Opening: Spyski, Oedipus, Disappearing, Still Alive!
Amongst the major openings in London this week are:
OPENING TONIGHT, Monday 13 October 2008 (previews from 3 September), Spyski (or the Importance of Being Honest) premieres at the Lyric Hammersmith, created by UK touring company Peepolykus and directed by Lyric artistic director David Farr. A comic and fast-paced thriller of “international espionage and global politics”, it runs until 1 November prior to a short national tour.
** DON’T MISS our special £10 ticket offer to Spyski valid on all performances until 15 October 2008 – click here for more info! **
ALSO TONIGHT (previews from 8 October), Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Olivier-nominated play The Brothers Size returns to the Young Vic’s Maria Studio, where it debuted last year. Directed by Bijan Sheibani, it’s a passionate drama about the relationship between two brothers, one of whom owns a repair shop, and one of whom is fresh out of prison. It continues until 8 November as part of a national tour.
OPENING TUESDAY, 14 October 2008, Ali Taylor’s award-winning new thriller Overspill opens at the Soho theatre. Telling the story of three lads on a not-so-normal night out in Bromley, it won the Metamorphosis 08 playwriting competition, and runs until 1 November 2008.
ALSO ON TUESDAY (previews from 8 October), Young Vic associate director Matthew Dunster directs his new play You Can See the Hills in the theatre’s Clare Studio, for a limited run until 18 October.
OPENING WEDNESDAY, 15 October 2008 (previews from 8 October), Ralph Feinnes, Clare Higgins and Alan Howard lead the cast in Jonathan Kent’s new production of Sophocles’ Oedipus at the NT’s Oliver Theatre (See News, 8 Jul 2008).
In Sophocles’ ancient Greek tragedy, in a new version by Frank McGuinness, the people of Thebes look to Oedipus to lift a terrible curse from them and their city, but his relentless interrogation of one man after another leads inexorably to his own savage conclusion. It runs in rep until 4 January 2009.
ALSO ON WEDNESDAY (previews from 10 October), Complicite’s multi award-winning A Disappearing Number returns to the Barbican Theatre, directed by Simon McBurney with original music by Nitin Sawhney (See News, 1 Apr 2008). Until 1 November.
OPENING THURSDAY, 16 October 2008 (previews from 15 October), following a UK tour, French & Saunders – Still Alive! opens at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane – a “greatest skits” show and possibly their last live outing as double-act (See News, 9 Jun 2008). Catch them while you can, until 8 November 2008.
– by Theo Bosanquet
