Back to News & Press Ghosts available on digital theatre from 18 September Tuesday, 19 August 2014 London, UK: DIGITAL THEATRE is delighted to announce its next title; Richard Eyre’s five-star, multi award-winning revival production of Ibsen’s Ghosts starring Olivier Award-winners LESLEY MANVILLE and JACK LOWDEN will be available to buy and watch online around the world from Thursday 18 September 2014. Continuing our mission to increase accessibility to the arts for everyone, Ghosts will also be available to rent or buy with the option of captioning provided by STAGETEXT. Robert Delamere, Co-Founder and Creative Director of DIGITAL THEATRE said: “Richard Eyre’s adaptation of Ghosts is an immensely powerful, affecting production with Lesley Manville giving one of the best central performances I have ever seen. I am thrilled to have worked closely with Sir Richard in translating the play from the stage to the screen, so that audiences around the world can experience this outstanding work of art and continue the dialogue around it on a global scale”. Helene Alving has spent her life suspended in an emotional void after the death of her cruel but outwardly charming husband. She is determined to escape the ghosts of her past by telling her son, Oswald, the truth about his father. But on his return from his life as a painter in France, Oswald reveals how he has already inherited the legacy of his father’s dissolute life. This acclaimed production sold out at the Almeida before transferring to the Trafalgar Studios where it played to packed houses, extending its original RUN due to popular demand. On 26 June, for one night only, Ghosts was screened in over 275 cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland. LESLEY MANVILLE is a multi award-winning theatre, film and television actor. She was last on stage in Grief at the National Theatre, where she has previously been seen in Her Naked Skin, Pillars of the Community, The Alchemist and His Dark Materials. Other theatre credits include Six Degrees of Separation and All About My Mother at the Old Vic, Top Girls, Serious Money, The Pope’s Wedding and Three Sisters at the Royal Court and for the Royal Shakespeare Company she has been seen in The Wives’ Excuse, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and As You Like It. On screen, Lesley has regularly collaborated with Mike Leigh in films including Another Year, All or Nothing, Topsy-Turvy, Secrets and Lies and High Hopes. Her other film credits include The Christmas Candle, Molly Moon, Maleficent, Romeo and Juliet, Spike Island and A Christmas Carol. On television her credits include An Adventure in Space and Time, The Man Who Would Be Bond, Mayday, Cranford, North and South, Bodily Harm, Other Peoples' Children, Promoted To Glory, The Cazalets, David Copperfield, Painted Lady, The Bite, Holding On, Tears Before Bedtime, A Statement of Affairs, Top Girls, Grown-Ups and The Firm. RICHARD EYRE’s credits at the Almeida include The Dark Earth and the Light Sky, David Hare’s The Judas Kiss - his first production after leaving the National Theatre where he was Director from 1988-1997 - The Novice and Hedda Gabler. His more recent work as a director for the stage includes the award-winning production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible on Broadway, the world premieres of Nicholas Wright’s Vincent in Brixton and The Reporter both for the National Theatre, Noël Coward’s Private Lives on Broadway and the musical Mary Poppins. Most recently he directed Stephen Ward The Musical at the Aldwych Theatre, Quartermaine’s Terms at the Wyndham’s Theatre and The Pajama Game for Chichester Festival Theatre, currently playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre. For television his credits include Changing Stages - a BBC series on the history of theatre in the 20th century, which he co-wrote with Nicholas Wright and presented. Eyre directed the BAFTA award-winning Tumbledown for the BBC and directed the critically-acclaimed Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 for the BBC’s 2012 Shakespeare Season. His film credits include Iris, Stage Beauty, Notes on a Scandal and The Other Man. Ghosts was produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions and the Almeida Theatre with Rupert Gavin, Tanya Link Productions and JFL Theatricals/GHF Productions in association with 1001 Nights. For more information, and to register your interest in Ghosts visit http://www.digitaltheatre.com/production/details/henrik-ibsen-ghosts Up Up

Back to News & Press Harry Potter and the Cursed Child wins the South Bank Sky Arts Theatre Award Sunday, 9 July 2017 On Sunday 9th July, the winners of the 21st South Bank Sky Arts Awards were revealed at The Savoy Hotel, the only awards to focus on the arts in their entirety and celebrate the best of culture in the UK across 10 categories. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was thrilled to be announced as the winner of the Theatre Award. Congratulations to the entire company and creative team. The awards ceremony will be broadcast on Sky Arts on Wednesday 12th July. Up Up

