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Sweeney Todd

NOT for nothing did Stephen Sondheim once say: “I wanted to write a musical like a horror movie. I wanted to scare people.” 

With the tasty pairing of Ramin Karimloo and Meow Meow leading an acting company of 11 and a band of 7, this staging is anything but cautious. And what a cast.

Cautious as I am about superlatives, I think the term “one-of-a-kind masterpiece” must be applied to Sweeney Todd. This Birmingham Rep production is a knockout. 

In a world where climate and energy shocks drive a relentless cost of living crisis — where people skip meals, children go hungry, and diet-related illness runs rampant — the suggestion is that there is something completely insane about a society where the gap between rich and poor is so great.

Anyway. The plot: a skilled barber with a grudge returns to Victorian London to seek his revenge on the judge who wrongly convicted him. Karimloo is a melancholy Sweeney Todd “the demon barber of Fleet Street” whose menace is growing. He is our quiet beefcake ‘Mr T’ who transforms into a mass murderer. 

“And no wonder with the price of meat what it is.”

Mrs Lovett is an amoral loner too — desperate enough for love that she becomes an accomplice to cannibalism. Meow Meow – baker of the ‘worst pies in town’ – is perfect in the grasping role: we laugh as she’s overtaken by her love of profit and her lust for Sweeney. 

She is never funnier or more disconcertingly lovable than during ‘A Little Priest’, that ingenious hymn to the delights of cannibalism. 

There is some great singing and some terrific performances too: Shem Omari James is a lyrical sailor, Jo Stephenson is Sweeney’s imprisoned daughter, David Bedella a oily judge, and Julius D’Silva his sadistic henchman — all first rate. Leo Munby’s musical direction and Kelsh Buckham-Drage’s sound design ensure every word is audible.

By Act 2 blood lust spirals out of control with appalling consequences as Sondheim’s rasping and jittery music winds its way into urban anxiety, it has an unusual integrity of vision. Wow. 

“Inconspicuous Sweeney was, Quick and quiet and clean ‘e was.”

Tinovimbanashe Sibanda’s expressionist movement direction is a shrewd corruption of everyday movement. It’s a brilliantly delivered, vivid, sometimes frightening staging of this penny-dreadful murder story. 

Whichever way you slice it – Joe Murphy’s nearly three-hour unfussy production uses the vast Rep stage imaginatively, lit so the main characters seem to appear in shafts of the animated staging and Rory Beaton’s lighting as if from heaven, or vanish into the furnaces of hell. The result is quietly lethal. 

All in all, the show is a hit (Sir Matthew Bourne was sat behind me) and is selling out. 

This is unmissable.

Sweeney Todd runs at Birmingham Rep until 15 August

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Top 5 Shows of 2025 🏆

You have probably been wondering about the five best British theatre shows of the last twelve months. Well, here you go.

And the best shows of 2025 are…

  1. Kenrex

Jack Holden delivers a brilliant and harrowing monodrama at The Other Palace, based on the true story of a violent US psychopath in small-town Missouri.

Co-written with Ed Stambollouian, Holden’s storytelling is masterful. The music is fantastic, with multiple microphones used to convey Holden’s range of voices. Top dollar theatre.

2. Stereophonic

This struck a chord with me. The story of a fictional 70s British-American rock band trying to make an album for compelling drama resonated with me. The searing songs became the source of much drama, particularly when the group fought over which would make the final album.

To be sure: Stereophonic isn’t a jukebox musical, nor is it by-the-numbers biography. This was a sophisticated and classy production that stood out in a year of movie musicals and deadbeat celebrity reimaginings and revivals.

  1. All My Sons

Bryan Cranston, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Paapa Essiedu and Hayley Squires shone in Ivo van Hove’s terrific production -Van Hove raised Arthur Miller’s rebuttal of the American Dream to something akin to Greek tragedy.

He also chucked out anything not strictly necessary: he proves it does not have to be radical in terms of staging or the treatment of text itself.

The performance is almost entirely underscored with an atmospheric, solemn score. Electrifying and heartbreaking.

