Almeida Announces New Schedule

London's leading off-West End theatre, the Almeida in Islington, has just opened a production of Ostrovsky's The Storm to great acclaim (booking to December 19), and has now announced its next two attractions.

From 4-9 January 1999, poet and performer John Hegley will read from his newest volume of poetry, Beyond Our Kennel. The poet, whose previous volumes include Glad to Wear Glasses and Can I Come Down Now Dad?, began his cabaret performing career at London's Comedy Store in 1980. He has since appeared on the Edinburgh Fringe, and at London's Bloomsbury Theatre and Hackney Empire.

Then, beginning performances on 21 January and booking to 20 February, the Almeida will present the world premiere of Certain Young Men, written and directed by Peter Gill. Gill, whose most recent original play, Cardiff East, was seen at the Royal National Theatre's Cottesloe auditorium, also directs plays by other playwrights. In 1997, he directed Ellen McLaughlin's Tongue of a Bird for the Almeida; his other work includes Richard Nelson's New England for the RSC and Sam Shepard's Fool for Love and the original production of Nicholas Wright's Mrs Klein for the National (both of which subsequently transferred to the West End).

Certain Young Men is described as a poignant comedy of contemporary manners among eight young men in London. Among other things, it asks: 'What are two grown men doing living together and faking all the stupidities of a fake straight relationship?'

The cast includes Jeremy Northam, the stage actor whose screen and television work includes An Ideal Husband, The Net, Emma, Mimic, A Village Affair and Carrington.

The Almeida has also confirmed that Howard Davies will recreate his Almeida production of Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh, starring Kevin Spacey, on Broadway, opening at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 8 April 1999.

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