Oliver Bennett

PASS THE HAT Comes to Stone Nest Shaftesbury Avenue

Vladimir Shcherban, (co-founder of Belarus Free Theatre) directs Pass the Hat, a new one-man show inspired by the book Farewell Leicester Square by Henry Hollis and co-devised with performer Oliver Bennett at Stone Nest, Shaftesbury Avenue. 

Guest Blog: HUNCHtheatre Release New Book To Raise Funds For Their Company

‘Still Life’ is the result of two lockdowns and an ingenious example of how theatre can exist and develop even when it is not possible to meet the audience.

HUNCHtheatre Presents A HERO OF OUR TIME

HUNCHtheatre bring you their acclaimed  modernisation of a neglected Russian masterpiece. We invite you  into Stone Nest, an astonishingly beautiful former chapel and  future performing arts space on Shaftesbury Avenue. Step into the  mind of the most ambiguous character in literature, into the mind  of a soldier, where balls and bar-rooms become battlefields.  

National Theatre Of Scotland Reveals Latest SCENES FOR SURVIVAL Releases

National Theatre of Scotland HAS revealed the latest Scenes for Survival releases

Oliver Bennett and Vladimir Shcherban Talk HUNCHTHEATRE

Oliver Bennett and Vladimir Shcherban made a splash in 2018 when their new company, HUNCHtheatre, debuted A Hero of Our Time, a smart, stylish adaptation of the classic Russian novel of the same name. Bennett and Shcherban just celebrated the first anniversary of their new company with a brief revival of A Hero, but they have so much more in the works: bilingual productions, international touring, and some potentially controversial new shows...

BWW Review: A HERO OF OUR TIME, Arcola Theatre

This action packed adaptation brings Lermontov's 1840 novel into the 21st century with wit and no little elan.

Oliver Bennett, Scarlett Saunders and James Marlowe Will Lead A HERO OF OUR TIME at Arcola Theatre

Oliver Bennett, Scarlett Saunders and James Marlowe have been cast in a new adaptation of Russian literary great, Mikhail Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time.

Photo Flash: First Look at EUROPE AFTER THE RAIN

Mercury Theatre Colchester will host the world premiere of the 2017 Mercury Playwrighting Prize winner - Oliver Bennett's Europe After The Rain. Cara Nolan directs James Alexandrou (Will), Simon Haines (Max), Natasha Kafka (Marta) and Anna Koval (Yana) and the creative team includes Amelia Jane Hankin (Designer), Kiaran Kesby (Lighting Designer), Nuno Santos (Sound Designer) and Craig Hamblyn (Fight Director). Europe After the Rain opens in the Mercury Studio Theatre on the 31 May with previews from 25 May and runs until 9 June.

Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with EUROPE AFTER THE RAIN at Mercury Theatre Colchester

Mercury Theatre Colchester will host the world premiere of the 2017 Mercury Playwrighting Prize winner - Oliver Bennett's Europe After The Rain. Cara Nolan directs James Alexandrou (Will), Simon Haines (Max), Natasha Kafka (Marta) and Anna Koval (Yana) and the creative team includes Amelia Jane Hankin (Designer), Kiaran Kesby (Lighting Designer), Nuno Santos (Sound Designer) and Craig Hamblyn (Fight Director). Europe After the Rain opens in the Mercury Studio Theatre on the 31 May with previews from 25 May and runs until 9 June.

New Writing Takes Centre Stage At Mercury Theatre Colchester In Major New Industry Partnership

With the 2017 winner of the Mercury Playwriting Prize, Europe After The Rain, beginning rehearsals today, the Mercury Theatre Colchester announces its latest major initiative in support of new plays and new playwrights for 2018. Mercury Theatre Colchester & Josef Weinberger Ltd are joining forces to discover the very best and most diverse new British theatre writing talent from across the UK, via a new national playwriting competition, launching this year. The Mercury / Weinberger Playwriting Prize will be looking for previously unperformed plays that have the ambition, appeal and theatricality to fill larger theatres, with the desire of getting the very best new work published and into production over the next few years.