Back to News & Press London’s West End is sleepwalking into oblivion – the Government must wake up Sunday, 13 June 2021 "Our commercial theatres need government-backed insurance – many livelihoods are under existential threat if Step Four is delayed." Read Sonia Friedman’s full Telegraph article. Up Up

Back to News & Press Nice Work If You Can Get It will open at Broadway's Imperial Theatre on April 24th Monday, 14 November 2011 NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT stars two-time Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick (The Producers, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Brighton Beach Memoirs) and three-time Tony Award nominee Kelli O’Hara (South Pacific, The Pajama Game and The Light in the Piazza) and will be directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes, The Pajama Game, Wonderful Town). NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT reunites Kelli O’Hara with Kathleen Marshall following their Tony-winning success with The Pajama Game and the critically-acclaimed Bells Are Ringing at Encores! last season. This production also marks Matthew Broderick’s first musical since The Producers. The production features scenic design is by Derek McLane, costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski and sound design by Brian Ronan. The music supervisor is David Chase. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT will be produced by Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, Scott Landis and Sonia Friedman. This new musical features a veritable hit parade of iconic George and Ira Gershwin songs as well as some unknown gems in their catalog, and a book by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis). NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT follows Billie Bendix (Kelli O'Hara), a tough-as-nails bootlegger who meets wealthy playboy Jimmy Winter (Matthew Broderick) on the weekend of his nuptials. Mayhem ensues. Additional casting and first preview date will be announced shortly. Up Up

Back to News & Press Sunny Afternoon transfers to West End Wednesday, 25 June 2014 Sunny Afternoon, the critically acclaimed new musical which tells the story of the early life of Ray Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks, will open at the Harold Pinter Theatre in October 2014. Following a sold-out run at Hampstead Theatre, this world premiere production, with music and lyrics by Ray Davies, new book by Joe Penhall, direction by Edward Hall, design by Miriam Buether and choreography by Adam Cooper, will begin previews on 4 October 2014. Musical Director is Elliott Ware, lighting is by Rick Fisher and sound by Matt McKenzie. Tickets go on sale to priority bookers today and the Box Office opens for general on-sale on Monday 30 June at 10am. Featuring some of The Kinks’ best-loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset and Lola, Sunny Afternoon marks the 50th Anniversary year of the band’s debut release. The Kinks exploded onto the 60s music scene with a raw, energetic new sound that rocked a nation. But how did that happen, where exactly did they come from and what happened next? Set against the back-drop of a Britain caught mid-swing between the conservative 50s and riotous 60s, this production explores the euphoric highs and agonising lows of one of Britain’s most iconic bands and the irresistible music that influenced generations. The principal cast members remain with the production: John Dagleish plays Ray Davies, George Maguire plays Dave Davies, Ned Derrington plays Pete Quaife and Adam Sopp plays Mick Avory – The Kinks. The cast also includes: Carly Anderson, Philip Bird, Ben Caplan, Lillie Flynn, Emily Goodenough, Vince Leigh, Amy Ross, Dominic Tighe and Tam Williams, with further casting to be announced shortly. Sonia Friedman Productions commissioned Joe Penhall in 2010 to write the book based on Ray Davies’s original story. The company developed the production over the next four years, assembling the creative team and cast that presented Sunny Afternoon earlier this year at Hampstead Theatre under the direction of Edward Hall. Up Up

Back to News & Press Harry Potter and the Cursed Child celebrates 8 years at the Palace Theatre Tuesday, 30 July 2024 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child celebrates its 8th anniversary at London’s Palace Theatre today, 30 July 2024, where it is currently booking until 6 April 2025. Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has now been seen by over 1.7 million people in the West End and over 11 million worldwide. There have been 2740 performances of Part One and Part Two combined, totaling 6432 hours of performance from the 46 strong London cast. Over the last eight years 256 cast members have performed in the original London two-part multi award- winning production at the Palace Theatre along with 215 people who have worked backstage to continue to bring Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to life each performance. Writer Jack Thorne said “Making Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was a beautiful experience, working with John and our talented creative team and cast has been a wonderful journey. It really has been a team effort from every person involved in the show, and we are all proud to still be here 8 years on” Director John Tiffany added “We have been on an incredible journey over the last 8 years, from opening the original production at the Palace Theatre in 2016 to taking the show to audiences worldwide. We have collaborated with many wonderful artists over the years, both on and off stage, all of whom have worked tirelessly to bring Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to our fantastic audiences each and every performance” 19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they’re back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance. The cast comprises David Ricardo-Pearce as Harry Potter, Polly Frame playing Ginny Potter and Ellis Rae as their son Albus Potter. Thomas Aldridge plays Ron Weasley with Jade Ogugua playing Hermione Granger along with Taneetrah Porter as their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley. Steve John Shepherd plays Draco Malfoy, with Harry Acklowe as his son Scorpius Malfoy. They are joined by Ishmail Aaron, David Annen, Nairn Archer, Darrell Brockis, Robert Curtis, Toby De Salis, Odelia Dizel-Cubuca, Rory Fraser, Jemma Geanaus, Harry Goodson-Bevan, Jemma Gould, Kelton Hoyland, David Ijiti, Chris Jarman, Sally Jayne Hind, Emma Louise Jones, Kathryn Meisle, Ian Redford, Abigail Rosser, Clancy Ryan, Tonny Shim, Adam Slynn, Sara Stewart, Benjamin Stratton, Maia Tamrakar, Alex Tomkins, Jake Tuesley, Sam Varley, Jess Vickers, Wreh-asha Walton, Katie Wimpenny. Abigail Austin, Oliver Dawson, Layla Duke, Honor Hastings, Aubrey Hayes, Aljosa Radosavljevic and Ethan Webster alternate two children’s roles. Tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child remain priced from £15 per part. The regular performance schedule is Monday, Tuesday and Thursday – no performance; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 2pm Part One & 7pm Part Two; Sunday - 1pm Part One & 6pm Part Two. The access performances currently on sale are as follows - British Sign Language on Saturday 21 September 2024, Audio Described on Saturday 9 November 2024 and a Captioned Performance on Saturday 16 November 2024. We are excited to announce that this year’s Back To Hogwarts celebrations will include the opportunity to win a place at a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child workshop where people will learn the iconic Wand Dance from the show. The workshop will be run by the production’s Resident Movement Director, Tash Holway, on the morning of 1 September at a Central London venue. To be in with a chance to win a place, enter at harrypottertheplay.com/backtohogwarts / Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne , directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett , set by Christine Jones , costumes by Katrina Lindsay , music & arrangements by Imogen Heap , lighting by Neil Austin , sound by Gareth Fry , illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison , music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe , and casting by Julia Horan CDG and Lotte Hines CDG . Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions , Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions . Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage and the eighth story in the Harry Potter series, holds a record 60 major honors, with nine Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Play and six Tony Awards including Best New Play. There are four productions running worldwide in London, New York, Hamburg, and Tokyo, with a North American tour starting in September 2024 at Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre. Up Up

Back to News & Press Sonia Friedman Productions announce the world premiere of Tom Stoppard's new play Leopoldstadt Tuesday, 25 June 2019 Previewing at Wyndham’s Theatre from 25 January 2020, Leopoldstadt will run for 16 weeks only until 16 May 2020 with opening night on 12 February 2020. Public booking will open on 28 June 2019 at 10am for this strictly limited run, and tickets will be available from £15. To sign up for priority booking and to register interest please visit leopoldstadtplay.com . Full creative team and casting to be announced at a later date. Vienna in 1900 was the most vibrant city in Europe, humming with artistic and intellectual excitement and a genius for enjoying life. A tenth of the population were Jews. A generation earlier they had been granted full civil rights by the Emperor, Franz Josef. Consequently, hundreds of thousands fled from the Pale and the pogroms in the East and many found sanctuary in the crowded tenements of the old Jewish quarter, Leopoldstadt. Tom Stoppard ’s new play, directed by Patrick Marber , is an intimate drama with an epic sweep; the story of a family who made good. “My grandfather wore a caftan,” says Hermann, a