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PHOTOGRAPHER: JOAN MARCU PHOTOGRAPHER: ‘Sister Act’ Whoopi Goldberg & Patina Miller Back Stage Back Lloyd Webber is now at the Comedy Theatre, before performances had commenced! Tele- starring Kathryn Evans, Dave Willets and Ben phone: 020 7452 3000. Goddard. Telephone: 0870 060 6637. Wyndham’s Theatre has an outstanding Theatre A revival of Tom Stoppard’s outstanding production of Shakespeare’s HAMLET, star- play ARCADIA, directed by David Leveaux’, ring Jude Law and Penelope Wilton, Kevin has opened at the Duke of York’s theatre, star- McNally and Ron Cook. Telephone: 0844 News ring Samantha Bond and Neil Pearson. Tele- 482 5120. phone: 0870 060 6623. The Old Vic has a transatlantic company of The GLOBE, apart from its usual selection actors in a double bill of classic works for the of Shakespeare’s plays, has its first full-scale Bridge Project. The first is Chekhov’s THE Greek drama, with a production of HELEN CHERRY ORCHARD adapted by Tom by Euripides, in a new version by Frank Stoppard, with a cast including Simon Rus- McGuiness. There will also be performances sell Beale, Sinead Cusack, Josh Hamilton and of A NEW WORLD – A LIFE OF THO- Ethan Hawke. This will be followed by Shake- MAS PAINE, a moving story about the life speare’s A WINTER’S TALE, directed by Sam and loves of the author of ‘The Rights Of Mendes, with the same American and British Man’. Telephone: 020 7401 9919. cast. Telephone: 0870 060 6628. The National Theatre has two outstanding The London Coliseum has the lauded productions, with all-star casts, for the sum- dancer CARLOS ACOSTA AND GUEST mer season, ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS ARTISTS, in his awe-inspiring Laurence WELL by Shakespeare, with award winners Olivier award-winning show. This will be fol- Clare Higgins and Oliver Ford Davis and lowed by a revival of Jonathan Miller’s famous PHEDRE by RACINE, in a version by Ted Mafia ‘inspired’ production of RIGOLETTO. Hughes, with Helen Mirren in the principal October will see a new version of Verdi’s role. This is the Greek tale of inappropriate TURANDOT, directed by Rupert Goold, BACKSTAGE THEATRE NEWS BY passion and its horrendous consequences. In starring Kirsten Blanck, Gwyn Hughes Jones, ELIZABETH HARWOOD both cases the booking periods were extended Amanda Echalaz and James Cresswell. Tele- phone: 0870 145 0200. SUMMER SEES A SIZZLING SEASON ON The Open Air Theatre in Regents Park THE LONDON STAGE has a rare mixture of plays, including Shake- speare’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING A SELECTION OF THE BEST AND NEW and THE TEMPEST, followed by Oscar MUSICALS IN TOWN Wilde’s THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING stage version of the famous film EARNEST and HELLO DOLLY! SISTER ACT, which starred Whoopi Telephone: 0844 826 4242. AGoldberg, has just arrived in London at the London Palladium. It is directed by NOT TO BE MISSED Peter Schneider, with music by Alan Melkin WAR HORSE – The transfer from the and lyrics by Glen Slater and stars American National Theatre of the Laurence Olivier actress Patina Miller and Sheila Hancock. award winning World War 1-set family drama, Telephone: 0844 412 2704. about a boy’s adventure to find his beloved A stage version of the multi Oscar-winning horse, which has been sold to the army cavalry Whoopi Goldberg on the set of ‘The View’ 2 film SUNSET BOULEVARD, directed by CSTEVE FENN-ABC (American Broadcasting and shipped to France. New London Theatre. Craig Revel Horwood, with music by Andrew Companies, Inc.) Telephone: 0844 412 4654. ■

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