Almeida's King Charles III confirms West End transfer

The Almeida Theatre has confirmed it's production of King Charles III will transfer to the Wyndham’s Theatre for a limited season.

The production opens on Thursday 11th September 2014 (previews from 2nd September) and runs until Saturday 29th November 2014. King Charles III continues to play to sell-out crowds at the Almeida Theatre until 31st May.

Tim Pigott-Smith stars as Charles alongside Richard Goulding, Nyasha Hatendi, Adam James, Margot Leicester, Tom Robertson, Nicholas Rowe, Tafline Steen and Lydia Wilson. Further casting is to be announced.

Further casting announced for Shakespeare in Love

On William Shakespeare's 450th birthday, further casting has been announced for the forthcoming stage production of Shakespeare in Love. The show is produced by Disney and Sonia Friedman Productions.

Ian Bartholomew will play Tilney, Tony Bell will play Ralph, Anna Carteret will play Queen Elizabeth, Paul Chahidi will play Henslowe, David Ganley will play Burbage, Richard Howard will play Sir Robert De Lesseps, Harry Jardine will play Sam, Abigail McKern will play Nurse, David Oakes will play Marlowe, Patrick Osborne will play Mr Wabash, Alistair Petrie will play Wessex, Doug Rao will play Ned Alleyn, Ferdy Roberts will play Fennyman and Colin Ryan will play John Webster. 

They are joined by an ensemble including Daisy Boulton, Ryan Donaldson, Janet Fullerlove, Sandy Murray, Timothy O'Hara, Thomas Padden, Elliott Rennie, Charlie Tighe and Tim Van Eyken who will also be the production's musical director. Gaiety will play Crab the dog. 

Theatre Gossip: J.K. Rowling, Sonia Friedman & Colin Callender to produce stage adaptation of Harry Potter

The Daily Mail has reported that a play based on J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter will open in the West End within two years.

Rowling (pictured right) will not write the stage piece but will co-produce the production and collaborate with a playwright. Rowling’s seven-volume Harry Potter series began with The Philosopher’s Stone, published in 1997.

West End producer Sonia Friedman and Broadway producer Colin Callender are behind the project. The play is said to tell the "previously untold story of Harry Potter’s early years as an orphan and outcast." 

Harry Potter’s theatrical adaptation will seek to "offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom destiny has plans..."

Twelfth Night and Richard III starring Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry open on Broadway

Last night (Sunday 11th November) Twelfth Night and Richard III opened at the Belsaco Theatre on Broadway with a cast led by Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry. Having originally opened at the Globe Theatre during the summer of 2013, Sonia Friedman Productions transferred the double bill to the Apollo Theatre in the West End in November of that year where the productions broke box office records.

Stephen Fry, Sonia Friedman (Producer), Mark Rylance at Gotham Hall at opening night party on Broadway for Twelfth Night and Richard III.

 Now on Broadway, the opening last night was attended by guests including Matthew Broderick, Geoffrey Rush, America Ferrera, Kenneth Lonergan, Terrace McNally and Josh Hamilton. On Broadway, Richard III and Twelfth Night use original Shakespearean practices with on-stage seating as they did both in the West End and at the Globe Theatre.

Benedict Cumberbatch in talks to play Hamlet next year

According to the Daily Mail, Benedict Cumberbatch is in talks to play the title role in Shakespeare's Hamlet next year, following in the footsteps of Ben Whishaw, Jude Law, Simon Russell Beale, Mark Rylance, David Tennant and John Simm.

Benedict was last seen on stage in Danny Boyle’s production of Frankenstein in 2011 at the National Theatre. Producer Sonia Friedman confirmed that she is in "active discussions" with Benedict and director Lyndsey Turner, who most recently directed Chimerica which transferred to the West End from the Almeida Theatre (and is also produced by Sonia Friedman).