4. Into The Woods Stephen Sondheim’s fiendish score was carried with panache by the immaculate cast in this first London production for almost a decade. James Lapine’s story weaves together several fairy tales, including “Cinderella”, “Rapunzel”, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, and “Little Red Riding Hood”.

    Tom Scutt’s affecting costume and set designs added to the cinematic spell. It was a profoundly moving experience, and I can’t wait to watch it again.

      5. Jesus Christ Superstar

      Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1971 Biblical rock musical was strikingly relevant in this powerful summer staging at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury. It featured a large cast of talented actor-musicians and a real garden scene in Gethsemane.

      This memorable revival played to the intimate 220 seat venue, making it a major success and a joy. A treat for all ages. Sod Evita.

      Special mention to: Inter Alia, White Horse, The Habits, One Man Musical, Much Ado About Nothing. Paddington The Musical. Evita.

      Fiascos: Burlesque – the musical, Hunger Games on stage, Elektra, Bacchae, Clarkston, Saving Mozart.

      I will take no further questions.

      Bye for now,

      Carl W x

      P.S I would like to hear about your theatre highlights and lowlights of the year. Share your thoughts now – it’s nice to hear from people.

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      Must-See Autumn Theatre 🎭

      Hiya!

      I thought it would be fun to do a list of upcoming shows to see. 

      I was wrong, it wasn’t fun at all. 

      Alas, Autumn is shaping up to be a thrilling season for theatre lovers, with everything from epic revivals, new writing, to daring new musicals hitting stages across the UK. 

      Anyway, here’s my pick of the shows you should have on your radar.

      [You’re welcome]

      Carl W x

      Into the Woods

      Bridge Theatre, London | 2 December 2025–18 April 2026
      Stephen Sondheim’s beloved musical returns in a revival directed by Jordan Fein. Join the Baker and his Wife as they navigate a web of Grimms’ fairytales in a visually striking production designed by Tom Scutt.

      Small Acts of Love

      Citizens Theatre, Glasgow | 9 September–4 October
      A moving musical drama about the aftermath of the Lockerbie bombing in 1988, Small Acts of Lovecelebrates the friendships forged between Scottish locals and the American families of Pan Am flight 103 victims. Featuring 14 actor-singers and a five-piece roots band, this co-production with the National Theatre of Scotland marks the reopening of the redeveloped Citizens Theatre. Could this be the new Come From Away?

      Bacchae

      National Theatre, London | 13 September–1 November
      “This ain’t no classic play b*tches.” Nima Taleghani’s debut is a spoken-word reimagining of Euripides’ ancient drama, following a group of women who destroy a king in a frenzy of violence. Directed by the National Theatre’s new artistic director, Indhu Rubasingham, it promises a bold and contemporary take on a classic tale. Ooh.

      Mary Page Marlowe

      Old Vic, London | 23 September–1 November
      Hollywood star Susan Sarandon returns to the stage alongside Andrea Riseborough in Tracy Letts’s intimate family drama. Spanning decades, the play explores a mother-daughter relationship with Sarandon bringing her signature gravitas to the London boards.

      Cyrano de Bergerac

      Swan Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon | 27 September–15 November
      Adrian Lester, lauded for his Shakespearean brilliance, takes on the iconic poet and soldier in Edmond Rostand’s classic. This Royal Shakespeare Company production, co-adapted by grime poet Debris Stevenson, promises to bring a fresh, contemporary edge to Cyrano’s timeless tale.

      Rohtko

      Barbican, London | 2–5 October
      From the mind of Polish auteur Łukasz Twarkowski comes a high-octane drama about the scandal surrounding forged Mark Rothko paintings. With pounding techno beats and striking visual effects, this is theatre as a sensory experience.

      Singin’ In The Rain 

      Royal Exchange, Manchester 29 November 2025 – 18 January 2026

      Do-do-do-do do-do-do-do-do do: Who doesn’t love a musical in-the-round? Next year marks 50 years of the Royal Exchange, now led by new Artistic Director Selina Cartmell. This production looks poised to restore the fortunes of the iconic Northern theatre after the Midsummer Night’s Dream cancellation fiasco.

