Opening: Kreutzer, Moo, Mixed Up & Salad DaysDate: 9 November 2009
Amongst the major openings in London this week are:
OPENING TUESDAY, 10 November 2009 (previews from 5 November), Nancy Harris' new adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's novella The Kreutzer Sonata opens at the Gate Theatre. Written in 1889, the story, which centres on a doomed marriage, was immediately censored by the Russian authorities on its publication. Natalie Abrahami directs a cast featuring Tobias Beer, Hilton McRae and Sophie Scott. Until 5 December.
OPENING TUESDAY, 11 November 2009, Richmond's Orange Tree Theatre revives Nigel Dennis' The Making of Moo, a satire on the psychological power of religious fervor first seen at the Royal Court in 1957 (when the cast included Joan Plowright, John Osborne and George Devine). Sam Walters directs, and it continues until 12 December.
OPENING THURSDAY, 12 November 2009 (previews from 10 November), the historic Wilton's Music Hall plays host to Mixed Up North, a new play by Robin Soans presented by Out of Joint. Soans' previous plays for the company include A State Affair and and Talking to Terrorists.
Mixed Up North is based on real events surrounding the difficulties of uniting divided racial communities in the Lancashire mill town of Burnley, and features a cast including Olivier Award-winner Celia Imrie. Directed by Max Stafford-Clark, it runs until 5 December as part of a national tour.
OPENING THURSDAY, the Union Theatre presents the European premiere of A Man of No Importance, a chamber musical based on the 1994 film starring Albert Finney. Written by Stephen Flaherty (music), Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) and Terrence McNally (book), it premiered in New York in 2002 and centres on the efforts of an amateur theatre group in Dublin, led by bus conductor Alfie, to stage a production of Oscar Wilde's Salome in their local church. Until 5 December.
OPENING FRIDAY, 13 November 2009 (previews from 12 October), Julian Slade's much-loved 1954 musical Salad Days is revived at Riverside Studios, directed by Bill Bankes-Jones for Tête à Tête theatre company. According to publicity material, the company will transform the venue into a “magical park where you can savour the delicious comedy, delectable singing and breathtaking dancing from a café table, in a conventional seat at the theatre, or sit and lounge on the raised grassy banks up close to the action”. Until 22 November.
- by Theo Bosanquet
