMPRESS: Swan Theatre, Stratford, previews from 11th April
The world premiere of Tanika Gupta’s new play. Directed by Emma Rice.
RELATIVELY SPEAKING: Theatre Royal Bath – 23rd to 27th April
Lindsay Posner’s revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s classic comedy, music by Michael Bruce, returns to The Theatre Royal prior to a run in London’s West End in May.
AS YOU LIKE IT: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon -12th April – 28th September
In the Forest of Arden, Rosalind and Orlando discover an unexpected freedom, and as their anarchic love story unfolds, Arden bursts into summer. Directed by Maria Aberg with music by award winning folk musician Laura Marling. Sound design by Tom Gibbons.
Hull Truck appoint Mark Babych as Artistic Director
Mark Babych has been appointed Artistic Director of Hull Truck Theatre. He succeeds Andrew Smaje in the role. Mark is currently directing Lee Hall’s Cooking with Elvis at Derby Theatre. He will be joining the company permanently on 6th May, 2013.
Mark says, “I’m really thrilled to be joining Hull Truck - this is a fantastic opportunity to build on the illustrious history and traditions of this wonderful company and make work that forges deep connections with audiences in Hull, welcomes creativity and collaboration and encourages and nurtures the development of talent and the new generation of writers and artists who will shape the future of our work - I am really honoured that the board and staff have placed their trust and faith in me as their new Artistic Director and look forward to getting to know and working closely with all my new colleagues and to welcoming artists and audiences alike in creating a vibrant, meaningful and exciting artistic future for this gem of a theatre.”
Geoff Sargieson, Chair of the Hull Truck board, says, “We’re delighted to be welcoming Mark Babych to the Hull Truck team as Artistic Director. We are excited by Mark’s experience and enthusiasm for the company and the region, and we can’t wait to work with him.”
Congratulations
Congratulations to Ian Kershaw whose play STAR-CROSS’D won the Best Special Entertainment award at the Manchester Theatre Awards.
TONY TEARDROP: St. Luke's Bombed Out Church, Liverpool - continues until April 6th
Set in and around a residential support centre for the homeless and inspired by real stories, Esther Wilson’s play is a biting, humorous play about people living on the edges of society. We follow Tony on a journey through his interior landscape looking for the true meaning of ‘home’. We see the world through his relationships with fellow ‘space cadets’ and his struggles with the manager of the centre…until things come to a head.
SCOTT AND BAILEY – ITV1: Starts Wednesday April 3rd
Scott & Bailey returns to ITV1 for a third series. The crime drama, written by award winning writer Sally Wainwright traces the private and professional lives of two female DCs of the Manchester Metropolitan Police. Starring Lesley Sharp, Suranne Jones and Amelia Bullmore.
THE WINSLOW BOY: Old Vic Theatre – Continues.
Lindsay Posner directs Terence Rattigan’s compelling play, music by Michael Bruce. Starring Henry Goodman, Deborah Findlay and Naomi Frederick.
GOOD COP wins Best Drama Serial at the RTS Awards
Congratulations to Stephen Butchard whose fresh and contemporary take on the Brit-cop drama, wins Best Drama Serial at the Royal Television Society Awards 2012. The 4-part series directed by Sam Miller and starring Warren Brown, Don Gayle, Kevin Harvey and Michael Angelis was Broadcast on BBC1 last Autumn.
LONGING; Hampstead Theatre – ends 6th April
Last chance to see William Boyd’s adaptation of two short stories by Anton Chekhov, starring Tamsin Greig, Iain Glen and John Sessions.
The Guardian **** The Telegraph ****
X FACTOR: It's Time to Face the Musical
BREAKING NEWS: The X Factor Musical, directed by Sean Foley, has been greenlit for 2014.
ONCE at the Phoenix Theatre: previews from 16th March
Tony and Grammy award winner Martin Lowe is Orchestrator and Music Supervisor of this much anticipated bittersweet musical, directed by John Tiffany with a book by Enda Walsh. Currently playing at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin and Bernard Jacobs Theater, New York.
SHETLAND - BBC1 at 9pm on Sunday 10th and Monday 11th March
Douglas Henshall stars in David Kane's SHETLAND, a three part murder-mystery set against the stunning Scottish backdrop of the Shetland Isles, adapted by David Kane from the novel by Ann Cleaves.
MR BRIDGER’S ORPHAN – Friday March 15th, 2.15pm, BBC Radio 4
Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the death of Noel Coward, Marcy Kahan’s play tells a surprising and little-known story from his life. It's 1968 and Coward is in Dublin to play the chief gangster in the film The Italian Job. But why has the urbane actor and playwright, in failing health, accepted the role? Starring Malcolm Sinclair, Eleanor Bron and Tam Williams and directed by Marilyn Imrie.