factory owner, “my father went to the opera in a top hat, and I have the singers to dinner.” It was not to last. Over the next 50 years this family, like millions of others, was to re-discover what it meant to be Jewish in the first half of the 20th century. Leopoldstadt is a passionate drama of love, endurance and loss. It is Stoppard’s most humane and heart-breaking play. Leopoldstadt , the sixth collaboration between SFP and Tom Stoppard , reunites Stoppard , Marber and Friedman who last collaborated on Travesties in 2017. Internationally award-winning writer Tom Stoppard ’s plays include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead , The Real Inspector Hound , After Magritte , Jumpers , New Found Land , Dogg’s Hamlet , Cahoot’s , Macbeth , Travesties , Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (a play for actors and orchestra written with (André Previn), Night and Day , The Real Thing , Hapgood , Arcadia , Indian Ink , The Invention of Love , The Coast of Utopia , Rock ‘n’ Roll and, most recently, The Hard Problem . His radio plays include Albert’s Bridge , Artist Descending a Staircase , The Dog It Was That Died , If You’re Glad I’ll Be Frank , and most recently, his dramatic imagining of Pink Floyd’s ‘Darkside of the Moon’, Darkside . As well as for the stage and radio, Stoppard is an award-winning writer for film and television. Patrick Marber ’s directing credits of his own work include Dealer’s Choice at the National Theatre and Vaudeville Theatre, After Miss Julie for BBC TV, Closer at the National Theatre, Lyric and Music Box, New York, Howard Katz and Three Days in the Country also at the National Theatre and Don Juan in Soho at Wyndham’s Theatre. His other directing credits include The Room as part of the Pinter at the Pinter Season, Venus In Fur at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Travesties at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Apollo Theatre and The American Airlines Theater, New York, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Director, The Caretaker at the Comedy Theatre, Blue Remembered Hills at the National Theatre, ‘1953’ at the Almeida and The Old Neighborhood at the Royal Court Theatre. Marber ’s plays, which have received multiple awards both in the West End and on Broadway, include Dealer’s Choice , After Miss Julie , Closer , Howard Katz , Three Days in the Country , The Red Lion and a version of Hedda Gabler . He is also an award-winning screenwriter and his film credits include Closer and Notes on a Scandal . Up Up

Back to News & Press First look official production photographs for Lyndsey Turner's production of Hamlet Thursday, 6 August 2015 Performances at the Barbican Theatre commenced this week on 5 August with opening night on 25 August at 7pm with critics previews from Thursday 20 August. Hamlet is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions and presented by the Barbican for an exclusive 12-week run, concluding 31 October 2015. Set designs are by Es Devlin with costume designs by Katrina Lindsay, video by Luke Halls, lighting by Jane Cox, music by Jon Hopkins, sound by Christopher Shutt, movement by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and fights by Bret Yount. Sonia Friedman Productions, in partnership with Sky Arts, has allocated 100 tickets at £10 for every public performance of the production. These tickets are spread throughout the auditorium totalling over 9,000 tickets during the run. In addition to the regular performances, four education matinees have been scheduled exclusively for school and university groups (aged 14+ and in full-time education only). For these performances there will be 100 tickets priced at £10, 300 at £25 and the remainder at £35. For ongoing ticket availability please check the Barbican website at hamlet.barbican.org.uk Hamlet will be broadcast to cinemas around the world on Thursday 15 October 2015 as part of National Theatre Live - the National Theatre’s ground-breaking project which broadcasts plays live from the stage to over 550 cinemas in the UK and over 44 countries internationally. Details of all screenings, including Encore performances, can be found at ntlive.com Joining Cumberbatch are Barry Aird (Soldier), Eddie Arnold (Danish Captain, Servant), Leo Bill (Horatio), Siân Brooke (Ophelia), Nigel Carrington (Servant, Cornelius), Ruairi Conaghan (Player King), Rudi Dharmalingam (Guildenstern), Colin Haigh (Priest, Messenger), Paul Ham (Official), Diveen Henry (Player Queen, Messenger), Anastasia Hille (Gertrude), Ciarán Hinds (Claudius), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Laertes), Karl Johnson (Ghost of Hamlet’s father), Jim Norton (Polonius), Amaka Okafor (Official), Dan Parr (Barnardo), Jan Shepherd (Courtier), Morag Siller (Voltemand), Matthew Steer (Rosencrantz), Sergo Vares (Fortinbras) and Dwane Walcott (Marcellus). As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father’s death but paralysed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state. Up Up

