UK Roundup - Mary Poppins, Bat Boy, Rob Ashford

The West End has found a problem. The surge of such Hollywood stars in the past two years such as GywnethPaltrow, Madonna, Judi Dench and Matthew Perry has left theatregoers greedy for A-List celebrities. Therefore names like Luke Perry and Molly Ringwald may hold fond memories for some, but not enough to keep When Harry Met Sally open. The play, adapted from the popular romantic comedy film, will close on September 4^th after a moderate run of seven months. It hit the news recently when the chandelier became loose from its fitting and crumbled plaster onto the audience. Directed by Loveday Ingram, it also has music by British jazz star Jamie Cullum.  

But while we bid farewell to the young and trendy, The Old Masters show us how it's really done as they extend their season. The Simon Gray penned play has no doubt had sales boosted by the marquee value of Harold Pinter's direction - Pinter is, of course, one of our greatest living playwrights, with The Homecoming and The Caretaker to his name. The Birmingham Rep production, currently playing at the Comedy Theatre, has extended its booking period to November. The news comes amid a series of early closures, including other Birmingham Rep production Fuddy Meers with Sam Mendes' company Scamp.

Flight is almost ready now for Mary Poppins, which starts rehearsals on Monday ahead of its eagerly anticipated Bristol run in September. Remaining faithful to the P J Travers novel, of which the stage show is heavily based, means that some characters will be new to audiences. Miss Andrew (Mr Banks' new nanny) is played by the 'killer soprano' Rosemary Ashe (who created the role of Felicia in The Witches of Eastwick), Jenny Galloway is Mrs Brill the Housekeeper and Gerard Carey will play Robertson Aye. Leading roles are taken by Gavin Lee (Bert), Linzi Hateley (Mrs Banks) and David Haig (Mr Banks). All are regular West End stars, a move greatly received by theatre goers, who are pleased to see theatre faces instead of TV stars.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has found a temporary London home. After sensationally leaving the Barbican Theatre two years ago, the Stratford based company will now transfer five productions to the Albery Theatre. News was expected on their new permanent London home, but other plans, including a Shakespeare Festival Theatre, has shifted priorities onto other projects as opposed to presenting work full-time in the capital. The productions transferring, for a season of just under six months beginning November, include Hecuba with Vanessa Redgrave as well as Macbeth and Hamlet.

In other musical news, the UK production of Bay Boy will gain three brand new songs for its West End opening in August. Inside Your Heart, Ugly Boy and What You Wanna Do are replaced by Mine All Mine, Hey Freak and Ugly Freak Two. The UK cast, from the West Yorkshire Playhouse, will transfer the production in August, headed by Deven May and Emma Williams. Also, next week sees the London opening of Snoopy the Musical, after the success of its original run at the Jerymn Street Theatre.

Tony Award winner Rob Ashford's unique brand of choreography, as seen in Thoroughly Modern Millie, has prompTed Further theatre work in the UK. Currently represented at The National Theatre, in Edward Hall's revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Ashford will go on to choreograph the new revival of Guys and Dolls, as directed by Michael Grandage. Speaking of Michael Grandage, who runs the Donmar Warehouse (and recently announced he will step down from the Sheffield Theatre complex), will direct Mary-Elizabeth Mastrantonio in GrandHotelthis December.