      Small Hotel

      Theatre Royal Bath | 3–18 October
      Ralph Fiennes and Francesca Annis star in Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s new drama about a troubled TV star and his domineering mother. Directed by Holly Race Roughan, this show rounds off Fiennes’ season at the venue with star power and family tension in abundance.

      The Maids

      Donmar Warehouse, London | 13 October–29 November
      Kip Williams, the experimental Australian director behind a multi-screen Dorian Gray, returns with this adaptation of Jean Genet’s 1947 play. Featuring two sadomasochistic sisters, Williams’ bold vision is set to make a big splash.

      The Fight

      Sherman Theatre, Cardiff | 16–22 October
      A story of resilience and injustice, The Fight follows Merthyr-born Olympic boxer Cuthbert Taylor, who faced racial barriers in 1920s Britain. Theatr na nÓg’s production promises a gripping exploration of identity and perseverance.

      Paddington: The Musical 

      Savoy Theatre, London | 1 November 2025–25 May 2026
      For fans of the beloved Peruvian bear, this family-friendly musical adapts the Michael Bond books and films with music by McFly’s Tom Fletcher. Producers are yet to reveal how he will appear on stage; will it be a puppet, animation, avatar, a man in a bear costume? This could go either way. 

      All My Sons

      Wyndham’s Theatre, London | 13 November 2025–7 March 2026
      Arthur Miller’s classic returns with a powerhouse cast including Bryan Cranston, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Paapa Essiedu. Belgian director Ivo van Hove brings his celebrated touch, promising an emotionally charged revival.

      Clarkston

      Trafalgar Theatre, London | 17 September–22 November
      West End debut for Joe Locke in Samuel D. Hunter’s play, exploring love and self-discovery in a small American town. A heartfelt journey of two young men imagining a new future together.

      Othello

      Theatre Royal Haymarket, London | 23 October 2025–17 January 2026
      David Harewood reprises his role as Othello, with Toby Jones as Iago and Caitlin FitzGerald as Desdemona. PJ Harvey contributes a haunting score to this powerful Shakespearean revival.

      Coven

      Kiln Theatre, London | 31 October–13 December
      A new musical inspired by the Pendle witch trials, opening on Halloween. Daisy Chute and Rebecca Brewer’s darkly magical story features Lauryn Redding, Diana Vickers, and Gabrielle Brooks. Terrific cast. 

      Bog Witch by Bryony Kimmings

      Soho Theatre, Walthamstow | 5 – 26 October 

      The brilliant live artist behind a succession of powerful and unsettling stage showstakes us on the journey of uprooting her and her son’s life to live in the wilderness… to plug back into nature as a last-ditch attempt to be happy and sane. Kimmings is always compelling, and this show marks her return to the stage after five years.

      I should probably have included The Hunger Games: On Stage. Oh well.

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      Here We Are

      WHERE to go for brunch?

      Here We Are was completed posthumously after musical maestro Stephen Sondheim’s death.

      Sondheim critics say that he often lacks heartfelt simplicity and directness, coming off more as clever-for-clever’s sake than genuinely sincere: too pleased with his own ingenuity to be satisfying.

      When I saw the show’s first outing in New York in 2023, I stated that I kept waiting for Here We Are to get started — to get into something. I was still waiting when it was over and I was back out on the street.

      Anyway. This collaboration between Stephen Sondheim, Joe Mantello, and writer David Ives is now at the National Theatre for its European premiere. The production had been seven years in the making when Sondheim died at 91, leaving it to be completed posthumously. 

      (At one point, Sondheim quipped that an ingrown toenail rendered him unable to compose; a glimpse into his neurosis.)

      The plot is a hybrid reinterpretation of two classic social satires: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) and The Exterminating Angel(1962).