Mercury Theatre Colchester Announces Full Company For 2017 Mercury Playwriting Prize Winner EUROPE AFTER THE RAIN

Mercury Theatre Colchester today announces the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of the 2017 Mercury Playwrighting Prize winner - Oliver Bennett's Europe After The Rain. Cara Nolan directs James Alexandrou (Will), Simon Haines (Max), Natasha Kafka (Marta) and Anna Koval (Yana) and the creative team includes Amelia Jane Hankin (Designer), Kiaran Kesby (Lighting Designer), Nuno Santos (Sound Designer) and Craig Hamblyn (Fight Director). Europe After the Rain opens in the Mercury Studio Theatre on the 31 May with previews from 25 May and runs until 9 June.

Casting Announced for BOOBY'S BAY at Finborough Theatre

First seen in Vibrant A Festival of Finborough Playwrights, the world premiere of a first play by Cornish playwright Henry Darke, Booby's Bay opens at the Finborough Theatre for a four week limited season on Tuesday, 30 January 2018.

Winners announced for Mercury Playwriting Prize 2017

The Mercury Playwriting Prize, in this inaugural year, received over 160 entries from emerging local writers. 2017's winner is actor Oliver Bennett whose play, Europe After The Rain, is a darkly surreal and highly theatrical exploration of the world we live in now. It offers up a dark mirror to the concerns of contemporary Britain: immigration, enfranchisement, globalisation, loss and love.

Announcing the Winner of the Inaugural WiT Award

D.A. Nixon is the first winner of the WiT Award, the prize created to discover and nurture new writers working in the theatre industry. He wins an £8,000 commission, and additionally a dramaturgical relationship with Out of Joint which will include a public reading of his submitted play, Look Me In The Eye When We're Dancing.

Shortlisted Playwrights and Panel Announced for Inaugural WiT Award

Five finalists have been shortlisted for the first WiT Award, a prize created to discover and nurture new writers working in the theatre industry. The winner will be announced at a reception on 25 May.

Arcola Theatre Announces Winter Season

The Arcola Theatre today announced its Winter Season, with new plays by David Greig, Ron Hutchinson, Christina Lamb, Belarus Free Theatre, Christine Bacon, Sergio Blanco and Henry Naylor.

BWW Reviews: Beatles Story BACKBEAT Rocks the Ahmanson

Based on the 1994 film, the Glasgow/UK stage version of Backbeat is making its US premiere at the Ahmanson with all the fire, guts and gusto that engender a genuinely moving dramatic story. This is not a musical, but a drama with music. Let's face it: the Beatles more than any other musical group in history changed our outlook ...and our entire culture. We not only listened to their music, but copied their haircuts, their dress, their attitude and came into sync with every move they made, some good, some bad. For those unfamiliar with how they got started, it was not really in Liverpool, but in a sleazy underground club in Hamburg. Germany in the early 60s. Backbeat fills in these background details, but much more than a docudrama, relates a powerful story about John, Paul, George, Pete Best - drummer before Ringo (Adam Sopp) - and more importantly Stu Sutcliffe (Nick Blood). Stu was an intimate artist friend of John. John literally forced Stu into the group in the early days and so his story rightfully commands as much attention in Backbeat as the legendary boys themselves. Stu's story is sad. He, unlike the others, got cheated of fame and glory.

Photo Flash: Opening Night at BACKBEAT at CTG's Ahmanson Theatre

The U.S. premiere of 'Backbeat,' the dramatic new play with music about the birth of one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands in history, the Beatles, opened last night, January 30, 2013, and continues through March 1, 2013. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening curtain call and celebration below!

BACKBEAT Begins Previews at CTG's Ahmanson Theatre Today

Previews begin today, January 20, for the U.S. premiere of 'Backbeat,' the dramatic new play with music about the birth of one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands in history, the Beatles. 'Backbeat' begins performances today, January 20 and continues through March 1, 2013. The opening is set for January 30.

BACKBEAT to Begin Previews at CTG's Ahmanson Theatre This Sunday, 1/20

Previews begin this Sunday, January 20, for the U.S. premiere of 'Backbeat,' the dramatic new play with music about the birth of one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands in history, the Beatles. 'Backbeat' begins performances January 20 and continues through March 1, 2013. The opening is set for January 30.