Corin Redgrave as Kenneth Tynan
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Redgrave’s RSC Tynan Shares Arts With Committed

The Royal Shakespeare Company continues its multi-pronged attack on London with the transfer of Tynan, the one-man show in which Corin Redgrave stars as the late drama critic Kenneth Tynan, for a six-week run at the West End’s Arts Theatre. It will open on 21 February 2005 (previews from 17 February) and continue until 26 March, running nightly with another solo show, the Whatsonstage.com Award-nominated Fully Committed.

With the transfer, the RSC will be represented simultaneously in four London theatres. In the West End, in addition to Tynan, three of the RSC’s Spanish Golden Age plays open in repertory this month at the Playhouse, while the clutch of Tragedies, followed by Hecuba, continues at the Albery until 7 May. As part of the latter, the busy Redgrave plays King Lear from 13 January to 5 February, while his sister Vanessa takes the title role in Hecuba.

Finally, at Soho Theatre over the coming weeks, the RSC presents Ron Hutchinson’s Head/Case and Joanna Laurens’ Poor Beck, which, like Tynan, had their world premieres at the RSC’s inaugural New Work Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon this past autumn (See News, 28 Sep 2004).

Tynan is based on the book, The Diaries of Kenneth Tynan, edited by John Lahr. The diaries are adapted for the stage by Richard Nelson with Colin Chambers. The production is directed by Nelson and designed by Tom Piper with costume by the critic’s daughter Tracy Tynan. The play is presented in the West End by the Arts Theatre and Fiery Angel Ltd.

At the Arts, Tynan will replace another one-man show featuring theatre critic. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, in which the Spectator’s Toby Young plays himself in the dramatisation of his best-selling memoir, opened on 28 October 2004 (previews from 25 October) and finishes this Saturday 15 January 2005.

Fully Committed, which has the earlier evening slot at 7.30pm, is currently booking until 9 April 2005. Originally seen in London at the Menier Chocolate Factory, it transferred to the Arts on 1 November 2004 (previews from 25 October). The New York hit, which stars Mark Setlock as a harassed reservations booker at a top Manhattan restaurant, has been nominated for three Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards – Best New Comedy, Best Overall Fringe Production (for its run at the Menier) and Best Solo Performance (click here to vote now).

- by Terri Paddock

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