The Michael Grandage Company launch last night with Privates on Parade, and plenty of the director's former acting recruits turned out for the occasion - among them Elliot Levey, Una Stubbs, Ron Cook, Samantha Spiro and Alex Waldmann.

Privates on Parade, which stars Simon Russell Beale as the cross-dressing Captain Dennis, continues until 2 March.

Also in attendance last night were the play's author Peter Nichols and composer Denis King.

Subsequent productions in the Grandage residency at the Noel Coward Theatre are Peter and Alice, starring Judi Dench and Ben Whishaw, The Cripple of Inishmaan, starring Daniel Radcliffe, A Midsummer Night's Dream with David Walliams and Sheridan Smith, and finally Henry V with Jude Law (who played Hamlet for Grandage in 2009) in the title role.

PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM