Theatre News

Plays extend: Young Vic’s Three Sisters, West End Chariots

The Young Vic’s radical new staging of Three Sisters has extended booking to 3 November 2012.

The production, which is directed by Australian Benedict Andrews, stars Mariah Gale, Gala Gordon and Vanessa Kirby. It had originally been booking until 13 October.

Three Sisters Young Vic
Mariah Gale in Three Sisters

The radical interpretation includes modern touches from mobile phones to Nirvana songs. It was described by Whatsonstage.com’s Michael Coveney in a five-star review as “One of the most thrilling and refreshing productions of a Chekhov play I have ever seen.”

Prior to helming Three Sisters, Andrews directed Cate Blanchett in Big and Small (Gross und Klein) at the Barbican in April, followed by his Coliseum debut Caligula in May. He directed The Return of Ulysses at the Young Vic in 2011.


The West End transfer of Chariots of Fire, boosted by the huge success of the London Olympics, has extended booking at the Gielgud Theatre until 2 February 2013.

Edward Hall‘s production, which is staged in the round and sees actors racing on a track through the stalls, premiered at the Hampstead Theatre in May.

Adapted by Mike Bartlett from Colin Welland’s Oscar-winning screenplay, it’s billed as “one of the most thrilling Olympic stories”, and centres on two great athletes – Eric Liddell (played by Jack Lowden) and Harold Abrahams (James McArdle) – who overcame prejudice and personal strife to compete in the 1924 Paris Olympics.