Theatre News

Sky Arts Premieres Five More Plays from June

Theo Bosanquet
London's West End

Following its Theatre Live! season last year, Sky Arts will broadcast another series of new plays this summer by writers including Eve Ensler, Frank McGuinness and Mark Ravenhill.

Broadcasting every Wednesday from 9 June to 7 July 2010, Sky Arts: Playhouse will be filmed at the Riverside Studios, where each of the five plays will preview for four performances prior to the filmed performance.

Sandi Toksvig, the artistic director of the season, will host a post-show discussion for each play after every Friday night performance.

The five plays featured are:

  • 9 June – The Typist by Rebecca Lenkiewitz, directed by Bijan Sheibani.
  • 16 June – Ghost Story by Mark Ravenhill, directed by the playwright.
  • 23 June – Hens by Alia Bano, directed by Peter Gill.
  • 30 June – Crocodile by Frank McGuinness, directed by Toby Frow.
  • 7 July – Here by Eve Ensler, directed by Josie Rourke.

    Announcing the season today, Sandi Toksvig said: “With Playhouse: Live, we’re staying true to the theatrical experience whilst simultaneously ensuring that we successfully marry the components of theatre and television that make each experience so unique.

    “We’re thrilled to have such an extraordinary range and calibre of playwrights on board, and are delighted about partnering with the Riverside Studios to give the creative teams an opportunity to preview each play.”

    Toksvig was also artistic director of last year’s Sky Arts Theatre Live!, which saw the world premieres of six plays by successful authors in other fields, including novelists Michael Dobbs and Nicci French (See News, 27 May 2010).

    Sky Arts: Playhouse will be broadcast in five 60-minute programmes on Sky Arts 2 HD and Sky Arts 2 at 9pm.