Category: theatre

“Taking a closer look at political theatre today – what is on offer, who it is for and what it says – and you find a complacent body of writing that flatters the audience and is devoid of critical thinking.”

“The five surviving members of the Flying Circus – John Cleese, 74, Terry Gilliam, 72, Terry Jones, 71, Eric Idle, 70, and Michael Palin, 70 – are set to re-form for a stage show, the details of which are due to be revealed on Thursday.” Says Jones, “I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!”

“Investors and executives with the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark said on Tuesday that the show will have historic losses of up to $60 million when it closes on Jan. 4. … Several investors said they were reeling from the closing announcement, made on Monday night.”

“More than half of theatre professionals – including backstage staff, performers and creatives – have been bullied, harassed or discriminated against in the workplace, with women more likely than men to be the victim of abuse.”

“Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the popular yet beleaguered $75 million Broadway extravaganza marred by injuries and infighting, will close in January and reopen later at a venue in Las Vegas … ‘Economically we have a greater opportunity in the Las Vegas market,’ said producer Jeremiah Harris, who said the show will reopen in 2015.”

Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear took an unusual joint honor in the annual ceremony for London theatre. Helen Mirren got plenty of media attention for winning yet another prize for playing Elizabeth II, this time in The Audience. And Maggie Smith, receiving a career award, begged from the podium for more stage work.

“[Bill] Condon, who wrote the movie version of Chicago and wrote and directed the Dreamgirls musical, is attempting to resuscitate” Side Show – “the bizarre true story of conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton, set to the music of Henry Krieger and writer-lyricist Bill Russell.”

“‘I’ve always felt playing her majesty that it’s actually her majesty who’s winning the award and not me,’ Mirren told Reuters.”

“As men become more cosmopolitan, there’s less of a stigma I think about going to see a show.”

“Laura Collins-Hughes spoke with actors from this Shakespeare-rich season about the requirements, roadblocks and rewards – physical and mental – that come with doing his plays. These are excerpts from those conversations.”