      Unfortunately, the misshapen material is still as paper-thin as the satirical targets it aims for. At its hollow core are hedge fund billionaire Leo Brink (Rory Kinnear) and his ditzy trophy wife Marianne (Jane Krakowski), who set off in search of brunch following an unannounced visit from a plastic surgeon (Jessie-Tyler Ferguson) and his jaded film agent wife (Martha Plimpton).

      David Zinn’s white box set design cleverly transitions from sleek, abstract New York restaurants to a surreal, elegant prison, mirroring the characters’ deepening sense of entrapment. His cartoon costumes are expressive, enhancing a modern world that feels both recognisable and subtle: each transformation exuding a certain chic panache.

      Director Mantello has described Here We Are as “the punctuation on an extraordinary career.” And writer David Ives says: “Sondheim was drilled by the press for shows that later became staples. He was his own brand, always new, always smart, always funny. He is his own universe.”

      The book is full of forced, unnaturally fast quips that one might, in a state of extreme exhaustion, find amusing. So self-conscious about its themes that nothing in the storytelling occurs naturally.

      “Back to square one, everybody into the car.” God, it’s repetitive.

      There are, however, some good ideas tucked away inside the scrambled unpleasantness. 

      Choreographer Sam Pinkleton adds flair with playful tableaux that animate the ensemble.

      Yet despite the polish of Mantello’s staging, the production ultimately feels like a stylish but aimless diversion—an experiment that, for all its craftsmanship, might have been better as a concert.

      In Act 1 there are no songs; there is music. In Act 2 there are virtually no songs and no music.

      Here We Are is lavishly produced, though, with great care given to the sets, costumes, and makeup, but the spirit is missing.

      W.H. Auden said, “All that we are not stares back at what we are,” and I feel exactly this way whenever I think about Here We Are.

      A mosaic that never comes together.

      Instead, after two hours it closes, looping back on itself with a final, haunting note: ‘The world is pretty messed up.’ And it is.

      Runs until June 28, nationaltheatre.org.uk

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      Standing at the Sky’s Edge Cast Recording Released January 2023

      Chris Bush and Richard Hawley’s magnificent across-the-decades musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge Official Cast Recording – recorded live – will be released on digital platforms and CD on 27 January 2023. Now you know.


      The award winning musical – set in Park Hill, Sheffield is running at Crucible Theatre until 21 January 2023.

      Winner of the Best Musical Production at the UK Theatre Awards and the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre, Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a celebration of strength and solidarity, set to the irresistible sounds of Richard Hawley.

      Standing at the Sky’s Edge runs at National Theatre, London from 9 Feb until 25 Mar 2023.

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      Videos & Photos released from “Take Me To The World: a virtual concert celebrating Sondheim’s 90th birthday” On Broadway.Com & Youtube

      Photo Credit: Broadway.com

      Video highlights, photos, and program notes have been released from last night’s all-star special virtual concert celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 90th Birthday, “Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration.” The concert, a fundraiser for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), was broadcast on the theater world’s premier online content provider, Broadway.com and the Broadway.com YouTube channel and will be made available for viewing and donations to ASTEP will be continued to be accepted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A92wZIvEUAw

       The free online event, produced by Raúl Esparza, took place on the exact 50th anniversary of the opening night of Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical Company (the original production debuted on Broadway on April 26, 1970). Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell was the evening’s music director, with Paul Wontorek serving as director.

       Video clips courtesy of Broadway.com are available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1z4rb8mju94mwoa/AADMLinG5M_p0JJkyIU6yGFDa?dl=0

      Photos courtesy of Broadway.com are available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nhn82gz0vudzv04/AABzWylz4gBw2cjgZa_4j8sAa?dl=0

      The show’s program featured:

       Stephen Schwartz – “Prologue” (Follies)

      Broadway Musicians – “Overture”

      Sutton Foster with Emily Griffin – “ There Won’t Be Trumpets” (Anyone Can Whistle)

      Neil Patrick Harris with Gideon Burtka-Harris and Harper Burtka-Harris – “The Witch’s Rap” (Into The Woods)

      Kelli O’Hara – “What More Do I Need” (Saturday Night)

