(Credit: Fiona Whyte)

London Theatre News Today: Wednesday 26 May

Published 26 May 2021

Production images released ahead of the opening night of Here Come The Boys

(Credit: Fiona Whyte)

Robin Windsor (Credit: Fiona Whyte)

(Credit: Fiona Whyte)

Pasha and Rose (Credit: Fiona Whyte)

Nadiya Bychkova and the cast of Here Come The Boys (Credit: Fiona Whyte)

Aljaž Škorjanec and Nadiya Bychkova (Credit: Fiona Whyte)

(Credit: Fiona Whyte)

(Credit: Fiona Whyte)

(Credit: Fiona Whyte)

Following a sold-out UK national tour Here Come The Boys, featuring four superstar ‘Kings of Dance’, will be opening tonight at the London Palladium for a 10-day celebration in a brand new dazzling new production!
 
Dance superstars Aljaž Škorjanec, Pasha Kovalev, Graziano di Prima, Robin Windsor, along with Strictly finalist Karim Zeroual, will be joined by special guest star Strictly’s stunning Nadiya Bychkova. Why not join our dance superstars and party away those lockdown blues!
 
Featuring a cutting-edge soundtrack of dance-floor anthems, club classics and guilty pleasures, ‘Here Comes the Boys’ is ready to kick off the return of live theatre in London’s West End. Join Aljaž, Pasha, Graziano, Robin, Karim and Nadiya, alongside a spectacular ensemble of international dancers, in this show-stopping dance extravaganza, which promises to be the biggest party in town!

To find out more about the show, check out our Theatre Chat Live episode with Graziano and Nadiya below!

Related Article: Theatre Chat Live: Graziano di Prima & Nadiya Bychkova and the cast of Public Domain
In this week's Theatre Chat Live, Jess speaks to special guests from party extravaganza, Here Come The Boys and new musical, Public Domain.

 

Riverside Studios announces full casting for Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days

Lisa Dwan as Winnie (Photo credit: Helen Maybanks)

Lisa Dwan as Winnie (Photo credit: Helen Maybanks)

Lisa Dwan as Winnie (Photo credit: Helen Maybanks)

Lisa Dwan as Winnie (Photo credit: Helen Maybanks)

Anthology Theatre, in association with Riverside Studios, today announces full cast and creatives for the 60th anniversary production of Samuel Beckett’s masterpiece Happy Days, directed by Trevor Nunn. Simon Wolfe plays Willie, joining the previously announced Lisa Dwan as Winnie. Completing the creative team are designer Robert Jones (Fiddler on the Roof, Quiz), lighting designer Tim Mitchell (Upstart Crow, Kinky Boots), sound designer Johnny Edwards (Moorcroft), production manager Matt Towell (Waitress, Come From Away), and costume supervisor Kate Hemstock (The Full Monty, We Will Rock You).

The production opens on 17 June at Riverside Studios, where the playwright rehearsed Endgame in 1980 and Waiting for Godot in 1984, with previews from 11 June, and running until 25 July 2021.

 ‘Nothing more to say, nothing more to do’

Winnie and her husband Willie are stuck in every sense of the word. Endless days and nights pass by while they struggle on, with only each other for company. 

Samuel Beckett’s world-renowned play Happy Days comes to the Riverside Studios in a landmark 60th anniversary production. Brought to you by a multi-award-winning creative team, with direction from Trevor Nunn and starring ‘Beckett interpreter of the first rank’ (Observer) Lisa Dwan as our heroine Winnie, this is a spirited and triumphant revival most pertinent for our unparalleled times.

Winnie takes comfort in the monotony of her existence, passing the time by completing routine tasks, her blithe and buoyant manner allowing her to believe ‘another happy day’ is occurring. But ritual and a sunny disposition can only keep Winnie’s head above the parapet for so long, before the futility of her and Willie’s existence threatens to engulf her completely.

This enduring, potent, and lively tale of existential limbo presents a playful, but poignant look, at human strength and survival amidst the most surreal of circumstances.

Click here to find out more!

 

West End actors record song for India Covid relief efforts

Over 30 West End stars have rallied together to record It Means Beautiful from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, in aid of Covid relief efforts in India.

The performers include Liam Tamne (The Prince Of Egypt), Sejal Keshwala (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Tony Jayawardena (Bend It Like Beckham) and Tim Mahendran (& Juliet), Nadia Nadarajah, Karl Seth, Nuwan Hugh Perera, Olivia Wylie, Irfan Damani, Kush Khanna, Soophia Foroughi, Kayleigh Thadani, Sabrina Sandhu, Hiba Elchikhe, Nadim Naaman, Rakesh Boury, Tanveer Singh Devgun, Rekha, Sharan Phull, Zara Naeem, Arun Blair-Mangat, Jassa Ahluwalia, Shahid Abbas Khan, Shiv Rabheru, Joe Thompson-Oubari, Raj Ghatak, Nikita Johal. Sharif Afifi, Anoushka Chadha, Faye Weerasinghe, Hannah Qureshi and Harveen Mann.

The project is called Same Voices Unite and aims to raise awareness about the devastation caused by India’s second Covid-19 wave.

Talking to the BBC, project director Irvine Iqbal said the situation was now “at breaking point”.

The video for the song features sign language, live music and interpretative dance and the song has been given “an indian flavour” for the recording.

Iqbal, who will be performing in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre‘s staging of Romeo and Juliet this summer, “I felt kind of helpless really, so I thought, let’s do something to raise awareness,”  “What better reason or excuse to do a song?”

“It was good timing in a way with theatre about to open,” Iqbal continued. “It’s quite difficult usually to get people together, especially when they’re rehearsing, so I thought now was the time, before theatreland reopens.”

Musical director Dan De Cruz. said “We are grateful to the producers and writers at Everybody’s Talking About Jamie who have allowed us to use their song for such a worthy cause.”

Check out the beautiful performance above and please donate if you’re able to.

Tune into our Theatre Chat Live series and meet some West End stars

If you missed our Theatre Chat Live episode yesterday with Manny Tsakanika from Magic Mike Live, don’t fret. You can replay the episode below along with other episodes including special guests: Lucie Jones (Les Misérables – The Staged Concert) and Rhiannon Porter (Abba Mania), Graziano di Prima & Nadiya Bychkova (Here Come The Boys) and Francesca Forristal and Jordan Paul Clarke, the brilliant duo behind the new British musical, Public Domain.

Related Article: Theatre Chat Live: Manny Tsakanika from Magic Mike Live and a #BackOnStage Q&A
In this week's Theatre Chat Live, Jess talks to Manny Tsakanika from Magic Mike Live and answers your #BackOnStage questions!
Related Article: Theatre Chat Live: Lucie Jones and Rhiannon Porter
Kayley is joined by Lucie Jones and Rhiannon Porter who will be starring in Les Misérables - The Staged Concert and Abba Mania respectively.
Related Article: Theatre Chat Live: Graziano di Prima & Nadiya Bychkova and the cast of Public Domain
In this week's Theatre Chat Live, Jess speaks to special guests from party extravaganza, Here Come The Boys and new musical, Public Domain.
Tagged:
Riverside Studios Samuel Beckett

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