Nicole Ackman - Page 5

Machinal, written by Sophie Treadwell, is based on the sensational 1927 trial of Ruth Snyder, a housewife who murdered her husband. It is a play largely about a woman attempting to find her own agency, with little success, despite the restraints of being a wife and mother. While the Almeida production boasts a wonderful set and the modern relevancy is clear, it ultimately falls short of its source material.

In her West End debut, Laura Linney proves that she is one of the greatest actresses in the theatre industry today. She stars in My Name is Lucy Barton, Rona Munro's adaptation of Elizabeth Strout's award-winning novel at the Bridge Theatre. This ninety-minute monologue showcases Linney's talent as she plays a writer reminiscing about her difficult upbringing and time spent in a New York City hospital in the 1980s.

The National Theatre's River Stage Festival is back this summer with five weekends of exciting acts, showcasing the great work that is going on in the arts in the UK.

Buckland Theatre Company is making its West End debut in July at Trafalgar Studios with William Gibson's 1950s comedy-drama, Two For The Seesaw. Charles Dorfman, a founder of the company who has done work across theatre and film, will star as Jerry. Elsie Bennett, who has worked across television, film, and theatre, will play Gittel.

Yesterday, Heathers the Musical had its press launch at The Other Palace. The show, which runs this summer from 9 June to 4 August, is a newly revised and updated version of the 2014 Off-Broadway musical.

Nadim Naaman is best known for playing Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera in the West End, though he has also appeared in shows like Sweeney Todd, Titanic and Chess. He has released a solo album, Sides, and has just co-written his first musical with Qatari composer Dana Al Farden. Broken Wings is based on a poetic novel by Khalil Gibran about forbidden love, gender equality and religion in 1912 Lebanon.

The Royal Haymarket Theatre's new production of Tartuffe reimagines the classic Moliere comedy in the West End's first ever dual-language production. The play, adapted by Christopher Hampton, sets the satire in contemporary Los Angeles, with hints at Donald Trump replacing original references to King Louis XIV. It's a surprisingly funny and disarmingly relevant modernisation supported by a cast of English and French actors who have done impressive work across theatre, film, and television.

The concert of A Little Princess at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall was a lovely production with lots of great talent of a musical that still feels a bit messy. Rebecca Trehearn, Danny Mac, and Alexia Khadime all lent their amazing voices to the show and the young girls playing Sara, Becky, Lottie, and their friends were simply incredible. However, the show itself, with book and lyrics by Brian Crawley and music by Andrew Lippa, felt rather lacking in cohesion and proper pacing.

On 4 June, Kinky Boots will gain several new cast members including Oliver Tompsett and Natalie McQueen. The show, about shoe factory owner Charlie Price and drag queen Lola, has been running at the Adelphi Theatre since 2015. Simon-Anthony Rhoden continues in the role of Lola.

Boundless Theatre's Confidence at Southwark Playhouse feels a bit lacking in, dare I say, confidence. The first UK revival of Judy Upton's 1998 play has plenty of 1990s nostalgia, but still feels shaky.

Mike Kenny's Random Selfies will have its premiere later this month at Polka Theatre's Techtopia Festival. Kenny is one of the leading writers in the UK who specialises in theatre for young people. His adaptation of The Railway Children for York Theatre Royal, seen at Waterloo and Kings Cross stations and the National Railway Museum, won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment in 2011.

With A Little Bit of Lerner combined an outstanding group of performers with the BBC Concert Orchestra to present an exciting variety of many of Lerner's well-known and lesser-known songs at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. It celebrated the centenary of great American lyricist Alan Jay Lerner's birth in 1918.

Kim Maresca is currently playing Judy Denmark in Ruthless! the Musical, a role she played Off-Broadway in the show's most recent run. She also recently did her fifth one-woman show at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York City.

It's easy to imagine that a play that explores the meaning of art could become bogged down in artistic pretention. However, Josh Logan's Red escapes this as the physicality of the art itself gives it action to bolster its theoretical talk. Alfred Molina reprises his role as the artist Mark Rothko and Alfred Enoch gives a wonderful performance as his assistant, Ken. Once again under Michael Grandage's direction, the show manages to build many humorous moments despite its serious subject matter.

Lara Rossi is currently one of four cast members in Ella Hickson'sThe Writer at Almeida Theatre. She's done work across film, theatre, and television, including Misalliance at the Orange Tree Theatre, Persuasion at the Royal Exchange Manchester, and TV series Crossing Lines.

The Magic of Animation was a wonderful celebration of music from animated films and the debut concert for new company West End Does. They performed a lovely mix of both classic and newer Disney songs, from shows like Moana and Frozen, along with some tunes from other animated movies like Anastasia and The Prince of Egypt. It seemed like they managed to find the nine performers in the West End who seem like actual fairy tale princesses and princes.

Liam Mower is currently playing the Angel in Matthew Bourne's Cinderella, after joining New Adventures in 2011. Liam made his West End debut at the age of 12 in Billy Elliot the Musical, as one of the original three Billys; together, they won an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Jason Robert Brown's concert at the London Palladium was a wonderful mix of familiar and new songs sung by Brown himself, Betsy Wolfe, Norm Lewis, and Rachel Tucker. Brown juggled multiple hats as singer, piano player, and at times conductor, but proved that storytelling is what he truly does best. He managed to create an almost intimate friendly atmosphere as he joked and talked to the crowd.

Ever wondered what it's like to be a member of the press at the Olivier Awards? Then read on as BroadwayWorld UK's Nicole Ackman gives you a glimpse into her night doing social media live from the Oliviers.

Last night, the Olivier Awards were presented at London's Royal Albert Hall, where big winners included Hamilton, Angels in America and The Ferryman. BroadwayWorld UK's Nicole Ackman and Jamie Body were on the red carpet and in the winners' room to catch all the action - watch their Instagram story below!