WATCH OUT FOR
CHRIS CHIBNALL, creator of ITV’s hit Broadchurch murder mystery drama, who has written a new play — a comedy really — called Worst Wedding Ever. I met Chibnall at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards at the Dorchester Hotel and he told me the show is ‘as different from Broadchurch as you can get’. It’s about a wedding that gets hijacked by the bride’s family when the costs become too high; and there will be music, and jokes. ‘It’ll be a rollicking night out,’ he added. Worst Wedding Ever will be directed by Gareth Michin at the Salisbury Playhouse Theatre, where Michin is artistic director. It runs from March 27 until April 19. Chibnall, meanwhile, is working on Broadchurch 2.
ARTHUR DARVILL, who starred in Doctor Who and Broadchurch, who told me he will be taking over in March from Declan Bennett in the musical Once, which is running at the Phoenix Theatre. Darvill (pictured) played the lead role in director John Tiffany’s award-winning Broadway production for 18 months, so he’s well placed to be the leading man in London. Bennett is leaving to play the part of Charlie Cotton, Dot’s grandson in EastEnders. Once is the story of an Irish musician who meets a Czech pianist in Dublin, and it has some beautiful, soulful numbers.
THE Lion King, which is still running at London’s Lyceum Theatre but even hotter ‘outta’ town, on the road. It’s on a nationwide tour and just opened to box office records in Plymouth. Tickets went on sale recently for a run at the Mayflower in Southampton and they needed no promotions. A friend of mine rang for seats and a recorded message told him he was number 1,059 in the queue. Just wait until tickets for the Harry Potter play go on sale. The West End’s in for a bonanza on that one.