AWARD-winning actress Eileen Atkins will star as Margot Mason in the UK premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith’s The Female of the Species which is expected to open at the Vaudeville Theatre in late July (dates yet to be confirmed).
Mason, a pioneer of 1970s feminism and author of The Cerebral Vagina, has writer’s block. However, the unannounced arrival of a fan seems to offer a solution – until that is, she produces a gun and threatens to kill Mason for warping her mother’s mind.
Although written by an Australian and receiving its world premiere in Melbourne (2006), The Female of the Species was inspired by an event that took place in England in the year 2000 – when fellow Australian Germaine Greer, whose ground-breaking The Female Eunuch became an international best-seller, was held captive in her Essex home.

Eurobeat - Almost Eurovision is a riotously funny and glorious homage to the biggest annual song contest in the world, LIVE ON STAGE!
 
Like Eurovision, winning is everything in Eurobeat and this critically-acclaimed musical event gives audiences the power to decide which of the ten competing countries will win the coveted award!   Only you and your texting thumb can affect the outcome*.

Sir Terry Wogan will help to whip you and your fellow Europeans into a frenzy, so bring your mobile phone, your best and loudest friends, grab a flag and get set for the best night out you will EVER have.
 
WARNING:
This is possibly one of the funniest shows you will ever experience, you are likely to laugh until the tears run down your legs. (PS. Please don’t wear mascara to Eurobeat. You will end up looking like a bloody mess!)
 
“Oh God!…This show’s a winner” ***** - Metro
“Slick…Instantly wonderfully funny” **** - The Times
“Hilarious…An epically delirious hoot” - Variety

Rafi Resurrected offers you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to relive Bollywood's Golden Era. Watch Sonu Niigaam perform 18 of the most famous Mohd. Rafi film songs LIVE along with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. All of these songs are specially arranged and orchestrated by the symphony orchestra of 75 musicians for the first time ever.

Under the Blue Sky is David Eldridge's award-winning, funny and touching play - three subtly connected love stories that reveal in turn the roller-coaster ride of lust in its prime, the sacrifices of a life in public service and its unrequited passions. In the long shadow of the twentieth century, Eldridge's play is a delicate yet truthful depiction of all the degrees of love - from fondness and affection through the headier extremes of a drunken romp. It gives us an all too recognisable portrayal of the way in which uncertainties, misunderstanding and the unsaid lead to unexpected results for three couples who seem destined never to say the right thing.

This all star cast includes Catherine Tate who makes a welcome return to the West End to play Michelle, following her many guises in her award-winning sketch show The Catherine Tate Show for the BBC. Previous theatre credits include Neil LaBute's Some Girls with David Schwimmer and the 24 Hour Plays for The Old Vic. She can currently be seen on our television screens saving the planet alongside David Tennant, in the hugely popular series Doctor Who, also for the BBC. Alongside Catherine is Francesca Annis (Anne) who has most recently been seen on television as Lady Ludlow in the BBC's award-winning series Cranford. Her last stage appearance in the West End was alongside Joseph Fiennes in Epitaph for George Dillon at the Comedy Theatre. Lisa Dillon, whose recent stage credits include Present Laughter and The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other for the National Theatre and Hedda Gabler for the Almeida will play Helen, while Chris O'Dowd, best known for his performance as Roy in Channel 4's hit comedy series The IT Crowd plays Nick. Dominic Rowan will play Graham. His recent stage credits include A Voyage Around My Father for the Donmar Warehouse and Happy Now?. Further casting will be announced shortly.

Under the Blue Sky first premiered at the Royal Court in 2000, to unanimous critical acclaim. David Eldridge's many other theatre credits include Incomplete and Random Acts of Kindess for the Royal Court and Market Boy for The National Theatre in 2006. 2004 saw Eldridge's multi award-wining Festen open at the Almeida Theatre with later transfers to the West End and Broadway.

Under the Blue Sky is directed by Anna Mackmin, who most recently directed David Storey's In Celebration in the West End, starring Orlando Bloom. She made her National Theatre directorial debut with Burn, Citizenship and Chatroom.

With this exclusive packaged hotel deal you receive ticket(s) for "Zorro" at the Garrick Theatre and choose your duration at our selection of top London hotels.

This legendary story of good versus evil has been a source of enduring fascination. This new musical promises to retell the dramatic tale of a romantic hero with extraordinary aerial acrobatics, spectacular sword-fighting and incredible magic - all set to the famous red-hot Gipsy King beat brought to the UK stage with the authentic colours of traditional Flamenco.

Created in 1919 by pulp writer Johnston McCulley, the iconic character Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega, a fictional wealthy caballero and master swordsman living in Spanish California, who defends the people of the land against injustice.

Cast Includes: Matt Rawle

Book by Isabelle Allende

Music by Gipsy Kings

Directed by Christopher Renshaw

Chorography by Rafael Amargo

This legendary story of good versus evil has been a source of enduring fascination. This new musical promises to retell the dramatic tale of a romantic hero with extraordinary aerial acrobatics, spectacular sword-fighting and incredible magic - all set to the famous red-hot Gipsy King beat brought to the UK stage with the authentic colours of traditional Flamenco.

