London Spotlight: November 2010

Attention, musical lovers. Something eye-catching this way comes. Love Story, based on Erich Segal’s novel and the subsequent blockbuster flick, hits the stage with music by Howard Goodall, lyrics by Stephen Clark and direction by Rachel Kavanaugh. Meanwhile, at the National’s Olivier, the Broadway sensation Fela! arrives and with it the story of Nigerian songwriter-activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Resourceful Bill T. Jones co-wrote, directs and choreographs, with Tony nominee Sahr Ngaujah in the title role.

A hot-hot cast populates the revival of Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder at the Almeida (November 11-January 8). Gemma Arterton, spending much time making movies nowadays, and Stephen Dillane have the major roles with Anastasia Hille also featured prominently. Travis Preston directs the Kenneth MacLeish translation. Old pals Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles bring the Richard Brinsley Sheridan classic The Rivals to the Haymarket (November 11-February 26) under Peter Hall’s guidance.

Then there’s Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville (November 4-February 19), directed by Lindsay Posner with a cast that’s pretty ideal itself — Samantha Bond and Alexander Hanson, the latter of whom is fresh back from Broadway’s Little Night Music. At the Young Vic (November 11-January 1), Deborah Findlay, Sinead, Leo Bill and Kyle Soller delve into Tennessee Williams’ first masterpiece, The Glass Menagerie, about the dithery widow and her pair of drifting children.

Althol Fugard’s play, The Train Driver pulls into the Hampstead (November 4-December 4). Fugard calls the two-hander, inspired by a real-life tragedy, “perhaps the most important play I’ve written.” He’s also directing it himself. At the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, give a nod to E. V. Crowe’s Kin, which unfolds at a girls’ boarding school. Jeremy Herrin is the director.

Crowe is also one of six playwrights represented at the Soho (November 10-27) in Charged about women and the justice system. Expect the pieces to focus more on injustice. In-Sook Chappell weighs in here earlier with Tales of the Harrow Road (November 3-6), revolving around the long, local street known to thousands if not millions. Go to the Gate for Joseph K, Tom Baden’s adaptation of Franz Kafka’s existentialist scarer, The Trial (November 11-December 18).

The Tricycle presents David Greig and Gordon McIntyre’s comedy, Midsummer, (November 29-January 29), in which Cora Bissett and Matthew Pidgeon play a couple attracted to each other who shouldn’t be. Judy Garland is shown not long before her demise in Peter Quilter’s End of the Rainbow at Trafalgar Studios 1 (November 15-March 5). She’s in London’s Talk of the Town hotel room with a new fiance, battling her relentless and well publicized demons. In Trafalgar Studios 2, Jean Cocteau’s Les Parents Terribles (November 25-December 18) is revived by Donmar Warehouse, with redoubtable Frances Barber leading the cast.

For the off-beat, better look into Shun-kin at the Barbican (November 4-13), which is based on the writings of Jun’ichiro Tanizaki. Complicite’s never-miss Simon McBurney directs the tale of a lady and her servant. Also at the Barbican is Gregory Burke’s Black Watch (November 27-January 22), the National Theatre of Scotland production that may be the best drama about the Iraq war yet offered.

Note that pantomime season is also getting under way. Jack and the Beanstalk at the Hackney Empire (November 27-January 9) is written and directed by Susie McKenna and includes the well-known singing harp, the golden hen and that fearsome giant as well as — get this — a break-dancing cow. Over at the Lyric Hammersmith, there’s Dick Whittington and His Cat (November 27-January 8). Steve Marmion helms the fairy-tale-spoofery of Joel Horwood and Morgan Lloyd.

Astonishing director Katie Mitchell tackles Lucy Kirkwood’s adaptation of Beauty and the Beast at the National’s Cottesloe (November 24-January 5). This may not be strictly a panto, but the entire family should be able to enjoy it. Kids could also go for Peppa Pig’s Party at the Criterion (November 30-January 2). It’s a birthday celebration for a gang of animals that Richard Lewis has adapted and directs. Or how about The Gruffalo at the Garrick (November 24-January 16). It’s based on the beloved Julia Donaldson book in which Mouse goes into the woods where adventures pile up.