Theatre News

Opening: Gem, Grumpy, Hut, Real Thing & Elegy

19 April 2010

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

OPENING TONIGHT, 19 April 2010 (previews from 16 April), Little Gem, the Edinburgh Fringe First-winning debut play by Irish writer Elaine Murphy centring on three generations of Dublin women, has its London premiere at the Bush Theatre, continuing until 22 May.

OPENING TUESDAY, 20 April 2010 (previews from 14 April), Jenny Eclair, Susie Blake and Wendi Peters have a moan in the TV spin-off sequel Grumpy Old Women Live 2: Chin Up Britain at the Novello Theatre (See News, 1 March 2010).

** DON’T MISS our Whatsonstage.com Outing to GRUMPY OLD WOMEN 2 on 19 May, including a FREE poster, FREE drink and access to our EXCLUSIVE post-show Q&A with the cast – click here for details! **

ALSO ON TUESDAY, the Young Vic co-production of Schnitzler’s Sweet Nothings, directed by Luc Bondy, visits the Rose Theatre, Kingston for a week-long run.

ALSO ON TUESDAY, Janie Dee and Aden Gillett star in Tim Luscombe’s revival of Nancy Mitford’s The Little Hut at Greenwich Theatre (See News, 6 Apr 2010), where it continues until 24 April.

OPENING WEDNESDAY, 21 April 2010 (previews from 10 April), Toby Stephens stars as successful and snobbish playwright Henry in Anna Mackmin’s revival of Tom Stoppard’s award-winning modern classic The Real Thing at the Old Vic, where it runs until 5 June 2010.

OPENING THURSDAY, 22 April 2010 (previews from 15 April) Ruined, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play set in the civil war-torn Congo, receives its UK premiere at the Almeida Theatre, with a cast including Jenny Jules directed by Indhu Rubasingham (See {News, 22 Oct 2009).

** DON’T MISS our Whatsonstage.com Outing to RUINED on 13 May, including a FREE drink and access to our EXCLUSIVE post-show reception with the cast – click here for details! **

ALSO ON THURSDAY (previews from 19 April), singer Billy Bragg makes his theatrical debut with his band at Wellcome Collection in Pressure Drop, inspired by Bragg’s songs and written by Mick Gordon for On Theatre.

OPENING FRIDAY, 23 April 2010, on Shakespeare’s birthday, the Globe launches its King and Rogues summer repertory season with Elliot Cowan as Macbeth alongside Globe regular Laura Rogers as Lady Macbeth, directed by Lucy Bailey and choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Javier de Frutos (See News, 15 Feb 2010). It continues in rep until 27 June 2010.

OPENING SATURDAY, 24 April 2010, Fiona Shaw directs Elegy for Young Lovers at the Young Vic, in the third season of collaborations between the Southwark theatre and English National Opera. Until 8 May 2010.