Entry into the 30^th Year : Les Miserables Queens Theatre News

The blockbuster London show, Les Miserables at the magnificent Queens Theatre is all set to update its cast. Recently, Cameron Mackintosh made announcement regarding the cast update of long running London Westend production from 15^th June 2015 which is about to make entry into its 30^th year.

The latest to join the multi award winning and longest running London Westend production includes Phil Daniels as ‘Thénardier’, Jeremy Secomb as ‘Javert’, Rachelle Ann Go as ‘Fantine’; Katy Secombe as ‘Madame Thénardier’ and Zoë Doano as ‘Cosette.

The role of Jean Valjean will be continued to be portrayed by Peter Lockyer, whereas Rob Houchen will portray the role of Marius, along with Carrie Hope Fletcher as ‘Eponine’. Bradley Jaden is currently in the ensemble and will play the role of ‘Enjolras’. The huge ensemble of Les Miserables comprises of: Adam Bayjou; Sanne den Besten; Edd Campbell Bird; Oliver Brenin; David Burnip; Jordan Lee Davies; Tamsin Dowsett; Katy Hanna; Matthew Harvey; Matt Jeans; Charlotte Kennedy; Emma Kingston; Jo Loxton; Luke McCall; Ryan O'Gorman; Jo Parsons; Adam Pearce; Michael Riseley; Courney Stapleton; Jessamy Stoddart; Samantha Thomas; Lee Van Geleen; Helen Walsh and Paul Wilkins.

On 8^th October 1985, the original Cameron Mackintosh/Royal Shakespeare production made its debut at the Barbican Theatre. On 4^th December 1985, the show was transferred to the Palace Theatre, whereas on 3^rd April 2004, the show was moved to the Queens Theatre.

The award winning London show is set against the backdrop of 19^th century and concerns love and bravery. Les Miserables is adapted from a famous novel by Victor Hugo and penned by Alain Boublil and Claude- Michel Schonberg. Trevor Nunn and John Caird adapted and directed the blockbuster London show. The show features some great musical compositions such as ‘I Dreamed a Dream’, ‘On My Own’ and ‘Bring Him Home.

Queen's Theatre Hornchurch to Host Rope Starring Hollyoaks Actor James Sutton

Casting of the hugely anticipated Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich production of Patrick Hamilton's gripping thriller, Rope has been announced. Popular actor James Sutton, renowned to portray John Paul McQueen in Hollyoaks and Ryan Lamb in Emmerdale, is all set to star as Charles Granillo in this thrilling and chilling play. Other talented names to join him are Janet Amsden, Cara Chase, Sam Jenkins-Shaw, George Kemp, Fred Lancaster, Nico Pimparé and Phoebe Sparrow.

From 15 February - 3 March and from 7 - 17 March, Rope will be hosted at Hornchurch and at New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich respectively. On 3^rd March 1929, the show was hosted for the first time by The Repertory Players at the Strand Theatre. The show is adapted on 1920's real-life case. In the year 1948, this dark classic was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock and regarded as one of the most tightly coiled of thrillers. Queen's Theatre's Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul is all set to  direct the show. He also directed James Sutton in As You Like It at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

The Queen's Theatre Hornchurch has also made some major announcement. For instance, the run of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert are extended by a week. Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg in association with Selladoor Productions have co-produced the heart touching saga. The production also marks the 80th anniversary of the Kindertransport, where thousands of Jewish children ferried from Austria and Germany to safety in the UK.

The show is all set to run in Hornchurch from 8 - 24 March, at Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg from 27 - 31 March and then tours across the UK to New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich (17 - 21 April), Richmond Theatre (24 - 28 April) and Manchester Opera House (1 - 5 May).

For more information about the forthcoming season at the Queen's Theatre visit queens-theatre.co.uk

Queens Theatre Needs To Be Updated

Most of the popular local community theatres are in urgent need of new theater venues! The conditions of the state-of-the-art locales where the local community theaters are located are becoming really miserable. On the contrary, The Pershing Square Signature Center located on the 42nd Street near 10th Avenue in Manhattan was opened in the year 2012. The funding was made  via public-private partnership, whereas the city of New York allocated $27.5 million.

 It is designed by a famous architect Frank Gehry and comprises of three theaters with one having 294 and other two with 191 occupancy respectively. It also has two studios, a shared lobby with a café and a bookshop, and offices spread across 75,000 square feet. Mayor Michael Bloomberg understood the significance of such cultural organisation, as he stated that “cultural institutions are the lifeblood of our city”, he further added that the center is “a big, bold transformative project, that will bring more people, more growth, and more vitality” to Manhattan’s West Side.

Being such a huge and having multicultural population, Queen’s theatre also needs such significant steps to be taken. Moreover, the Signature Theatre has quite a low ticket price of $30 for most of its shows as compare to other theatres. Works of some of the best contemporary playwrights are performed at the Signature theatre like “Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train,” by Stephen Adly Guirgis. He is also the winner of Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Between Riverside and Crazy,” and his play with an unprintable title about a Hat was on Broadway. Martin McDonagh is another brilliant  contemporary playwright. Some of his key works are “The Cripple of Inishmaan”, “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” and “Hangmen,” a prize-winner in London.

Most of our local community theaters are avoiding the production of works created by some of the contemporary playwrights. Due to financial constraints, such superbly reviewed plays have a short run. On the contrary, theatres have the belief that yesteryear works having popular titles will attract an audience. However, it’s high time to open the new modern venues, as it will create a stir amongst the theatre lovers. Moreover, wider audience will be attracted with the production of new and challenging material especially younger crowd which is one of the major requisites for the survival of theatres.