LIGHTFIELDS - ITV1 - Premiers Wednesday 27th February at 9pm
The Simon Tyrrell penned supernatural thriller starts this Wednesday.
Congratulations - Caroline Bird - TROJAN WOMEN
Congrats to Caroline Bird for the nomination at the Off West End Awards for TROJAN WOMEN at the Gate Theatre as Best New Play.
HOUSE OF CARDS – all episodes available on Netflix from 1st Feb
IDES OF MARCH author Beau Willimon adapts the US version of the BBC series about a politician with ambitions to reach the top by any means necessary. Based on the UK BBC series written by Andrew Davies. Starring Kevin Spacey. Photo Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon for Netflix
GOD’S PROPERTY – Opens at the Soho Theatre on 26th February
Set in 1980s Deptford, this is the new play by one of the country’s most exciting young playwrights, Arinze Kene. ‘Promise comes with a name attached: Arinze Kene.’ (The Guardian)
Congratulations to Mark Gill for THE VOORMAN PROBLEM: BAFTA Awards 2013 – Voting open now
Writer / Director Mark Gill’s short has been nominated for Best Short Film at this year’s awards. Starring Martin Freeman (The Office, The Hobbit) and Tom Hollander (Rev, Wilde) it follows Doctor Williams as he is called in to examine the enigmatic Mr Voorman, a prisoner with a peculiar affliction: he believes he is a god. The doctor must decide his sanity: is he a faker or a lunatic? Based on an excerpt from the novel ‘Number 9 Dream’ by David Mitchell. The film recently won Best Live Action Short and Best Screenplay at the St Louis and Corona International Film Festivals.
BLANDINGS (BBC / Mammoth Screen) – Begins 13th January at 6:30pm on BBC One
P.G. Wodehouse’s Blandings novels have been adapted by Guy Andrews for a new BBC series starring Jennifer Saunders and Timothy Spall.
GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM; Phoenix Theatre – continues
After playing to packed houses across the UK, the critically acclaimed Chichester Festival Theatre production comes to London for a limited nine week season before setting off on a UK tour. Now a modern classic, Michelle Magorian’s wonderfully uplifting tale is brought gloriously to life in a stage adaptation by David Wood, with Olivier Award-winning actor Oliver Ford Davies starring as Mister Tom Oakley.
Congratulations to Peter Strickland
Berberian Sound Studio wins 4 British Independent Film Awards on Sunday 9th December 2012, including Best Director.
Congratulations to Hilary Mantel on her record-breaking Booker Prize victory
Last night Hilary Mantel became both the first Brit and the first woman to win the prize twice, as well as the prize twice, as well as the first person to win with consecutive books. It capped off a wonderful night for writers from The Agency, with Deborah Levy also shortlisted for her beautiful novel SWIMMING HOME.
Matthew Barry named as a winner of BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum
BAFTA has today announced the winners of a nationwide competition to find the UK’s most promising comedy television writers and will take them to the New York Television Festival (NYTVF), where they will mix with leading professionals in the US television industry.Matthew Barry, along with writing partner Kayleigh Llewellyn, will fly to New York courtesy of British Airways and have their work performed live in front of high profile NYTVF industry attendees at a special BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum on 25 October at 92Y Tribeca.
SWIMMING HOME makes the Booker shortlist
Deborah Levy's wonderful novel has been named as one of the six books nominated on the shortlist for this years Booker Prize. The winner will be announced on October 16th.
Sophie Petzal is this year's winner of the Peter Ustinov Scriptwriting Prize
The award, funded by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, is for non-American writers under the age of 30. Sophie will be flown to New York City to be presented with an award and a $2,500 prize at the International Emmy World Television Festival. Her script will be read by actors in front of an audience at the Festival, and she'll join in the red carpet festivities at the International Emmy Awards Gala. Congratulations to Sophie!
CHARIOTS OF FIRE; Gielgud Theatre - continues
A devout Scottish Christian runs for the glory of God. The son of an immigrant Lithuanian Jew runs to overcome prejudice. Based on the extraordinary true story of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams and adapted for the stage by Mike Bartlett, Chariots of Fire now transfers to the West End.
NOISES OFF: UK Tour continues throughout April.
Following its triumphant and universally acclaimed run at The Old Vic and Novello Theatre in the West End, Lindsay Posner’s award-winning production will tour theatres across the UK, music by Michael Bruce.