      Judy Kuhn – “What Can You Lose” (Dick Tracy)

      Victor Garber – Tribute to Sondheim

      Katrina Lenk – “Johanna” (Sweeney Todd)

      Aaron Tveit – “Marry Me A Little” (Company)

      Iain Armitage – Plea to donate to ASTEP

      Beanie Feldstein & Ben Platt – “It Takes Two” (Into The Woods)

      Brandon Uranowitz – “With So Little to Be Sure Of” (Anyone Can Whistle)

      Mary-Mitchell Campbell & Priyanka Patil – Plea to donate to ASTEP

      Melissa Errico – “Children and Art” (Sunday in the Park with George)

      Randy Rainbow – “By The Sea” (Sweeney Todd)

      Elizabeth Stanley – “The Miller’s Son” (A Little Night Music)

      Mandy Patinkin – “Lesson #8” (Sunday in the Park with George)

      Steven Spielberg – Tribute to Sondheim

      Maria Friedman – “Broadway Baby” (Follies)

      Lin-Manuel Miranda – “Giants in the Sky” (Into The Woods)

      Lonny Price – Tribute to Sondheim

      Lea Salonga – “Loving You” (Passion)

      Laura Benanti – “I Remember” (Evening Primrose)

      Raúl Esparza – Plea to donate to ASTEP

      Chip Zien – “No More” (Into The Woods)

      Joanna Gleason – Tribute to Sondheim

      Josh Groban – “Children Will Listen” (Into the Woods) / “Not While I’m Around” (Sweeney Todd)

      John Weidman – Tribute to Sondheim

      Brian Stokes Mitchell – “The Flag Song“ (Assassins)

      Michael Cerveris – “Finishing The Hat” (Sunday in the Park with George)

      Jason Alexander – Tribute to Sondheim

      Linda Lavin – “The Boy From…” (The Mad Show)

      Elizabeth Stanley – Plea to donate to ASTEP

      Alexander Gemignani – “Buddy’s Blues” (Follies)

      Ann Harada, Austin Ku, Kelvin Moon Loh, and Thom Sesma – “Someone in a Tree” (Pacific Overtures)

      Nathan Lane – Tribute to Sondheim

      Lin-Manuel Miranda – Plea to donate to ASTEP

      Raúl Esparza – “Take Me To The World” (Evening Primrose)

      Donna Murphy – “Send in the Clowns” (A Little Night Music)

      Christine Baranski, Audra McDonald, & Meryl Streep – “The Ladies Who Lunch” (Company)

      Annaleigh Ashford & Jake Gyllenhaal – “Move On” (Sunday in the Park with George)

      Patti LuPone – “Anyone Can Whistle” (Anyone Can Whistle)

      Bernadette Peters – “No One is Alone” (Into The Woods)

      Members of the Broadway Community – “I’m Still Here” (Follies)

       ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty) is an organization conceived by Broadway Musical Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth using the most powerful tool they had: their art. Today, ASTEP connects performing and visual artists with youth from underserved communities in the U.S. and around the world to awaken their imaginations, foster critical thinking, and help them break the cycle of poverty.

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      Streep, LuPone, Peters, Mcdonald, And Many More Set For “Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90Th Birthday Celebration” – Live Sunday, 4-26 On Broadway.Com

      Take Me To The World

       An all-star company will perform in a special virtual concert in celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 90th Birthday, “Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration”, this Sunday, April 26 at 8:00 PM ET on the theater world’s premier online content provider, Broadway.com and the Broadway.com YouTube channel. The free online event, hosted by Raúl Esparza, is set to take place on the exact 50th anniversary of the opening night of Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical Company (the original production debuted on Broadway on April 26, 1970).

      This once-in-a-lifetime event will include songs of inspiration from the Sondheim catalog featuring performances from many of the artists who delivered iconic turns in his shows, including Meryl Streep, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Christine Baranski, Donna Murphy, Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O’Hara, Aaron Tveit, Maria Friedman, Iain Armitage, Katrina Lenk, Michael Cerveris, Brandon Uranowitz, Stephen Schwartz, Elizabeth Stanley, Chip Zien, Alexander Gemignani and, from the cast of Pacific Overtures at Classic Stage Company, Ann Harada, Austin Ku, Kelvin Moon Loh and Thom Sesma.

