Opening: Plague, Anansi, Toyer, Flies & Isfahan

Amongst the major openings in London this week are:
OPENING TONIGHT, Monday 23 February 2009 (previews from 12 February), Evening Standard theatre critic Nicholas de Jongh’s Plague Over England transfers to the Duchess Theatre, following a successful debut at the Finborough last year (See News, 19 Dec 2008).

The play concerns the controversial 1953 conviction of Sir John Gielgud, for ‘persistently importuning men for immoral purposes’. The cast includes Michael Feast as Gielgud and Celia Imrie as Sybil Thorndike. It’s currently booking to 19 May 2009.

ALSO TONIGHT (previews from 19 February), Talawa Theatre Company bring their latest family show, Anansi and the Magic Mirror, to the Hackney Empire, where it runs until 7 March 2009.

OPENING TUESDAY, 24 February 2009, Kieron Barry’s Numbers opens in the lunchtime slot at the King’s Head. Billed as “St Trinian’s meets Lord of the Flies”, it’s a black comedy set in an all-girls’ boarding school, where four sixth-formers vie for the position of Head Girl. Until 1 March.

OPENING WEDNESDAY, 25 February 2009 (previews from 16 February), the refurbished Arts Theatre reopens with psychological thriller Toyer, adapted by Gardner McKay from his 1998 novel and starring Al Weaver and Alice Krige (See News, 28 Jan 2009). When a charming stranger appears at psychiatrist Maude’s apartment late one night, an innocent encounter soon becomes a sexually charged battle of wits… Toyer is currently booking to 11 April 2009.

** DON’T MISS the chance to get tickets for Toyer for just £10!! Offer valid on performances from 16 to 24 February – click here for details! **

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, Pilot Theatre’s acclaimed stage adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies opens at the Unicorn Theatre as part of the company’s ten-year anniversary tour which began in September. It’s at the Unicorn until 7 March.

OPENING THURSDAY, 26 February 2009 (previews from 24 February), Philip de Gouveia’s Isfahan Calling opens at the Old Red Lion, examining the dark realities of psychological warfare as a team of journalists craft propaganda messages to broadcast in Iran. Until 14 March.

– by Theo Bosanquet