Round-up of news, treats and other interesting things

You go away for a week, hoping they'll put any exciting news on hold but no, there were headlines aplenty...
Michelle Terry being revealed as Emma Rice's successor as Artistic Director of the Globe. I think this is a brave and inspired choice, for Terry is a deeply intelligent actor (Tribes, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Cleansed) and a superb Shakespearean at that (A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors).

Rice seemed to consider Shakespeare a puzzle that needed unlocking for (new) audiences but you were left wondering if there was a touch of square peg round hole syndrome in the way the plays were manhandled. It is tempting to think that Terry will be a smoother fit whilst maintaining a sense of adventurousness (she played Henry V after all) although this is, of course, pure conjecture. Still, exciting times ahead.
Bristol Old Vic's production of Long Day's Journey Into Night, featuring a superlative performance from Lesley Manville alongside Jeremy Irons, has at long last announced its transfer into the West End. It was one of my highlights from last year and takes up residence in the Wyndham's from 27th January until 8th April.

As with Alan Ayckbourn, my lack of desire to see Oscar Wilde plays on the stage is often tested by casting decisions that I find hard to resist. Adding Anne Reid to Eve Best in A Woman of No Importance is one of those decisions.

The Bush Theatre are having a busy time of it. Not only is Jon Gilchrsit stepping down as Executive Director, they've announced casting for two of their upcoming productions.
Ramona Tells Jim
Written by Sophie Wu
Directed by Mel Hillyard
Designed by Lucy Sierra
Cast includes: Ruby Bentall (Ramona), Joe Bannister (Jim) and Amy Lennox (Pocahontas).


A Bush Theatre and Sheffield Theatres co-production
Of Kith and Kin
Written by Chris Thompson
Directed by Robert Hastie
Designed by James Perkins
Cast includes: Joanna Bacon (Lydia and Carrie), Donna Berlin (Arabelle), James Lance (Daniel), Chetna Pandya (Priya) and Joshua Silver (Oliver).

Get a look here at the cast for The Unknown Island, a world premiere directed by the Gate's new Artistic Director Ellen McDougall and adapted by Ellen and Clare Slater (Literary Manager, Donmar Warehouse) from Jose Saramago's short story The Tale of The Unknown Island.

The Unknown Island is a play about getting stuck, about trying to escape, about shooting for the moon, about going further than the furthest thing. This is a play about finding something you didn't think you needed.

The Gate welcomes back Jon Foster (Idomeneus, Trojan Women) and introduce Thalissa Teixera (Othello, Shakespeare's Globe and Yerma, Young Vic), Hannah Ringham (co-founder of SHUNT) and Zubin Varla (War Horse, National Theatre and Twelfth Night, Donmar Warehouse).

And to round things off, the ever-lovely Amy Booth-Steel doing something lovely to the song 'Despacito' on a ukelele.

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