Shock closure of Derby Playhouse.

We have been talking recently with Al Geary about Derby Playhouse rumours. Here's his on the spot, late night, note about what happened when he went to the opening night of Treasure Island . . .

Funding Threat as theatre company starts its second quarter-century.

Birmingham Rep are building up to their production of Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS.

In the version by Nicholas Wright, the production opens on Friday 13th March and runs till April 18th.

This is a huge undertaking for the Rep but should be exciting in the Rep's large acting space. Details below are from the Rep's press release.

The consortium of the UK’s leading street arts festivals, confirms significant Arts Council England backing for a third year

First premiere 25 May in Castles in the Air, Penrith.

Ambassador Theatre Grup (ATG) owns some of the premium touring theatres round the country, including theatres in Woking, Richmond, Brighton, Bromley, Milton Keynes, Stoke-on-Trent and Glasgow. They're a major presence in London too, with the Donmar Warehouse, Trafalgar Studios, Duke of Yorks and Comedy Theatres among others.

In a new deal costing some £90 million pounds ATG has acquired Live Nation's UK Theatres. This includes some capacious auditoria - Edinburgh Playhouse; The Auditorium, Grimsby; Liverpool Empire; Bristol Hippodrome; The Palace Theatre and The Opera House, Manchester; Southport Theatre; Sunderland Empire; Grand Opera House, York; Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham; Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone; The New Theatre and The Old Fire Station, Oxford; the Princess Theatre, Torquay and The Lyceum and Apollo Victoria Theatres, London.

OK, the Old Fire Station isn't that big. But when the new ATG-operated Waterside Theatre opens in Aylesbury next year the new company will be running 40 theatres in England and Scotland.

Former BBC Director General Greg Dyke will be joining the company in the new role of Executive Chairman. Sir Eddie Kulukundis OBE will remain as Life President.

ATG certainly has a strong 17-year track record for well-cast revivals and new work. And, with the combined company valued at £150 million, it make you wonder if they'll be able to drop those dratted booking and transaction fees at last.

Dublin
MACBETH: William Shakespeare.

Abbey Theatre, 26/27 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1, until 15th May 2010
Mon-Sat Evening 7.30pm
Sat Matinee 2pm
Audio-described Sat 15 May 2pm.

Runs 2hr 30min including interval.

TICKETS: + 353 (0) 1 87 87 222 .
www.abbeytheatre.ie

Review: John McKeown April 21st .

Dark tale with cheek and subtlety

After 58 years, at last they're letting is know what's been going on out of sight.

Before the Library Theatre leaves for a peripatetic phase and ultimate installation in a new central Manchester home, they're holding a couple of Open (Half-)Days with a chance to view areas where a production is made and a performance controlled. These are the details:

Info about a new play at London's New End Theatre - 9th to 19th March, 2011

74 Georgia Avenue

FREE EVENTS PROGRAMME IN PECKHAM AT ROYAL COURT ’S THEATRE LOCAL, THE BUSSEY BUILDING .

The Royal Court’s Theatre Local which opened to a sold-out run of debbie tucker greens new play truth and reconciliation, will host a series of free events and workshops showcasing local talent at The Bussey Building, Peckham from 24 Oct – 24 Nov.

Renowned Spoken Word and Peckham based artist Inua Ellams will headline an evening of spoken word featuring a line-up of new local talent. The events programme will also include half term acting workshops, a family arts and crafts day, and a film night of upcoming, young talent.

After beginning in 2010 at Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, the Royal Court Theatre ’s initiative to take plays to alternative spaces opened this year at CLF Art Café at The Bussey Building on Rye Lane in Peckham. debbie tucker green’s play truth and reconciliation played a sell-out run and the world premiere of new writer Rachel De-lahay’s The Westbridge will open on 3 Nov-19 Nov. Theatre Local’s events programme is planned to keep the space vibrant and alive in between plays.

From 8pm on Tuesday 1 November Inua Ellams, whose recent production The 14th Tale had successful runs at the Battersea Arts Centre and the National Theatre, will headline an eclectic free evening of Spoken Word performance accompanied by a line-up of local spoken word artists, including Peckham resident Reality.

On Thursday 24 November from 7pm the CLF Arts Café at Theatre Local will be transformed into a free cinema showcasing a series of short films in partnership with a competition launched by STEP (Southwark Theatres Education Partnership) which will screen the six winning films.

A new six-week playwriting course for Peckham residents has also been launched and will run every Wednesday from 7pm – 9pm, until 9 November. The free drop-in course exploring the tools to write a play will be run by the Royal Court ’s Ola Animashawun with guest appearances from playwrights such as DC Moore (The Empire, Alaska ) and is open to any age and ability in the local community. The first successful sessions have welcomed over 30 participants all from South London .

Theatre Local will be continuing its free education workshops to local community groups and schools with the next workshops taking place from 3-18 November.

From 8 November, Playwright Bola Agbaje will join Theatre Local working with Peckham based secondary school Harris Academy for a 6 week playwriting course. This will be one strand of a larger education project, working with a primary school and youth group in Peckham to teach and encourage playwriting. These will all be run by a Royal Court Playwright.

During half term Theatre Local will offer creative drop-in days at the Bussey Building for all ages to enjoy. Monday 24 October will offer acting workshops for young people from 4pm, and adults from 7pm, and a family activities day with arts and crafts in the morning and storytelling in the afternoon will be available to drop in to on Thursday 27 October from 10am – 4pm.

The next play in the Theatre Local Season, The Westbridge, will have its world premiere in Peckham from 3 – 19 Nov, before it transfers to the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, with tickets sold on a ‘Pay-what- you- like’ basis when purchased at the venue or £10 in advance.

Exciting opportunity for choreographers at Wilton's Music Hall.

Freedom for its Citizens is rapidly disappearing in Turkey. What follows is part of a statement recently issued by the International Association of Theatre Critics. Worrying times . . .

The RSC's Queen Anne, reviewed here in December 2015, is going into the West End.

Apologies for our recent absence. Central servers have been upgraded and put everything off-line for a ouple of days. Bute we're back. Thaks for staying with us.

Nottingham.

OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD: Timberlake Wertenbaker.
4Stars****

Nottingham Playhouse.
www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.
Runs: 3h 0m: one interval: till 24th March.
Performance times 7.30pm (matinées 1.30pm Thurs 15th and 22nd, 2.30pm Sat 24th).
Audio Described at all performances.
Review: Alan Geary: 13th March 2018.

Splendid play. Fine production.