WATCH OUT FOR . . .

JOHN MALKOVICH, who will direct Hollywood screenwriter Zach Helm’s play Good Canary at the Rose Theatre from September 16. Helm’s drama is about a novelist whose wife is driven to popping amphetamines when his book does well. Lucy Liu appeared in an early workshop version at Vassar College in upstate New York 12 years ago. Since then, Malkovich has directed Spanish language versions of the work. Earlier in the Rose’s season, Trevor Nunn will direct King John (from May 13). And later on, Michael Rudman will direct Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (from October 28).

NEWTON FAULKNER (right), whose 2007 album Hand Built By Robots catapulted him into the acoustic stratosphere. The singer-songwriter with the distinctive guitar sound has signed on to join the touring production of musical American Idiot, with Amelia Lily, which kicks off at the Leicester Curve from March 19. However, Faulkner won’t hook up with the company until it reaches the New Alexandra Theatre on May 10, when he will take over from Aaron Sidwell. By the way, I’m hearing that American Idiot, based on the pop-punk album by Green Day, will likely head back to London’s Arts Theatre in the summer.

JUDY CORNWELL, who is celebrating her 60th anniversary as an actress as she tours the country playing Miss Marple in Agatha Christie’s A Murder Is Announced. Judy, whose TV comedies include Moody And Pegg and Keeping Up Appearances, played the famously naughty Windmill Theatre very early in her acting career, fully clothed, doing a comic novelty act in between the nude revues.

RALPH FIENNES, Linda Emond (left) and Sarah Snook, who lead director Matthew Warchus’s gripping production of Ibsen’s The Master Builder, which employs a sparkling new adaptation by David Hare. The play, which opened this week at the Old Vic, clearly explores the tragedy that has driven the title character (Fiennes) and his wife (Tony award-nominated Emond — one of my favourite New York theatre actresses, making her London debut) to become strangers.