5 dates for your diary
THE END OF LONGING
MATTheW PeRRy (Chandler in TV comedy Friends) has written a play about fortysomething lost souls in a downtown LA bar. Cue soul searching and rueful comedy.
Perry also stars in the show, which is directed by Lindsay Posner who first directed him in the West end 13 years ago in David Mamet’s Sexual Perversity In Chicago.
Previewing from February 2, it opens on February 6, at London’s Playhouse Theatre (0844 8717631/EndofLonging.co.uk).
SUNSET BOULEVARD
FoR FIVe weeks only, hollywood legend Glenn Close stars in english national opera’s revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical based on the Billy Wilder film about fictional legend of the silent screen, norma Desmond. Ms Close was showered with awards on Broadway in the role, but this is her West end debut.
It’s directed by Lonny Price, who took charge of the eno’s recent excursion into musical theatre, Sweeney Todd. Further good news is that 400 tickets at each show are going for less than £25. It will be ‘semi-staged’, which means that it’ll be halfway between a concert performance and a full production.
Previewing from April 1, it opens on April 4 at eno (020 7845 9300/eno.org).
ROMEO & JULIET
DoWnTon ABBey and Games of Thrones converge in the comely forms of Lily James and Richard Madden for Kenneth Branagh’s production of Shakespeare’s tragic teenage romance. The show’s biggest surprise is the casting of Derek Jacobi, who will be playing Romeo’s mischievous friend Mercutio — a part normally played by an actor in their 20s or 30s. If you can’t get to the stage show, you can see how 77-year-old Jacobi’s sword fighting skills bear up when the production is screened to cinemas on July 7.
Previewing from May 12, it opens on May 25, at London’s Garrick Theatre (0844 482 9673/ branaghtheatre.com).
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
JuST when you thought they couldn’t magic any more money out of the harry Potter franchise, along comes a new West end stage play. Written by JK Rowling with director John Tiffany and playwright Jack Thorne, it’s about harry and his friends Ron and hermione once they’ve become adults.
The three lucky actors who’ve landed those roles are Jamie Parker, Paul Thornley and noma Dumezweni. Parker is a middle-aged harry, who is now a father of three in the Ministry of Magic. Twenty tickets will be released every day to buy in person.
Previewing from June 7, it opens on July 30 at London’s Palace Theatre (0333 320 0750/ harrypottertheplay.com).
GROUNDHOG DAY
The TeAM behind the Royal Shakespeare Company’s hit musical based on the Roald Dahl book Matilda are turning their sights on the 1993 film that starred Bill Murray.
It’s about a supercilious weatherman trapped in a time loop repeating the same day over and over in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The exMatilda team are led by the old Vic’s new artistic director Matthew Warchus, with Tim Minchin providing the musical score, Peter Darling doing the choreography and Rob howell creating the stage design.
Like the cast, dates are not confirmed but the producers are looking at the second half of 2016 (0844 8717628/oldvictheatre.com).