       The evening’s host and producer Raúl Esparza starred as Bobby in the highly acclaimed, Tony Award-winning revival of Company in 2006, and in the Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration productions of Sunday in the Park (George) and Merrily We Roll Along (Charlie) in 2002, as well as the City Center Encores! production of Anyone Can Whistle (Hapgood) and, most recently, in last year’s Road Show (Wilson).

      Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell is the evening’s music director, with Paul Wontorek serving as director.

       “The world is in a hard place, and we are all searching for something great. Well, Stephen Sondheim is greatness personified. So, we’ve assembled a group of people who love Steve and have worked with Steve and have been inspired by Steve to sing his music and share some joy and some heartache together,” said Esparza. “We may be far from Broadway right now, but Broadway is never far from us. Besides, Stephen Sondheim turned 90. How many times do you get to be 90? 11?  So come on, say it, get it over with, come on, quick…happy birthday.”

      This special online event will act as a fundraiser for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), the organization conceived by Broadway Musical Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth using the most powerful tool they had: their art. Today, ASTEP connects performing and visual artists with youth from underserved communities in the U.S. and around the world to awaken their imaginations, foster critical thinking, and help them break the cycle of poverty.

      “Sondheim shows us the depth of our hearts, the complexity of our minds, and all that it is possible to accomplish through his brilliant marriage of music and storytelling,” Mary-Mitchell Campbell added. “Artists Striving to End Poverty aims to make sure that all children living in challenging situations have the opportunity to be transformed by the making of art. In my personal experience, encountering Stephen Sondheim’s music has helped these children imagine an entirely different life and future for themselves. Linking Sondheim and ASTEP together during this very difficult time made perfect sense to us. Children and art.”

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      Sondheim & Furth’s “Company” completes principal casting, Rashidra Scott to play the role of Susan

      Rashidra Scott

      Elliott & Harper Productions and The Shubert Organization announced today that Rashidra Scott will play the role of Susan and completes principal casting in the visionary new production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s landmark American musical, Company, directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Marianne Elliott starring Tony and Grammy Award® winner Katrina Lenk as Bobbie and two-time Tony Award and two-time Grammy Award winner Patti LuPone as Joanne.

      Scott as Susan will appear opposite Greg Hildreth as Peter, the couple that seems to have the perfect marriage, until perfection proves impossible. Scott joins Company directly from the hit musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations where she plays the role of Josephine.

      The full principal cast for Company also includes Matt Doyle as Jamie, three-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Fitzgerald as David,  two-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Sieber as Harry, Tony Award nominee Jennifer Simard as Sarah, Terence Archie as Larry, Grammy Award winner Etai Benson as Paul, Nikki Renée Daniels as Jenny, Claybourne Elder as Andy, Kyle Dean Massey as Theo, and Bobby Conte Thornton as P.J. Casting for the ensemble of Company will be announced in the coming weeks.

      The quintessential musical comedy about the search for love and cocktails in the Big Apple is turned on its head in Elliott’s revelatory staging, in which musical theater’s most iconic bachelor becomes a bachelorette. At Bobbie’s (Lenk) 35th birthday party, all her friends are wondering why isn’t she married? Why can’t she find the right man?  And, why can’t she settle down and have a family?  This whip smart musical, given a game-changing makeover for a modern-day Manhattan, features some of Sondheim’s best loved songs, including “Company,” “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “Side by Side,” and the iconic “Being Alive.”

      Company will begin performances on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street) on Monday, March 2, 2020 with an official opening night set for Sunday, March 22, 2020 (Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday). 

      The creative team for Company includes Liam Steel (choreography), Joel Fram (musical supervisor), Bunny Christie (set and costume design), Neil Austin (lighting design), Ian Dickinson (sound design), David Cullen (orchestrations), Sam Davis (dance arrangements), Chris Fisher (illusions), Campbell Young Associates (hair, wig, and makeup design), and Cindy Tolan (casting).

