All stories by Chris Wiegand on BroadwayStars

Thursday, June 11, 2020

National Theatre announces final free streams including Small Island by Chris Wiegand

The NT’s popular online initiative continues with the ambitious 2019 adaptation of Andrea Levy’s Windrush novel and four more shows The momentous stage adaptation of Andrea Levy’s Wind…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:18AM

Cats star Francesca Hayward on lockdown dancing and returning to the Royal Ballet by Chris Wiegand

The ballerina stars in a stylish short film made in isolation and is about to perform at the Royal Opera House after months away She has become one of the UK’s best known ballerinas thanks…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:06AM
Monday, June 8, 2020

Dancing in the streets: Royal Ballet stars rock to new Rolling Stones song by Chris Wiegand

Dancers perform outside locked-down venues in a film accompanied by Living in a Ghost Town and co-created by Mick Jagger’s partner, Melanie Hamrick Summer’s here and, with the UK’s art…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:36AM
Friday, June 5, 2020

Matthew Bourne's company perform The Red Shoes from home by Chris Wiegand

Following the cancellation of its UK tour, the cast of Bourne’s acclaimed dance production perform it in their living rooms and gardens in a 12-minute lockdown film Hottest front-room seat…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:42PM

Sam Mendes calls on Netflix and Amazon to share 'Covid-19 windfall' with theatre by Chris Wiegand

Bumper takings for TV streaming services should be used to support performing arts industries, says Mendes as he outlines other rescue measures The director Sam Mendes has outlined a rescue …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:32PM
Thursday, June 4, 2020

National Theatre to stream The Madness of George III with Mark Gatiss by Chris Wiegand

Nottingham Playhouse revival of Alan Bennett’s play is the 11th production in the NT’s popular online initiative The National Theatre is to present Nottingham Playhouse’s revival of Al…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:18AM

Martin Luther King drama The Mountaintop performed to 'bring communities together' by Chris Wiegand

Roy Alexander Weise reunites actors from his 2016 production of Katori Hall’s play to raise funds for the legal costs of protesters Katori Hall’s acclaimed play The Mountaintop, set on …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:48AM
Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Working-class talent blighted by Covid-19 pandemic, says actor Michelle Collins by Chris Wiegand

Ian McKellen and Lesley Manville perform in fundraising videos organised by Collins for Equity’s benevolent fund for creatives The actor Michelle Collins has warned that the screen and sta…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:42AM
Monday, June 1, 2020

Lockdown laughs: where to watch online comedy by Chris Wiegand

The comedy industry is in crisis and we could all do with hearing a few jokes. Here’s a guide to the virtual gigs you can enjoy this week Like all comedy clubs, the Angel in London is clos…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:48PM
Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Claire Foy and Matt Smith to live-stream Lungs in bid to save Old Vic by Chris Wiegand

Tickets will soon go on sale for a ‘socially distanced’ version of 2019 sellout to shore up theatre’s ‘seriously perilous’ finances due to the coronavirus pandemic Claire Foy and M…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:03AM

'Thousands are in jeopardy': freelance theatre-makers count cost of crisis by Chris Wiegand

When Chester Storyhouse asked how freelancers were faring under Covid lockdown, it was left ‘shocked and enraged’ at how perilous their finances are. Now it is calling for national actio…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:03AM
Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Swan Lake Bath Ballet to be performed in dancers' own bathtubs by Chris Wiegand

BBC commissions choreographer Corey Baker’s splashy new lockdown-friendly take on the classic ballet It has been performed by ballet companies in the grandest of opera houses around the wo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:12PM
Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Gillian Anderson quiz: A Streetcar Named Desire or The X Files? by Chris Wiegand

As Gillian Anderson stars in the Young Vic’s A Streetcar Named Desire – streamed by the National Theatre – can you tell which of these lines belong to Blanche Dubois and which are spok…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:18PM
Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The living room where it happens: Hamilton film to premiere on Disney+ by Chris Wiegand

Streaming service moves forward launch of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway hit by a year, to just before the US Independence Day weekend An eagerly anticipated film of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:12AM
Monday, May 11, 2020

Lockdown catnip? Original film of Cats to be streamed online by Chris Wiegand

Made 20 years before Tom Hooper’s critically savaged production, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1998 version stars Elaine Paige as Grizabella Hottest front-room seats: the best theatre and dance…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:36AM

Jerry Stiller, star of Seinfeld and father of Ben Stiller, dies aged 92 by Chris Wiegand