Back to News & Press HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD Celebrates 9 Years at the Palace Theatre Wednesday, 30 July 2025 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child celebrates 9 years at the West End’s Palace Theatre, the home of the original two-part production where it is currently booking to 15 February 2026. Following its 2016 World Premiere in London, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child received a record breaking 9 Olivier Awards and now holds 60 major honours including 6 Tony Awards. The West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the only version worldwide shown in two parts and the only production where you can see 9 of the characters from the Harry Potter series - Hagrid, Bane, Bathilda Bagshot, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, Dudley Dursley, Young Harry and Lily Potter Jr - alongside Harry, Ron and Hermione and many more. Performed by a 45-strong cast along with a backstage team of 66, including 9 stage managers, each two-part performance sees 650 costumes, 50 wigs, 700 lighting cues, 524 sound cues, 50 suitcases and 42 wands bring the magic of Harry Potter to life on stage. Production number 9 will open in 2026 when Harry Potter and the Cursed Child begins its run in the Netherlands. Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage and the eighth story in the Harry Potter series, has been seen by over 2 million people in the West End and over 11 million worldwide. Sonia Friedman and Colin Callendar said “We are delighted to be celebrating another milestone for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The journey over the last nine years since we opened at the Palace Theatre has been a magical one, and we are continually grateful to our wonderful audiences in London and around the world. Still thrilling and stunning audiences as much as it did almost a decade ago, London remains the only place in the world to experience the original two-part production — a truly unique theatrical experience” The current Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast comprises David Ricardo-Pearce as Harry Potter, Claire Lams playing Ginny Potter and Ellis Rae as their son Albus Potter. Thomas Aldridge plays Ron Weasley with Jade Ogugua playing Hermione Granger along with Eve de Leon Allen as their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley. Steve John Shepherd plays Draco Malfoy, with Harry Acklowe as his son Scorpius Malfoy. They are joined by Ishmail Aaron, David Annen, Nicole-Lily Baisden, Sabina Cameron, Rob Curtis, Zijuan Elsol, Gabriel Fleary, Rory Fraser, Tim Hibberd, Sally Jayne Hind, Max Hunter, Dewayne Jameson Adams, Emma Louise Jones, Julia Kass, Debra Lawrance, Tasha Lim, Matty Loane, Sophie Matthew, Jaden Oshenye, Helen Power, Jocelyn Prah, Conor Quinn, Ian Redford, Catherine Russell, Martin de los Santos, Adam Slynn, Benjamin Stratton, Alex Tomkins, Jake Tuesley, Sam Varley and Katie Wimpenny . Spencer Braam, Max Garlick, Ellis Jordan, Effie Linnen, Tristan Marwa and Harper Tricker alternate two children’s roles. 19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they’re back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance. Now booking to 15 February 2026, tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child remain priced from £15 per part. The regular performance schedule is Monday, Tuesday and Thursday – no performance; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 2pm Part One & 7pm Part Two; Sunday - 1pm Part One & 6pm Part Two. Each Friday 40 tickets priced at £40 (£20 per part) are released for every performance the following week, and located in great seats throughout the theatre. Patrons can enter the ‘Friday Forty’ lottery by downloading the TodayTix app. The access performances currently on sale are as follows - British Sign Language Performance on Saturday 13 September, Audio Described Performance on Saturday 15 November and a Captioned Performance on Saturday 8 November. Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne , directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett , set by Christine Jones , costumes by Katrina Lindsay , music & arrangements by Imogen Heap , lighting by Neil Austin , sound by Gareth Fry , illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison , music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe , and casting by Julia Horan CDG and Lotte Hines CDG . Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions , Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions . There are currently five productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child running worldwide in London, New York, Hamburg, Tokyo, and a North American tour which is currently running at Washington DC’s Broadway At The National, followed by The Fox Theatre, Atlanta, from February 2026. Up Up

