December 16, 2008, by Peter Kirwan
2009
To offset the rather negative tone of the last few posts, I thought I’d just post some of the things I’m really looking forward to next year, partly to remind myself but also so I can officially start getting excited about the new year! Coming up:
All’s Well that Ends Well: directed by Marianne Elliott at the National Theatre (thanks Duncan).
Antony and Cleopatra: at the Tobacco Factory.
As You Like It: all over! One at the RSC, another at the Globe and a third by Dash Arts at the Curve in Leicester.
The Comedy of Errors: In Stratford with the RSC Young People’s Company, and also the Globe on tour.
Hamlet: The Donmar production at the Wyndham’s with Jude Law.
Julius Caesar: at the Tobacco Factory, and Lucy Bailey debuts at the RSC.
Love’s Labour’s Lost: Revival of the excellent Globe production.
Macbeth: Cheek by Jowl’s new production at the Barbican (though not until 2010). There’s also a young people’s version at the National.
The Merchant of Venice: Propeller, probably at Liverpool Playhouse.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Propeller again, in rep with Merchant, and another touring version by the Globe.
Othello: The RSC’s touring production lighting up Warwick Arts Centre, and Lenny Henry joins Northern Broadsides.
Romeo and Juliet: The Globe on home turf.
The Tempest: The extremely exciting co-production between the RSC and Baxter.
Troilus and Cressida: A big undertaking for the Globe.
Twelfth Night: Always a possibility I might make it down to the Wyndhams. Also, Ninagawa puts a Japanese spin on at the Barbican.
The Winter’s Tale: The RSC, but also a starry production at the Old Vic.
In the non-Shakespearean lists, there are various things happening. I’m probably most interested in the long-awaited Waiting for Godot in London with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, but also hoping to catch the National’s Dido, Queen of Carthage.
It’s looking to be a fascinating year, hopefully! Anything really obvious I’ve missed in there?
Note: This entry being updated as new productions added.
Hadn’t heard about CBJ’s Macbeth, so thanks for the tip off. However, it seems that it’s not until 2010!
The only addition to the list for this year is Alls Well at the NT.
I’ve booked to see WFG twice; I’ll be at the first ever performance of the production in Malvern on 5 March; my second viewing will be in London later in the year.
How did I forget? Cancel all your appointments and clear your diary for…
… Othello starring Lenny Henry!
http://www.northern-broadsides.co.uk/
Wow, cracking tip on the All’s Well Duncan, hadn’t seen that mentioned anywhere and had to hunt quite hard on Google to find a reference to it! And it’s the wonderful Marianne Elliott directing – that’s definitely going on the list!
And blushing that I forgot Othello – seeing as it was only a couple of months ago that I actually made lunch for Barrie Rutter and Lenny Henry while they discussed the production in the next office, that’s a rather serious oversight on my part!
Just read that public booking for All’s Well opens on 13 March. Online booking seems to open a few days before the officially stated dates, at least if you’re on their emailing list.
Radio Four is broadcasting a documentary about Lenny’s Othello a few days after its opening night:
Lenny Henry Plays Othello
Friday 20 February
11.00-11.30am BBC RADIO 4
In a double first for Lenny Henry, the actor and comedian performs his first straight stage role and first Shakespearian role as he enacts one of theatre’s great tragic characters.
This programme follows Lenny as he prepares for his appearance on the stage of the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, in a new production of Shakespeare’s classic for Northern Broadsides, by Barrie Rutter. He takes coaching sessions between trips to Africa for Comic Relief and appearances on TV’s Live At The Apollo. Lenny also keeps an audio diary of his hopes and fears for the show.
Listeners also hear from Lenny during rehearsals and on the show’s first night. Lenny Henry Plays Othello airs less than 36 hours after the first stage performance.
Producer/Simon Elmes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/radio/2009/wk7/fri.shtml#fri_radio4
Cheek By Jowl have announced tour dates and lead casting for their Macbeth:
18 March – 10 April 2010 at the Barbican
Macbeth to be played by Will Keen
http://www.cheekbyjowl.com/productions/macbeth/index.html
Thanks for that Duncan – I don’t think there’s any new information been added since the original announcement though, has there?
Sorry if this is old news! I hadn’t seen the actual tour dates anywhere and I usually write that kind of detail down.
Some hopefully new news is that the Almeida is doing Measure For Measure in 2010. I haven’t seen any dates or casting for that yet.
That’s new to me! A quick google shows dates of February 11th – April 3rd, but I don’t know how reliable those are!
Yep, I’m finding those dates too. The whatsonstage listing even states the opening night as 18 February, which I imagine is a detail no one would invent!
http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=206&action=details&show=l0105765285
Almeida website press room has day-old release containing the following:
MICHAEL ATTENBOURGH TO DIRECT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S
M E A S U R E F O R M E A S U R E
Michael Attenborough will direct William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure as the first Almeida production to open in 2010. Designs are by Lez Brotherston with lighting by David Hersey and sound is by John Leonard. Further details for this production, including casting, will be announced at a later date.
Previously Attenborough has directed Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice as well as Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra and Henry IV parts I and II. In Autumn 2007 Attenborough was invited to lead a two week International Shakespeare Workshop in Australia where he worked with a company of multi-national artists. On leaving the RSC, where he was Principal Associate Director, he was invited to become an Honorary Associate Artist.
Someone has heard, on apparently good authority, that Greg Doran plans to open the Swan next year with Cardenio (partly in Spanish) along with The Two Noble Kinsmen:
http://www.whatsonstage.com/board/index.php?showtopic=6124&st=0&gopid=69912x%x%#entry69912
Olé!
I knew about Cardenio/Double Falsehood, it was actually suggested by my supervisor (who is, of course, an RSC board member) in connection with the apocrypha project. Didn’t know it was going to be the opening production though. Creates a nice bit of symmetry – the Swan first opened with the newest canonical play, Two Noble Kinsmen in the 80s as it just started to be included in Complete Works editions, and now it re-opens with the play which is also just starting to be accepted as canonical.
Another Cardenio reconstruction is touring the south west this summer, heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, and then possibly to an Oxford college in the autumn.
http://www.tact-theatre.co.uk/page6.htm
This one is by Dr Bernard Richards of Brasenose College, Oxford