Martin Freeman News

David Ireland’s acclaimed new play The Fifth Step will transfer to London’s West End for a strictly limited season beginning in May. Learn more about the production here!

After exhilarating audiences across the globe with record-breaking, sell-out productions and a smash hit film, Simon Friend Entertainment is delighted to announce the return of Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s supernatural sensation Ghost Stories in a full UK Tour.

​ In just over a week, one of the most-anticipated shows of the season officially opens on Broadway. Sunset Boulevard is back, straight from its acclaimed run in London, and this time, Tony-nomintaed and Olivier-winning director Jamie Lloyd is at the helm. Check out the director's extenisve list of London and New York credits here or recap on some highlights below! In 2008, Lloyd was made the associate director of the Donmar Warehouse. His 2008 production of Piaf transferred to the West End and to Buenos Aires. In 2008 he directed The Pride at the Royal Court, for which he won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. His 2010 production of Passion won the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical. Elena Roger sings from Passion at the 2010 Olivier Awards: In 2013, the Ambassador Theatre Group launched The Jamie Lloyd Company. As the  artistic director at Trafalgar Studios in 2013, Lloyd featured three productions: a revival of The Pride, The Hothouse starring Simon Russell Beale and John Simm, and Macbeth, starring James McAvoy and Claire Foy, which received an Olivier nomination for Best Revival.  A second Trafalgar Transformed season opened in July 2014 with Richard III starring Martin Freeman, East is East, and The Ruling Class, again starring James McAvoy. In the same year, Lloyd directed Assassins at the Menier Chocolate Factory, starring Catherine Tate, Aaron Tveit, and Jamie Parker. Starry productions in the following years included The Homecoming starring Gemma Chan and John Simm; The Maids , starring Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton, and Laura Carmichael; and Doctor Faustus starring Kit Harington. Lloyd's 2019 production of Evita, which played the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, earned two Olivier nominations and was lead by Samantha Pauly. Soon after, he brought Harold Pinter's Betrayal to Broadway, starring Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton and Carlie Cox. The production marked his first Tony nomination. Hightlights from Evita:  Ad for Betrayal on Broadway: In 2019, Lloyd revealed plans to direct and produce a series of three plays at the Playhouse Theatre in collaboration with The Jamie Lloyd Company. The lineup included a new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac featuring James McAvoy; a version of The Seagull starring Emilia Clarke, adapted by Anya Reiss; and A Doll's House with Jessica Chastain in the lead role. The latter opened on Broadway in 2023 (second Tony nomination). Cyrano de Bergerac would go on to play BAM in 2022. Highlights from The Seagull: Highlights from Cyrano de Bergerac:  Highlights from A Doll's House: Lloyd returned to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber with his revival of Sunset Boulevard in late 2023. The musical, starring Nicole Scherzinger, won an Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Lloyd won for Best Director. Earlier this year, Lloyd returned to the West End to direct Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, which played a limited engagement in 2024.  Lloyd and Scherzinger talk Sunset Boulevard: Sunset Boulevard will open on October 20, 2024 at the St. James Theatre. ​

Based on the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler, this Christmas Stick Man will play at it's new home in the Bloomsbury Theatre from 4 December to 5 January with a press performance on Thursday 5 December at 1pm.

Theater director Jamie Lloyd will be making a foray into filmmaking. As part of his Jamie Lloyd Company, the director 'will set up a separate film division and work with new partners from the film world.' This news follows his company's recent split from Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) earlier this year.

Buck Creek Players will kick off their 51st season with a young adult musical on the mainstage. The 6 live in-person performances at the playhouse starting Friday, August 16th and running through Sunday, August 25th.

In July, The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol will open the second Summer Show of the 2024/2025 Season, with Exit Laughing by Paul Elliott.

This summer, PBS will have audiences dusting off their detective hats and trying on their “Roaring 20s” attire as familiar faces return and new characters emerge in mysteries with shocking revelations and unexpected twists. 

Experience LOVE ACTUALLY LIVE IN CONCERT with a full orchestra on a UK-wide 13-date tour this Christmas season.

Iranian musician Sepp Osley releases his new pop single 'Sing', a powerful anthem celebrating the woman-led revolution in Iran. The song is a testament to his commitment to social change and empowerment through music. 'Sing' emerges as a celebratory anthem that encapsulates the spirit of the woman-led revolution in Iran.

Based on the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler, this Christmas Stick Man will play simultaneously at  The Lowry Salford 10 December to 5 Jan, and at its new London home, the Bloomsbury Theatre 4 December to 5 Jan.  Tickets for both venues are on sale now.

Park Theatre has announced the remaining celebrity guests taking part in the popular murder mystery fundraising spoof Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] 3. Learn more about the lineup here!

Jamie Lloyd has announced that The Jamie Lloyd Company is now a fully independent production company, following his successful 10-year partnership with Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG).

Madness announces their first US tour since 2012, touring behind their UK #1 album 'Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est La Vie.' The Madness C'est La Vie In America tour follows their new UK #1 album Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est la Vie. In their 40-year careers, the bandmates released numerous hit singles and two #1 greatest hits albums.

The song originally achieved iconic status through the collaboration of Destiny's Child and Wyclef Jean, soundtracking school dances and car rides alike. Sly5thAve's inventive reinterpretation delves into one of the song's sources from Barry White's “Strange Games & Thangs.”

Madness releases their 13th full-length studio album, 'Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C'est La Vie.'

The King’s Theatre has revealed the casting for the Glasgow dates of Runaway Entertainment’s 2:22 – A Ghost Story, which will star Joe Absolom (A Confession, Doc Martin) as Ben, Scottish actress Charlene Boyd (Mayflies, River City) as Lauren, Nathaniel Curtis (It’s a Sin, The Witcher) as Sam and Louisa Lytton (EastEnders, The Bill) as Jenny.

The venue has recently reopened following a brief temporary closure, after the discovery of RAAC concrete in the foyer. Based on the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler, Stick Man will play at Royal & Derngate from 7 – 31 December, with a press performance on Saturday 9 December. 

The BBC is celebrating this extraordinary anniversary with an ambitious season of content across TV, Radio, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sounds exploring why, 400 years on, Shakespeare's relevance and influence is as strong as ever. A wealth of programming featuring major actors and leading experts, including new documentaries, performance, music, drama, comedy, news coverage and the best of the BBC archive, as well as special items on flagship BBC shows, will celebrate the man, his world and his timeless writing.

For the first time ever, a brand new album came into the world that they were all completely agreed on. Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C’Est La Vie is the band's inaugural foray into self producing, working alongside engineer and mixer Matt Galsbey (Ed Sheeran, Maisie Peters, Rag’N’Bone Man).