London Spotlight: May 2011
It’s a month of starry revivals in London. One of the most promising is Edward Albee’s surpassing drama, A Delicate Balance at the Almeida (May 5-July 2). Stalwarts Penelope Wilton, Imelda Staunton, Tim Pigott-Smith and Diana Hardcastle are among those directed by James Macdonald in the Pulitzer Prize-winning tale of rampant suburban paranoia.
Rupert Everett and Diana Rigg star in the amazing Philip Prowse’s polish of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion at the Garrick (May 12-September 3). And it sounds like a race to the box office at the Comedy is also in order. That’s where Harold Pinter’s gorgeously disturbing Betrayal (May 27-August 20) is dusted off by Kristen Scott Thomas, Douglas Henshell and Ben Miles as guided by Ian Rickson.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s classic, The School for Scandal stops by at the Barbican (June 11-20) as directed by the great Deborah Warner. Anton Chekhov’s tragi-comedy The Cherry Orchard pops up at the National’s Olivier (May 5-July 28) with stupendous Zoe Wanamaker and sterling Conleth Hill thesping like gangbusters under straight-from-the-shoulder director Howard Davies.
Bardolators can catch this year’s Globe goings-on by way of Much Ado About Nothing (May 21-October1), under Jeremy Herrin’s hand. Eve Best, known stateside for her Dr. O’Hara on Nurse Jackie, is the sharp-tongued Beatrice. Need even more ado about Much Ado About Nothing? Try the treatment at Wyndham’s which Josie Rourke puts together with David Tennant as Benedick (May 15-September 3).
The big hot musical news is that Shrek The Musical debuts at the Drury Lane (May 6-February 19, 2012) after its Broadway run. Jason Moore and Rob Ashford direct the David Lindsay-Abaire-Jeanine Tesori product, based on William Steig’s book and the popular film franchise, and Josh Prince choreographs. Surely, this is entertainment that should appeal to families. Sounds as if Operation Greenfield at the Soho (May 17-June 11) will also appeal, as it’s about some enthusiastic adolescent rockers.
What’s new in the play area? Silence, created by the clever Filter gang and David Farr, is at the Hampstead (May 12-28). The enterprise takes a look at and gives a listen to both external and internal noise and sounds like an intriguing trip. Clever Richard Bean, who’s showing up many places these days, fools around with Carlo Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters and comes up with One Man, Two Guvnors (May 17-July 26). Never-miss company head Nicholas Hytner helms this apparently Anglicized version.
The new Naomi Wallace work, And I and Silence, bows at the Finborough (May 10-June 4). Caitlin McLeod watches over a tale of two young women angry about their situation in jail. Many will want to check out Anton Burg’s Bette & Joan at the Arts (May 5-June 25). At its center are — you guessed it! — movie-queens Davis and Crawford working on their ill-starred friendship. Bill Alexander directs. Many Moons opens at Theatre 503 (May 17-June 11). It’s by Alice Birch and concerned with North London’s Stoke Newington quarter, not a part of town tourists often get to but currently a busy, busy spot.
Ever-entertaining Denis Lawson is in Anya Reiss’ comedy The Acid Test at the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs (May 13-June 11). It’s directed by Simon Godwin and about an imbibing dad interrupting a daughter’s small party. At the open-for-summer Open Air will be Timothy Sheader’s stage adaptation of Lord of the Flies (May 19-June 18). Darren Murphy’s Irish Blood, English Heart takes up residence at Trafalgar Studio 2 (May 2-21). This one tells of two brothers in conflict after their father’s death.