Back to News & Press Ruth Wilson to star in The Human Voice Friday, 26 November 2021 Sonia Friedman Productions today announces that Ruth Wilson will star in Ivo van Hove ’s adaptation of Jean Cocteau ’s The Human Voice , which he also directs with design by Jan Versweyveld , originally produced by Internationaal Theater Amsterdam . The production opens at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 22 March, with previews from 17 March, and runs for three weeks only until 9 April. Booking opens today, with tickets from just £5, and over 300 tickets at each performance at £25 or under. Ruth Wilson said today, “I am absolutely thrilled to be collaborating again with Ivo and Jan on this wonderful, heartbreaking and deeply human monologue from Jean Cocteau. A woman alone with only her phone as companion, Cocteau explores the nature of intimate relations through inanimate objects. In a world in which are all addicted to and dependent on our phones, this play from the 1930s couldn’t feel more prescient. Ivo is the perfect director to bring Cocteau’s play to life as both share a love of the absurd as a mirror to truth.” Sonia Friedman added, “It’s a privilege to begin the New Year in reuniting the extraordinary talents of two incredible theatre makers – Ruth Wilson and Ivo van Hove, bringing to London Ivo’s adaptation of Jean Cocteau’s The Human Voice , an intimate, captivating and devastatingly raw monologue.” “We’ve never been more connected. We’ve never been more alone. Two-time Olivier Award-winner Ruth Wilson stars in The Human Voice - the searing story of a woman's heartbreak over the course of a final phone call with her former lover. Reunited with groundbreaking director Ivo van Hove for the first time since their acclaimed Hedda Gabler, Ruth Wilson returns to the West End for 31 performances in this explosive reimagining of one of theatre’s greatest roles. Jean Cocteau’s stunning monologue is more illuminating about love and loneliness than ever .” Supported by Arts Council England Produced with the kind permission of the Chairman of the Comite Jean Cocteau Up Up

Back to News & Press Rehearsals begin for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Friday, 13 January 2017 New images are released today marking the first week of rehearsals for the new West End production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The cast includes Imelda Staunton as Martha, Conleth Hill as George, Imogen Poots as Honey and Luke Treadaway as Nick. James Macdonald directs the first production of Albee’s landmark play since his death last September. The production runs at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 22nd February to 27th May 2017. In the early hours of the morning on the campus of an American college, Martha, much to her husband George’s displeasure, has invited the new professor Nick and his wife Honey to their home for some after-party drinks. As the alcohol flows and dawn approaches, the young couple are drawn into George and Martha’s toxic games until the evening reaches its climax in a moment of devastating truth-telling. Imelda Staunton (Martha) returns to the West End after her triumphant and Olivier Award-winning performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy. Amongst her many other theatre credits, notable performances include Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd, for which she won an Olivier Award, Circle, Mirror, Transformation for the Royal Court and the role of Claire in Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance at the Almeida Theatre. In total, Staunton has been nominated for eleven Olivier Awards, winning four. On film Staunton is perhaps best known for playing the title role in Vera Drake, for which she received the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and for the role of Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter films. Conleth Hill (George) is perhaps best known for his role as Lord Varys in the HBO television production Game of Thrones. A multi award-winning theatre actor, amongst his extensive theatre credits, recent productions include Quartermaine’s Terms at the Wyndham’s Theatre and The Cherry Orchard at the National Theatre. Hill won Olivier Awards for his performances in The Producers, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and Stones In His Pockets in the West End. He also received Tony Award nominations for his role in Stones In His Pockets on its transfer to Broadway and The Seafarer, which transferred from the National Theatre to Broadway. Hill’s film credits include Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Whatever Works, directed by Woody Allen. Imogen Poots (Honey) makes her West End debut with Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Poots made her breakthrough performance as Tammy in the film 28 Weeks Later. She won the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Look of Love in 2013 and was nominated for Best Actress at the 2015 Evening Standard British Film Awards for her role in Peter Bogdanovich’s She’s Funny That Way. Other film credits include Terrence Mallick's The Knight of Cups, Green Room, Filth, Jimi: All Is By My Side, A Late Quartet, Jane Eyre and Frank and Lola. On television, she recently played the female lead in Cameron Crowe’s debut