Comedian who formed a popular duo with his wife, Anne Meara, has died of natural causes The comedian Jerry Stiller has died at the age of 92. His death was announced on Monday on Twitter by …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:24AM

The Royal Court's Caretaker is a space to think of theatre's past and future by Chris Wiegand

Hester Chillingworth’s installation, showing the empty London venue, is eerie, intimate and brings a message of support during the coronavirus lockdown Hottest front-room seats: the best t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:24AM

Sacha Dhawan to star as a standup in Nikesh Shukla's lockdown drama by Chris Wiegand

Yash Gill’s Power Half Hour, directed by Milli Bhatia, is among a new batch of Virtual Collaborators films released this week With comedy clubs closed by the coronavirus lockdown, many sta…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:12AM
Friday, May 8, 2020

Royal Court invites audiences online to experience its empty space by Chris Wiegand

London theatre, which closed during a run of Shoe Lady starring Katherine Parkinson, presents installation featuring abandoned set When theatres were forced to close their doors because of t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:36AM
Thursday, May 7, 2020

Gillian Anderson's Streetcar among next National Theatre at Home streams by Chris Wiegand

Four new titles announced by the NT also include Barber Shop Chronicles, This House and Coriolanus starring Tom Hiddleston The National Theatre has announced the next titles in its popular s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:18AM
Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Nuffield Southampton Theatres goes into administration by Chris Wiegand

Company suffers from the severe drop in ticket sales during the pandemic and uncertainty about a reopening date Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Nuffield Sou…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:32AM

Oh No, George! review – playful pooch's tail-wagging caper by Chris Wiegand

Available onlineNo pot plant or bin is safe in Can’t Sit Still’s pleasingly physical adaptation of Chris Haughton’s picturebook Can’t Sit Still? What a brilliant name for a children…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:12AM
Tuesday, May 5, 2020

West End theatres extend shutdown caused by coronavirus by Chris Wiegand

Sunday in the Park with George, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, postpones opening to 2021 as Theatreland’s closure continues West End theatres will remain closed until at least 28 June, the Soci…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:24AM
Monday, May 4, 2020

'I've traded rehearsal room for bedroom': confined creatives' lockdown dramas by Chris Wiegand

Danusia Samal’s Virtual Collaborators series continues with five new short films that look at life on the Covid-19 frontline and in the front room Hottest front-room seats: the best theatr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:06AM

The Midnight Gang review – escape to Walliams' wonderland by Chris Wiegand

Available onlineThere’s gleeful mischief and plenty of toilet humour in Chichester Festival theatre’s 2018 show based on the David Walliams bestseller Hottest front-room seats: best the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:54AM
Monday, April 27, 2020

'It felt like shutdown took my future': 50 creatives launch online dramas by Chris Wiegand

From the anxiety of remote workers to the strain of isolated couples, a series of virtual collaborations masterminded by Danusia Samal looks at how our lives have changed Hottest front-room …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:18AM
Thursday, April 23, 2020

Mark Rylance to return as Rooster Byron in Jerusalem revival by Chris Wiegand

Jez Butterworth’s acclaimed play about English myths is to be revived in 2021, directed by Ian Rickson It was the barnstorming, defining performance of Mark Rylance’s stage career, winni…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:48AM

Danny Boyle's Frankenstein reanimated for National Theatre streaming service by Chris Wiegand

Hit 2011 show joins Antony and Cleopatra, starring Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo, in being broadcast as part of free scheme The best arts and entertainment during self-isolation The Natio…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:24AM
Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Play on! 12 of the best Shakespeare productions to stream by Chris Wiegand

Theatres may be closed but you can celebrate the Bard’s birthday on Thursday by watching one of his plays online • Hottest front-room seats: the best theatre and dance online The Nationa…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42AM
Friday, April 17, 2020

Nigel Havers launches own theatre company with Noël Coward play by Chris Wiegand

Touring company to debut in October with Coward comedy Private Lives starring Havers and Patricia Hodge Coronavirus and culture – a list of major cancellations Coronavirus – latest upda…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54AM
Thursday, April 16, 2020

Comedian formerly known as Hugo Boss changes name back to Joe Lycett by Chris Wiegand

The TV host, who changed his name to protest the fashion brand’s heavy-handed legal action, has decided to ‘go back to the Lycetts’ The comedian formerly named Joe Lycett is now once m…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:06AM

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