      Company is produced on Broadway by Elliott & Harper Productions and The Shubert Organization, with Catherine Schreiber. Tim Levy serves as Executive Producer. 

      Tickets for Company are available by visiting www.telecharge.com or calling 212 239 6200. For more information, please visit www.companymusical.com.

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      Nottingham Playhouse / The Watermill Theatre – Assassins – Casting announced

      Assassins

      “Murder is a tawdry little crime. But when a president gets killed, when Julius Caesar got killed… he gets assassinated.”

      A man sits in a storeroom on the sixth floor of a Book Depository in Texas in 1963, waiting for John F Kennedy’s motorcade to pass below. He rests his finger on the trigger, ready to join a line of men and women who have shot their way into the history books.

      Full casting has been announced for The Watermill Theatre’s / Nottingham Playhouse forthcoming co-production of Assassins.

      Stephen Sondheim’s multi-Tony award-winning razor-sharp musical is a satirical and stylish look at why individuals reach for a gun when they feel their voice can’t be heard. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, writers Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a roller coaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and inspire each other to perform harrowing acts.  Assassins is a musical about the power of the President, the lure of celebrity and the failure of the American Dream.

      The show is directed by Bill Buckhurst, whose previous work includes his phenomenally successful multi-award winning production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, which began life at Tooting Arts Club, subsequently transferred to the West End and then went on to New York where it received a rapturous reception.  Last autumn he won universal acclaim at Nottingham Playhouse for his production of Coleman and Field’s Sweet Charity, which starred Rebecca Trehearn, who herself is currently starring in Kiss Me, Kate at The Watermill Theatre. In 2016 Buckhurst received rave reviews for his production of Rufus Norris’s Sleeping Beauty at The Watermill Theatre.

      Assassins will star Alex Mugnaioni (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – West End/tour, Twelfth Night and The Taming of The Shrew – Shakespeare’s Globe) as John Wilkes Booth, Peter Dukes (Brief Encounter – West End / Kneehigh, She Loves Me – Menier Chocolate Factory) as Leon Czolgosz,  Evelyn Hoskins (Cruel Intentions – Bill Kenwright / Edinburgh Fringe, Mayfly – Orange Tree Theatre) as Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme and Jack Quarton (Wonderland – Nottingham Playhouse, Great Expectations – Derby Theatre) as John Hinckley. Also starring are Ned Rudkins-Stow (Robin Hood – Watermill Theatre, Twelfth Night – Wilton’s Music Hall as Lee Harvey Oswald, Joey Hickman (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Southwark Playhouse, A Midsummer Nights Dream – Watermill Theatre) as The Proprietor and Phoebe Fildes (A Woman of No Importance – West End, A Little Night Music – The Watermill Theatre) as Emma Goldman.  Eddie Elliott  (Spamilton – Menier Chocolate Factory, Motown the Musical – West End) is cast as Charles Guiteau,  Lillie Flynn (Twelfth Night – Wilton’s Music Hall, Sunny Afternoon – West End) as the Balladeer, Sara Poyzer(Billy Elliot – West End, Mama Mia –  West End) as Sara Jane Moore, Steve Simmonds (Tommy – New Wolsey / Ramps on the Moon, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – West End / Chichester Festival Theatre) as Samuel Byck and Zheng Xi Yong (Miss Saigon – UK & International Tour) as Giuseppe Zangara. The ensemble will be made up of Grace Lancaster, Matthew James Hinchliffe and Simon Oskarsson.