television series Roadies (Showtime). Luke Treadaway (Nick) won an Olivier Award for his performance as Christopher in the internationally acclaimed hit The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre/ West End) and also originated the role of Albert in the earliest production of War Horse, again at the National. Further theatre credits include Over There (Royal Court), Piranha Heights (Soho Theatre) and Saint Joan (National Theatre). For film, Treadaway played the lead in the recent Sony Pictures release A Street Cat Named Bob, adapted from the New York Times bestselling novel. Treadaway’s further film credits include Unbroken, Attack the Block, The Whistleblower, Clash of the Titans, Tonight You’re Mine, Heartless, The Rise and Brothers of the Head. For television, this month he returns to his role of scientist Vincent Rattrey in the second series of Sky Atlantic’s critically acclaimed Fortitude. His further credits include the lead character of Alex Higgins in BBC’s The Rack Pack, the Duke of Richmond in the second series of The Hollow Crown (BBC/NBC/Neal Street Productions), as well as Sky Arts mini-series The Nightmare World of H.G. Wells with Michael Gambon. James Macdonald is highly regarded for his work with Caryl Churchill and Sarah Kane, recently directing Churchill’s play Escaped Alone at the Royal Court. Most recently Macdonald directed The Children by Lucy Kirkwood, also at the Royal Court. Other recent work includes the award-winning production of Florian Zeller’s The Father and Roots at the Donmar Warehouse. Macdonald has previously directed Staunton in the Royal Court’s production of Circle, Mirror, Transformation by Annie Baker and in the critically-acclaimed production of Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance at the Almeida Theatre. Edward Albee was born on 12th March 1928 and began writing plays 30 years later. His plays include The Zoo Story (1958), The Death of Bessie Smith (1959), The Sandbox (1959), The American Dream (1960), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1961-62, Tony Award), Tiny Alice (1964), A Delicate Balance (1966, Pulitzer Prize; 1996, Tony Award), All Over (1971), Seascape (1974, Pulitzer Prize), Listening (1975), Counting the Ways (1975), The Lady from Dubuque (1977-78), The Man Who Had Three Arms (1981), Finding the Sun (1982), Marriage Play (1986-87), Three Tall Women (1991, Pulitzer Prize), Fragments (1993), The Play about the Baby (1997), The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? (2000, 2002 Tony Award), Occupant (2001), At Home at the Zoo: Act 1, Homelife. Act 2, The Zoo Story. (2004), and Me, Myself & I (2008). Mr. Albee was awarded the Gold Medal in Drama from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1980. In 1996 he received the Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts. In 2005 he was awarded a special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. Up Up

Back to News & Press Rehearsals begin for Neil Simon's award-winning comedy The Sunshine Boys Tuesday, 20 March 2012 Thea Sharrock’s production, which begins rehearsals today, previews at the Savoy Theatre from 27 April with press night on 17 May. The Sunshine Boys, which is booking for a strictly limited run until 28 July 2012, is designed by Hildegard Bechtler with lighting by Neil Austin, music by Adrian Johnston and sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph. The Sunshine Boys is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Richard Willis and Tulchin Bartner Productions. Kings of comedy, Willie Clark and Al Lewis aka ‘The Sunshine Boys’ haven’t spoken to each other in years. When CBS call for the vaudevillian greats to be re-united for a television special, past grudges resurface as they take centre stage once more. Ageing ailments aside, can this legendary double-act overcome their differences for one last show? Old rivalry and vintage hilarity abound in this classic comedy of showbiz and friendship. Danny DeVito (Willie Clark), who will make his West End stage debut in The Sunshine Boys, won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy award for his portrayal of Louie De Palma in the US hit comedy Taxi, a role he played for five years. His extensive film credits include Martini in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a role he also played on stage, Terms of Endearment, Romancing the Stone, The Jewel of the Nile, Junior, Twins and Ruthless People. He appeared as the Penguin opposite Michael Keaton’s Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. Later this year DeVito will voice the title character in Universal Pictures’ animated feature The Lorax, based on the book of the same name by Dr. Seuss. As a film director DeVito’s credits include Matilda, The War of the Roses and Hoffa. This autumn DeVito returns as Frank Reynolds in the eighth season of the acclaimed American cult comedy, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Richard Griffiths (Al Lewis) won the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Actor for his portrayal of Hector in The History Boys at the National Theatre and on Broadway, a role he also played on screen. Griffiths has previously been directed by Thea Sharrock in Equus at the Gielgud Theatre and on Broadway, and Heroes at the Wyndham’s Theatre. His other theatre credits include The Habit of Art for the National Theatre and Rules of the Game and Galileo for the Almeida Theatre. His Royal Shakespeare Company credits include The White Guard, Once in a Lifetime, Henry VIII and Volpone. His recent television credits include Episodes, Ballet Shoes and Bleak House all for the BBC but he is most well known on television for playing D.I. Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky. On film Griffiths played the unforgettable role of Uncle Monty in the British black comedy, Withnail and I. His other film credits include the role of Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Hugo, Private Peaceful, Stage Beauty, Sleepy Hollow and The History Boys. Rebecca Blackstone (Miss MacKintosh) trained at RADA. Her theatre credits include Lucille in Cool Hand Luke at the Aldwych, The Country for Salisbury Playhouse and Lauren in Midlife Crisis for Coalition Theatre, part of Old Vic New Voices. Nick Blakeley (Eddie) trained at Bristol Old Vic. His theatre credits include 13 and A Woman Killed with Kindness for the National Theatre, Millennium for Old Vic New Voices and The Country Wife for Bristol Old Vic. His television credits include Doctors for the BBC. Peter Cadden’s (Voice of TV Director) theatre credits include King Lear for West Yorkshire Playhouse, A Flea in Her Ear and Pygmalion for the Old Vic, Ohio Impromptu for the Beckett Festival at the Barbican and Gate Theatre Dublin and Measure for Measure for the Peter Hall Company at Bath Theatre Royal. Johnnie Fiori’s (Registered Nurse) theatre credits include Vernon God Little at the Young Vic, Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre, the title role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Thoroughly Modern Millie and 125th Street both at the Shaftesbury Theatre and The Wiz for the Hackney Empire. Fiori made her operatic debut in Robert LePage’s version of 1984 for the Royal Opera House. Adam Levy’s (Ben Silverman) theatre credits include Henry V and Edmond for the National Theatre, Henry IV Part I, Richard II and Beauty and the Beast for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Angels in America for the Lyric Hammersmith and on tour. For Regent’s Park Theatre his credits include Oh! What a Lovely War, As You Like It and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His television credits include Rome, Lewis and Coronation Street. On film his credits include Gladiator, Mercenaries and Being Considered. William Maxwell’s (Patient) theatre credits include Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar and Nicholas Nickleby for the Royal Shakespeare Company and A Flea in Her Ear for the Old Vic. His television credits include Nearest and Dearest, Brookside, Z Cars and Strike Out of Time. On film his credits include Cicero, The Temple Project and The Ploughman’s Lunch. The Sunshine Boys was first produced on Broadway in 1972 and was later adapted for film and television. Sam Levene and Jack Albertson played Lewis and Clark in the stage premiere directed by Alan Arkin. Neil Simon’s 1975 Academy award-winning film adaptation starred George Burns as Lewis and Walter Matthau as Clark and was directed by Herbert Ross. Woody Allen and Peter Falk played the vaudevillian pair in the television version, directed by John Erman. Playwright and screen writer Neil Simon’s career has spanned more than five decades during which he has written over 30 plays and 20 screenplays. His first Broadway play, Come Blow Your Horn, opened in 1961. Shortly after, his second, Little Me, earned him his first Tony Award nomination. In 1966 Simon had four shows running on Broadway at the same time - Sweet Charity, The Star-Spangled Girl, The Odd Couple and Barefoot in the Park. He has won three Tony Awards - Best Author for The Odd Couple, Best Play for Biloxi Blues and Best Play for Lost in Yonkers - and been nominated for seventeen. Simon has also won an Evening Standard Award for Barefoot in the Park, the Golden Globe for Best Motion Screenplay for The Goodbye Girl and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Lost In Yonkers. He has also written the books for several musicals including Sweet Charity. Thea Sharrock’s production of 13 has recently completed a run at the National Theatre where she previously directed After The Dance for which she won the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Revival, Happy Now? and The Emperor Jones. The Sunshine Boys reunites Sharrock with Richard Griffiths who she directed in Equus both in the West End and on Broadway and in Heroes at the Wyndham’s Theatre. Her other theatre credits include Cause Célèbre for the Old Vic and The Misanthrope at the Comedy Theatre. Sharrock was previously Artistic Director at the Southwark Playhouse (2001-2003) and the Gate Theatre (2004-2006). Up Up