All stories by Mark Shenton on BroadwayStars

Monday, June 22, 2015

Full Cast Announced for Future Conditional, Matthew Warchus's Inaugural Production at the Helm of Lo by Mark Shenton

Full casting has been announced for the world premiere of Tamsin Oglesby's Future Conditional which will inaugurate Matthew Warchus's first season at the helm of London's Old Vic…

SOURCE: Playbill at 06:15AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: Has Kevin Spacey saved his best idea for last at the Old Vic? by Mark Shenton

Kevin Spacey, newly given an honorary knighthood for his services to British theatre, hasn’t just restored the fortunes of the Old Vic

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, June 21, 2015

Diary of a theatre addict: 11 shows across 8 days " (nearly) all great! A record? by Mark Shenton

Another busy week has seen me at 11 shows across 8 nights (and days); 8 of the nine I can comment on publicly already were great! Is that a record?

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:28AM[SHARE]
Friday, June 19, 2015

Mark Shenton: Should theatres pay to have their shows reviewed? by Mark Shenton

It’s a common practice for theatres to extend hospitality to critics " as well as providing a ticket to the show (and

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 18, 2015

Mark Shenton's theatre picks: June 18 by Mark Shenton

A busy and eclectic week in London, as ever, sees the world premiere of a new British musical, outdoor Chekhov, and returns

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 17, 2015

West End's The 39 Steps to Close After 9-Year Run by Mark Shenton

The 39 Steps, the Olivier Award-winning show that has been playing at the West End's Criterion Theatre since 2006, will shutter Sept. 5. During its run, it will have played the 5th h…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:25PM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: Think you know who really runs the nation's theatres? by Mark Shenton

This year Nikolai Foster took over the artistic directorship of Leicester’s Curve, and recently announced his slate of his first own productions

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]

U.K. Premiere of Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Motherf**ker with the Hat Opens Tonight by Mark Shenton

Stephen Adly Guirgis' 2011 Tony-nominated Broadway play The Motherf**ker with the Hat officially opens at London's National Theatre June 17, following previews that began June 10…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]

What's Hot in London: The Ladies Love the Newest Young Tony Winner and Is Funny Girl Crossing the Po by Mark Shenton

Twice a year the British monarch offers recognition to the great and good of British society in a series of Honors that are presented, from Knighthoods to OBE's: In January, they are cal…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Mark Shenton: How much theatrical baggage should a critic leave in the cloakroom? by Mark Shenton

We can only ever live in the present, not the past nor the future. That’s true of theatre, too: it only exists

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, June 15, 2015

Mazz Murray: 'I've never done a job I didn't want to do' by Mark Shenton

Some people want to be stars " others just like to work. Mazz Murray has carved out a distinctive West End niche

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 07:00AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: Are critics being sidelined? by Mark Shenton

There’s no question that we are living in an era of massive change where the lines between what old-fashioned traditional critics do

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Saturday, June 13, 2015

Kevin Spacey Receives Honorary Knighthood in Queen's Birthday Honors; Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumbe by Mark Shenton

Kevin Spacey has been awarded an Honorary Knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours, announced June 13 by Buckingham Palace.

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:24AM[SHARE]
Friday, June 12, 2015

Chichester Festival Guys and Dolls Headed to West End by Mark Shenton

The 2014 Chichester Festival Theatre production of Guys and Dolls, staged by American director Gordon Greenberg, is to transfer to the West End, beginning performances Dec. 10 prior to an of…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:00AM[SHARE]

Chichester Festival Theatre's Production of Guys and Dolls to Transfer to West End's Savoy Theatre i by Mark Shenton

The 2014 Chichester Festival Theatre production of Guys and Dolls, staged by American director Gordon Greenberg, is to transfer to the West End, beginning performances Dec. 10 prior to an of…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:00AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: London Road and the art of bringing a musical to the screen by Mark Shenton

The West End and Broadway are (sometimes literally) littered with stage musicals made out of film titles " the West End’s latest,

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 11, 2015

Trevor Nunn to Stage Shakespeare's War of the Roses History Plays by Mark Shenton

Veteran Shakespearean director Trevor Nunn — who is also a two-time Tony winner for his musical work on Cats and Les Miserables — is to direct The War of the Roses, J…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:08AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton's theatre picks: June 11 by Mark Shenton

Last Sunday saw the presentation of the Tony Awards in New York, and of course British plays, players and other creative personnel

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 10, 2015

What's Hot in London: Cats, Xanadu and Holly Golightly Cross the Pond by Mark Shenton

After the superb showing of British plays, players, directors and designers at this year's Tony Awards, including Best Play, Director and Leading Actor wins for The Curious Incident of t…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:00PM[SHARE]

New Gershwin Musical A Damsel in Distress Opens Tonight With Summer Strallen, Richard Fleeshman by Mark Shenton

A Damsel in Distress, a stage version of the 1937 film of the same name with songs by Ira and George Gershwin at Chichester Festival Theatre, opens June 10, following previews that began May…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:39AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: Why theatregoers are turning their backs on the West End by Mark Shenton

It has become routine to bemoan the cost of going anywhere near a West End theatre, and the numbers are indeed eye-watering.

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, June 8, 2015

Mark Shenton: At last, the Tonys have voted for art over commerce by Mark Shenton

The Tony Awards are, above all, about money, and big money at that. They can make the difference between a $15 million

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 06:34AM[SHARE]
Sunday, June 7, 2015

Rob Ashford: 'I never thought I could direct until Michael Grandage gave me the chance' by Mark Shenton

It was in London that Rob Ashford, a Broadway dancer turned choreographer, first got the opportunity to direct when Michael Grandage invited

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 07:00AM[SHARE]

The Big Interview: US theatre critic Ben Brantley by Mark Shenton

There's always been a lot of noise and offstage chatter in the theatre world, possibly more than ever now in the internet

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 05:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015

James Fox and Actor Son Jack to Star in West End Premiere of Dear Lupin by Mark Shenton

James Fox is to return to the West End stage with his actor son Jack Fox to play father and son in Dear Lupin, a stage version of the correspondence that passed between journalist and writer…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:42AM[SHARE]

U.K.'s Curve to Stage Breakfast at Tiffany's, Streetcar Named Desire and The Wtiches by Mark Shenton

Nikolai Foster, the incoming new artistic director of Leicester's Curve Theatre, has announced his first season at the helm, which will see him directing new productions of Tennessee Wil…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:29AM[SHARE]

Michael Pennington, Hadley Fraser and Tom Bateman Cast in Opening Productions of Kenneth Branagh The by Mark Shenton

Casting has been announced for the opening productions of the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's season at the West End's Garrick Theatre: Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and …

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:07AM[SHARE]

Memphis Star Will Be Grizabella in Return of Cats to the London Pallladium by Mark Shenton

Beverley Knight, the popular U.K. soul singer who is currently to be seen in the West End playing Felicia in the London premiere of Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre, is to star as Grizabel…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:05AM[SHARE]

New Musical The Smallest Show on Earth, Featuring Irving Berlin Score, Will Debut in September by Mark Shenton

The Smallest Show on Earth, a new musical based on the 1957 film of the same name that is known as "Big Time Operators" in the U.S. (starring Peter Sellers, Margaret Rutherford, Bi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:05AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off