      LISTINGS INFORMATION
      ASSASSINS
      Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
      Book by John Weidman
      Assassins is based on an idea by Charles Gilbert Jr
      Original orchestrations by Michael Starobin
      Playwrights Horizons Inc., New York City, produced Assassins off-Broadway in 1990
      First Broadway production, 2004, Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Artistic Director
      Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited

      Director Bill Buckhurst
      Designer Simon Kenny
      Musical Supervisor and Arrangements Catherine Jayes
      Associate Director and Choreographer Georgina Lamb
      Lighting Designer Ben Ormerod,
      Sound Designer Chris Full


      The Watermill Theatre,
      Bagnor, Newbury RG20 8AE
      Tickets: Online: www.watermill.org.uk
      Box Office: 01635 46044
      Dates:       Thursday 26 September – Saturday 26 October
      Press Night: Monday 30 September 7.30pm
      Times: Evening performances at 7.30pm, Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.
      Ticket prices:  £33.00 – £16.00 (ticket prices vary per performance)

      Nottingham Playhouse,
      Wellington Circus, Nottingham, NG1 5AF
      Tickets: Online www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
      Box Office: 01159 419419
      Dates: Wednesday 30 October – Saturday 16 November
      Press Night: Thursday 31 October 7.00pm
      Times: Evening performances at 7.30pm,
      Matinees – Thursday 7 November – 1.30pm, Saturday 9 & 16 – 2.30pm.
      Ticket prices:  £45.00 – £8.50 (ticket prices vary per performance)

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      Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford in Sunday in the Park with George at the Savoy Theatre, London from June 2020

      Photo credit Matthew Murphy]

      Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Riva Marker and Jeanine Tesori in association with New York City Center have announced that tickets go on sale today for a strictly limited season of Sunday in the Park with George starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford and directed by Sarna Lapine, at the Savoy Theatre. Preview performances will begin on 11th June 2020. Official opening night to be confirmed.

      Sondheim and Lapine’s masterpiece follows painter Georges Seurat (Jake Gyllenhaal) in the months leading up to the completion of his most famous painting – A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Consumed by his need to “finish the hat”, Seurat alienates the French bourgeoisie, spurns his fellow artists, and neglects his lover Dot (Annaleigh Ashford), not realising that his actions will reverberate for the next 100 years.

      This beautiful production began at New York City Center, it then transferred for a sold-out limited season at Hudson Theater on Broadway where it was met with universal critical and public acclaim.

      Jake Gyllenhaal said: “Performing Sunday in the Park with George with the brilliant Annaleigh Ashford was one of the greatest joys of my career, I’ve also deeply missed the West End and so to be bringing Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical there alongside Annaleigh is both humbling and thrilling.”

      Annaleigh Ashford said: “Sharing the masterpiece that is Sunday in the Park with George with audiences, has been one of the greatest pleasures of my artistic life. It is an honour to play Dot again with genius Jake Gyllenhaal and to tell this story of children and art to the great city of London.”

      James Lapine & Stephen Sondheim said “We are thrilled that a London audience will get to see the recent Broadway production ofSunday in the Park with George with Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford reprising their extraordinary performances. We also look forward to seeing them joined by a terrific British company.” 

      Sunday in the Park with George was originally produced on Broadway by Ambassador Theatre Group, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Caiola Productions, Jeffrey Finn, Jere Harris and Darren Deverna, J/K/R/S, Claire-Bridget Kenwright, LD Entertainment, Benjamin Lowy Productions, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Jeanine Tesori, Riva Marker, in association with New York City Center (Arlene Shuler, President & CEO), and Adam Speers – Executive Producer for ATG.

      The official opening night and full casting will be announced in due course.

      Jake Gyllenhaal will be appearing in Sea Wall / A Life alongside Tom Sturridge for a limited engagement at Hudson Theater on Broadway from July 26th to September 29th.

      The 2017 Broadway Cast Recording featuring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford is available to buy, download and stream now.  https://lnk.to/SundayLondonPR

       

      LISTINGS

      SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

      By Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine

      Savoy Theatre
      Savoy Court, London WC2R 0ET

      First performance: 11th June 2020 at 7.30pm
      Final performance: 5      th September 2020 at 7.30pm

      Performance schedule: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm

      Box office details
      www.sundayinthepark.co.uk
      0844 871 7687
      Prices from £25 (preview prices available)

      T: @SundayWestEnd | I: @sundaywestend  | F: /SundayWestEnd

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