Theatre News

Opening: Fela!, Menagerie & Almeida Builder

Amongst the major London openings, in the West End and further afield, this week are:

OPENING TONIGHT, Monday 15 November 2010 (previews from 12 November), Inside, Philip Osment’s play about young fathers in prison, has two weeks at the Roundhouse until 27 November.

ALSO TONIGHT, Filter Theatre’s acclaimed production of Twelfth Night visits the Rose Theatre, Kingston for a week as part of a national tour.


OPENING TUESDAY, 16 November 2010 (previews from 6 November), Tony Award-winning musical Fela!, which celebrates Nigerian afrobeat musician and political activist Fela Kuti, receives its UK premiere at the National Theatre. Directed and choreographed by Bill T Jones, it features Obie Award-winner Sahr Ngaujah in the title role (alternating with Rolan Bell), and boasts associate producers including Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. It runs in rep in the NT Olivier theatre with the Rory Kinnear-led Hamlet.


OPENING WEDNESDAY, 17 November 2010 (previews from 11 November), Joe Hill-Gibbins revives Tennessee Williams’ autobiographical play The Glass Menagerie as part of the Young Vic’s 40th-anniversary season. Starring Leo Bill, Deborah Findlay, Sinéad Matthews and Kyle Soller, it runs until 1 January 2011.


OPENING THURSDAY, 18 November 2010 (previews from 12 November), Gemma Arterton and Stephan Dillane star in Ibsen’s The Master Builder at the Almeida Theatre, directed by Travis Preston (using a translation by Kenneth McLeish) and running until 8 January 2011.


OPENING FRIDAY, 19 November 2010, children’s Christmas show The Snow Queen begins its festive season at children’s venue Polka Theatre, where it runs until 5 February.