Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Vanessa Redgrave Back UK Theatre Company for the 'Third Age'

Ray Cooney, Dame Judi Dench, Mike Leigh, Sir Ian McKellen, Vanessa Redgrave and Juliet Stevenson are among the notable patrons of a new UK theatre company founded "to create theatre for the Third Age."

Frontier Theatre Productions, headed by James Roose-Evans and Jake Murray, will focus on work for and featuring older actors.

Frontier's official description reads:

"The Third Age is thus the period of life of 60 onwards, a time which, in our youth-obsessed culture, is increasingly pushed onto the sidelines, but which is now a time of renewed vigour, of insight, of wisdom and new journeys. As a whole generation of actors who defined theatre for decades enters this Third Age, Frontier seeks to give them expression, to explore this period in which rich new experiences arise, showing it not to be a time of dwindling powers and invisibility, but of vibrancy and discovery, where the emotional journey comes to its ultimate fruition. Great parts from the classical repertoire lie ahead of us - Oedipus, Prospero, Mary Tyrone, Ella Borkman - as well as new works which we will seek out to give voice to our artistic vision."

The company has just launched with a double bill of Samuel Beckett plays -- FOOTFALLS and KRAPP'S LAST TAPE -- as well as three sold-out workshops at Frederick's Place.

Up next month are two plays by Susan Hill, as well as several workshops on storytelling, direction, comedy and more.

No word yet on whether any of Frontier's celebrity patrons will appear onstage for the company, but BWW will keep our ears to the ground!

Artistic Director James Roose-Evans founded the Hampstead Theatre in London, and in Wales he founded the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit. It was his production of Noel Coward's PRIVATE LIVES which resulted in what Coward described as 'Dad's renaissance', and his other productions in the West End include his own adaptation of Laurie Lee's CIDER WITH ROSIE, Colin Spencer's SPITTING IMAGE, Dylan Thomas' UNDER MILK WOOD, Oscar Wilde's AN IDEAL HUSBAND, and Ian Curteis' A PERSONAL AFFAIR. He also adapted and directed both the West End and Broadway productions of Helene Hanff's 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD, winning awards on both sides of the Atlantic for Best Director and Best Play. He just directed a revival of the show at Salisbury Playhouse this winter. Roose-Evans also directed Sir John Gielgud in his final performance in the West End in Hugh Whitemore's THE BEST OF FRIENDS, and then directed the equally legendary Edwige Feuillere in the French production in Paris. He is the author of some 17 books, including his memoir, OPENING DOORS AND WINDOWS, and he wrote for Maureen Lipman the entertainment RE:JOYCE! jamesrooseevans.co.uk