Interview: Louise Gold on Richard Bean’s The Nap & Gypsy

Louise Gold is currently playing Waxy in the world premiere of Richard Bean’s new play The Nap.

Directed by Richard Wilson, the comedy thriller about snooker opens at the Sheffield Crucible on 15th March (previews from 10th March) and plays until 2nd April 2016. The cast also includes Ralf Little and Jack O’Connell.

Louise most recently starred in Gypsy at the Chichester Festival Theatre and Savoy Theatre. As well as playing Mazeppa – one of the three strippers – Louise also understudied Imelda Staunton as Mama Rose, playing the role at three performances in August (2015). 

Louise’s West End credits include: Mrs Sowerberry/Mrs Bedwin in Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins (Prince Edward), Baroness in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium), Dottie Otley in Noises Off (Piccadilly), Tanya in Mamma Mia! (Prince Edward), Sarah Jane Moore in Assassins (Donmar), Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (Prince Edward), Fanny Brice in Ziegfeld (London Palladium), Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense (Fortune) and Isobel in The Pirates Of Penzance (Theatre Royal Drury Lane).

Just a few of Louise’s other theatre credits include: Bertha in Pippin (Menier Chocolate Factory), God in The Good Soul Of Szechuan (Young Vic), The Water Babies & The Gondoliers (Chichester), Miss Prism in The Importance Of Being Earnest The Musical (Theatre Royal Windsor), Phyllis in Follies (Royal Festival Hall), Lilli/Kate in Kiss Me, Kate & Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Regent’s Park), Dunyasha in The Cherry Orchard (RSC), title role in Calamity Jane & Gussie in Merrily We Roll Along (both Leicester Haymarket) and Mrs Johnston in Blood Brothers (Watermill).

I recently spoke to Louise about what makes The Nap a relevant play, why she’s having a joyous time in rehearsals and how she reacted after being told she would be going on as Mama Rose in Gypsy… 

Richard Bean is such an unpredictable writer! What were your first impressions of The Nap?

Well I was very excited when I heard Richard Wilson was directing a new Richard Bean play in Sheffield which is a great theatre, so before I even read the play I thought, ‘this is going to be interesting if nothing else’. The play is so funny, it’s about snooker. Bizarrely I have been in possibly the only ever musical about snooker!

Stephen Merchant & Steffan Rhodri to star in The Mentalists at the Wyndham’s Theatre

It has been announced that Stephen Merchant will make his West End debut in a new production of Richard Bean’s comic two hander The Mentalists. 

Steffan Rhodri will also star in the production which is directed by Abbey Wright. Design is by Richard Kent, with lighting by David Plater and casting by Anne Vosser.

The show opens at the Wyndham’s Theatre on Monday 13th July (previews from 3rd July) and runs for a limited season until 26th September 2015. 

Holed up in a faceless Finsbury Park hotel room Ted (Stephen Merchant), and Morrie (Steffan Rhodri) are forced to confront the darker side of their unique relationship. Things unravel as the pressure mounts in this hilarious and touching tale of friendship and utopian visions gone awry.

Matthew Kelly & Simon Greenall star in revival of Richard Bean’s Toast

Matthew Kelly & Simon Greenall

Matthew Kelly and Simon Greenall will star in a London revival of Richard Bean’s first professionally produced play, Toast.

Eleanor Rhode will direct the production which opens at the Park Theatre (Park200) on Friday 29th August (previews from 27th August).

The show runs until Sunday 21st September. Further casting will be announced shortly. 

Described as a "brilliantly observed, moving and funny play", Toast is based on the year Bean spent working in a mass production bread plant with each character inspired by someone he worked alongside.

Richard Bean’s Great Britain transfers from National Theatre to West End in September

It has been announced that Richard Bean’s new play Great Britain will transfer to the West End following its run at the National Theatre.

Nicholas Hytner’s production will begin performances at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on Wednesday 10th September 2014.

Great Britain currently stars Billie Piper alongside Harriet Thorpe, Kellie Shirley, Robert Glenister and Oliver Chris. However, casting for the West End transfer is yet to be announced.

Sneak peek at... Richard Bean's Great Britain

Ahead of tonight's opening of Richard Bean's new play Great Britain, the National Theatre have released the play's production images. Take a look at the pictures below (click image to enlarge). Billie Piper stars in the play which opens without any preview performances and is currently booking at the Lyttelton Theatre until Saturday 23rd August 2014.

Described as a "fast and furious new play", Great Britain is an anarchic satire about the press, the police and the political establishment. Billie Piper plays Paige Britain, ambitious young news editor of The Free Press, a tabloid newspaper locked in a never ending battle for more readers. 

Billie Piper stars in Richard Bean’s new play Great Britain; production opens at the National next week!

As previously rumoured, it has been announced that Billie Piper will star in Richard Bean’s new play Great Britain at the National Theatre.

The play's run begins at the Lyttelton Theatre next Monday (30th June) without any previews. The production will run until Saturday 23rd August 2014. 

Described as a "fast and furious new play", Great Britain is an anarchic satire about the press, the police and the political establishment. Billie Piper plays Paige Britain, ambitious young news editor of The Free Press, a tabloid newspaper locked in a never ending battle for more readers.

The full cast is: Sarah Annis, Ross Boatman, Robert Calvert, Oliver Chris, William Chubb, Dermot Crowley, Jo Dockery, Robert Glenister, Ian Hallard, James Harkness, Scott Karim, Barbara Kirby, Nicholas Lumley, Maggie McCarthy, Iain Mitchell, Miles Mitchell, Aaron Neil, Billie Piper, Nick Sampson, Kellie Shirley, Kiruna Stamell, Harriet Thorpe, Rupert Vansittart, Joseph Wilkins and Andrew Woodall.

GOSSIP: Billie Piper & Oliver Chris take part in workshops for new Richard Bean play; Nicholas Hytner could direct premiere this summer

According to the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye, Billie Piper and Oliver Chris are currently taking part in workshops at the National Theatre for Richard Bean’s new play.

Bamigboye says the piece will explore the "sharp end of the tangled relationships between the Establishment, the Press and the police. In short, the play — or rather the piece of satirical fiction — will explore the fallout from the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the Press."

CONFIRMED: Gemma Arterton to star in Made In Dagenham at the Adelphi Theatre

Following previous reports, producers have confirmed that Gemma Arterton will star in the West End premiere of Made In Dagenham. The musical will open at the Adelphi Theatre on Wednesday 5th November (previews from 9th October). Based on the hit British film, Arterton will play Rita O’Grady in the musical comedy opposite Adrian Der Gregorian as her husband Eddie. Tickets are on sale now.

Arterton is "beyond thrilled" to be creating the role of Rita on stage. The international star of stage and screen said: "It’s an important story that I’m passionate about telling, and we intend to tell it with wit, warmth and, of course, a lot of singing and dancing in this production! Roll on October!"