Created in 1919 by pulp writer Johnston McCulley, the iconic character Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega, a fictional wealthy caballero and master swordsman living in Spanish California, who defends the people of the land against injustice.

Cast Includes: Matt Rawle

Book by Isabelle Allende

Music by Gipsy Kings

Directed by Christopher Renshaw

Chorography by Rafael Amargo

Following seasons at the Barbican and Theatre Royal Stratford East, the screen-to-stage adaptation of the cult reggae film The Harder They Come now transfers to the West End, where it opens at the Playhouse Theatre on 9 June 2008.

Based on the 1972 film that starred Jimmy Cliff and introduced reggae to a worldwide audience, The Harder They Come tells the story of young singer Ivan Martin who heads to Kingston in Jamaica with dreams of becoming a reggae star, but the harsh reality of the music scene drives him to a fast and furious life as an outlaw.
The stage version – written by Perry Henzell, the co-writer, director and producer of the original film, who died in 2006 – premiered in April 2006 at Theatre Royal Stratford, where it had a return season last year. This year it was revived in March for a month-long engagement at the Barbican Theatre and also visited the Birmingham Hippodrome.

The Harder They Come features songs from the original film soundtrack, including “You Can Get It If You Really Want”, “Higher and Higher”, “Many Rivers to Cross” and “Rivers of Babylon”, accompanied by a live reggae band. Rolan Bell, who has appeared in all previous stagings of the musical, will reprise his starring performance as Ivan in the West End.

Bell is joined in the West End company by Jacqui Dubois, Derek Elroy, Victor Romero Evans, Joanna Francis, Matthew J Henry, Marlon King, Susan Lawson-Reynolds, Joy Mack, Marcus Powell, Joe Speare and Chris Tummings. The production is directed by Stratford East artistic director Kerry Michael and Dawn Reid, and designed by Ultz with choreography by Jacki Guy.

Kenneth MacMillan’s great interpretation of Shakespeare’s enduring tragedy is one of the most popular works in the Royal Ballet repertory – and one of the greatest examples of 20th-century choreography. Against the background of Renaissance Italy, a chance meeting ignites a profound love between Romeo and Juliet, bringing with it the hope - tragically unfulfilled –  that they may unite in peace their opposing families, the Montagues and the Capulets. The romance and tensions of the story particularly suit the breadth of MacMillan’s talent: from the physical bravado of young men, whether sword fighting or out on the town, to the formality of a grand ball and poignant, intimate scenes between the young lovers. Prokofiev’s musical score is a classic of passion and colour matched perfectly by MacMillan’s beautifully fluid and touching dance interpretation.

Running time: 2 hours 55 minutes

CREDITS
Composer
Sergei Prokofiev
Choreography
Kenneth MacMillan
Designs
Nicholas Georgiadis
Lighting
John B Read

PERFORMERS
Romeo
Edward Watson
Rupert Pennefather
Thiago Soares
Viacheslav Samodurov
Juliet
Leanne Benjamin
Lauren Cuthbertson
Marianela Nuñez
Sarah Lamb
Conductor
Boris Gruzin
Orchestra
Royal Ballet Sinfonia

After an absence of 30 years Jerome Robbins’s great work Dances at a Gathering makes an exciting return to The Royal Ballet. To solo piano works by Chopin, ten dancers explore the potential of dance itself through shifting relationships that also reflect the moods of the music’s mazurkas, waltzes and études. With virtuoso technique and individual character at the heart of its creation, every performance of Dances by The Royal Ballet will be a unique experience to savour.

There’s a strong contrast in the second work of the programme, The Dream: with Shakespeare’s story of a midsummer’s night, Mendelssohn’s delightfully delicate music and Frederick Ashton’s ever-popular choreography. In its magic world of night and within its evocative woodland setting, Oberon and Titania play their games with the unwitting mortals, while the comic confusions of love are aggravated by the mischievous Puck.

Running time: 2hrs 35 minutes | 1 Interval

CREDITS
Music
Frédéric Chopin
Choreography
Jerome Robbins
Lighting
Jennifer Tipton
John B Read
Music
Felix Mendelssohn
Choreography
Frederick Ashton
Designs
David Walker

PERFORMERS
Conductor
Paul Murphy
Orchestra
Royal Ballet Sinfonia
Dances at a Gathering
tba
The Dream
Leanne Benjamin
Alina Cojocaru
Roberta Marquez
Johan Kobborg
Steven McRae
Ivan Putrov
Edward Watson

This legendary story of good versus evil has been a source of enduring fascination. This new musical promises to retell the dramatic tale of a romantic hero with extraordinary aerial acrobatics, spectacular sword-fighting and incredible magic - all set to the famous red-hot Gipsy King beat brought to the UK stage with the authentic colours of traditional Flamenco.

Created in 1919 by pulp writer Johnston McCulley, the iconic character Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega, a fictional wealthy caballero and master swordsman living in Spanish California, who defends the people of the land against injustice.

Cast Includes: Matt Rawle

Book by Isabelle Allende

Music by Gipsy Kings

Directed by Christopher Renshaw

Chorography by Rafael Amargo