Nicole Kidman Announces West End Return, Gypsy Breaks Box Office Records + More #WestEndUpdate
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Andrew Tomlins
It has been announced that the Academy award-winning Nicole Kidman is returning to the London stage in the UK premiere of Photograph 51 by Anna Ziegler. The play will be directed by Michael Grandage, reuniting him with Kidman who he recently directed in the forthcoming feature film Genius.
The play begins performances on 5th September 2015 at the Noel Coward Theatre which was the home of Grandage’s previous West End season which saw the likes of Judi Dench, Daniel Radcliffe, David Walliams and Sheridan Smith take to the stage in critically acclaimed productions. With a stellar team, Photograph 51 looks set to be one of 2015’s hottest plays.
Following news of its West End extension, it has now been revealed that Jonathan Kent's production of Gypsy starring Imelda Staunton has broken the all-time box office record at the Savoy Theatre. The show took an impressive £408,300 for performances ending 25th April 2015.
Producers Michael Harrison and David Ian said: “We are thrilled that this amazing record has been achieved in the 1089-seat Savoy Theatre and are delighted that we have been able to extend our run through November this year.”
A new magic show called Impossible is set to open at the West End's Noel Coward Theatre this summer, with performances kicking off on 24th July. The production is directed by Anthony Owen who has worked closely with Derren Brown as the magic consultant on his Channel 4 programmes. Impossible brings eight world-leading performers together live onstage for the very first time.
Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown has cut short its West End run and will now close at the Playhouse Theatre on 23rd May 2015. Producers said: "We're very proud of this production, our superb cast and creative team, and the wonderful critical and audience response during the season." Tamsin Greig and Haydn Gwynne, who both received Olivier nominations for their performances, lead the cast of David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane’s musical comedy.
Women On The Verge will be replaced by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s play 1984 which returns to the Playhouse Theatre where it enjoyed a successful run last year. Performances begin on 12th June. After the show completes its limited run it will launch an international tour. If you didn’t catch 1984 last time around don’t make the same mistake twice!
Casting has been announced for the highly anticipated West End transfer of smash hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots. Killian Donnelly (who is currently bringing audiences to their feet in Memphis) will star as Charlie Price alongside Matt Henry (who competed on series two of The Voice) as Lola. The cast also includes former Legally Blonde actress Amy Lennox as Lauren. Performances begin at the Adelphi Theatre on 21st August 2015. London is well and truly getting kinky!
In other news it has been confirmed that Cats will return to the London Palladium in October whilst Stomp has extended its West End booking period at the Ambassadors Theatre to 5th June 2016. Finally Dawn French is bringing her solo show 30 Million Minutes to the Vaudeville Theatre from 11th November. Michael Grandage directs the show which French has written herself.