Tis the Season for Theatre and Film in London, England

The following is a list of theatre and film events in London as of January 1st, 2009:
Thriller – Live
Lyric Theatre, from 2 January 2009
See Michael Jackson’s hits performed live on stage with spectacular dance routines and special effects as Thriller – Live hits London’s West End. The show is a musical tribute to Michael Jackson’s career, from his time in the Jackson 5 to the present day.

Enjoy two hours of non-stop hits including Beat It, Billie Jean, Man in the Mirror, Dirty Diana, Thriller and many more. For more information contact Kevin Wilson on 020 7851 8628 or kevinwilsonpr@googlemail.com

Quidam – Cirque du Soleil
Royal Albert Hall, from 4 January 2009
This dazzling show contains all the elements Cirque du Soleil is famous for: Astonishing acrobatics, awe-inspiring aerial acts, unique lighting and an elaborate set design. Quidam (pronounced key-dam) celebrates the nameless passerby, the person lost amidst the crowd in an all too anonymous society. For more information contact Sabrina Lynch on Sabrina@brando-world.com

A View from the Bridge
Duke of Yorks, from 4 January 2009
Ken Stott will take the lead role of Eddie Carbone in this new production of Arthur Miller's classic. A headstrong longshoreman raising his wife's orphaned niece Catherine, Eddie's life starts to fall apart when his feelings for Catherine develop from paternal protectiveness to sexual desire. As he struggles to control his emotions he spirals into self-destruction. For more information contact Julia Hallawell, Public Eye Communications on 020 7351 1555 or Julia@publiceye.co.uk

Complicit
Old Vic, 7 January to 21 February 2009
Richard Dreyfuss stars in Joe Sutton’s new play. Complicit explores the current American political climate through the eyes of Ben Kritzer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who finds himself hauled in front of a Supreme Court Special Prosecutor. For contact details see www.oldvictheatre.com/contact

London Short Film Festival
A celebration of short films at venues across London – including Roxy Bar and Screen, The Hospital, The ICA and more – from 9 to 18 January 2009. For more information see www.shortfilms.org.uk

RSC’s A Midsummer Night's Dream
Novello Theatre, 15 January to 7 February 2009
Gregory Doran reprises his acclaimed 2005 RST production of Shakespeare’s best loved comedy with a re-worked and re-cast version. For more information contact Liz Thompson on 01789 412667 or liz.thompson@rsc.org.uk

Xavier Le Roy
Sadler’s Wells, 16, 17, 23 and 24 January 2009
French choreographer Xavier Le Roy performs for the first time at Sadler’s Wells, presenting two works new to the UK: Self Unfinished (1998) and Le Sacre du Printemps. For more information contact Erin Crivelli on 020 7863 8125 or erin.crivelli@sadlerswells.com

Carmina Burana
The O2, 17 and 18 January 2009
Franz Abraham brings Carl Orff’s masterpiece to life with over 250 performers – including the world-renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Brighton Festival Chorus and Youth Choir, as well as dancers, actors, and singers. The dramatic staging has been created by Walter Haupt, a long standing friend of Orff himself, and features a giant set, sensational light projections and fireworks. For more information contact Stephanie Jones on 020 7536 1626 or sjones@aegworldwide.co.uk

Graham Norton joins La Cage aux Folles
Graham Norton joins the cast of La Cage aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre on 19 January. He will step into the sequined shoes of the show’s star, Albin, taking over the role from original cast member Douglas Hodge. For more information contact The Corner Shop PR on 020 7494 3665 or info@thecornershoppr.com

Spring Awakening
Lyric Hammersmith, 23 January to 28 February 2009
The European premiere of Spring Awakening, based on Frank Wedekind’s controversial play. In a world where grown-ups hold all the cards, three school friends experience the exhilarating, turbulent journey into adulthood. Spring Awakening is a vibrant and poignant story about a brilliant young student Melchior, his troubled friend Moritz, and Wendla, a beautiful teenage girl – all on a voyage of personal discovery and sexual awakening. For more information contact The Corner Shop PR on 020 7494 3665 or info@thecornershoppr.com

Sadler’s Wells Sampled
24 and 25 January 2009
Now firmly established in London's dance calendar, Sadler’s Wells Sampled offers audiences a unique opportunity to experience a diverse range of dance styles for as little as £5 per night. Sadler's Wells Sampled features dance performances from seven contrasting artists. The result sees ballet dancers line up next to hip hop breakers and flamenco favourites next to contemporary gurus, as leading dance stars present a short taster of their specialism. For more information contact Ciaran McKenna on 0207 863 8114 or ciaran.mckenna@sadlerswells.com

The Pitmen Painters
National Theatre, from 27 January
In 1934, a group of Ashington miners hired a professor to teach an art appreciation evening class. Rapidly abandoning theory in favour of practice, the pitmen began to paint. Within a few years the most avant-garde artists became their friends and their work was acquired by prestigious collections. But every day they worked, as before, down the mine. Lee Hall’s new play is a humorous, deeply moving look at art, class and politics. For more information contact Jennifer Reynolds on 020 7452 3233 or jreynolds@nationaltheatre.org.uk

Only When I Laugh
Greenwich Theatre, 27 to 31 January 2009
1950s Theatre Manager Stanley (Jack Shepherd, Wycliffe) is not having a good day. His band is stuck in traffic, his number two comic is cavorting with one of his tap-dancing twins and a top-billing singer is on her way from London. But the top of the bill belongs to Reg, number one comic and hero of the working classes… For more information contact 020 8858 4447 or press@greenwichtheatre.org.uk

Duet for One
The Almeida, 22 January to 14 March 2009
Juliet Stevenson and Henry Goodman star as Stephanie Abrahams and Dr Feldmann in Tom Kempinski’s two-hander Duet for One. Celebrated concert violinist Stephanie is forced to re-think her career and her life after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. On the advice of her husband, a successful composer, she consults psychiatrist Dr Feldmann, whose probing questions delve deep into her complex personality. For the first time, Stephanie is forced to consider a future without music. For more information contact Janine Shalom at Premier PR on 020 7292 8330 or janine.shalom@premierpr.com

Enjoy
Gielgud Theatre, from 27 January 2009
Enjoy is a rarely-performed gem by Alan Bennett, one of the greatest observers of the English way of life. He set this brilliant comedy in his home town of Leeds. With the demolition of their area in progress, Wilf and Connie are soon to be re-housed in a brand new maisonette. But when a sociologist comes to observe them in their daily life, normality takes a decidedly surreal turn. A dream cast includes Alison Steadman, star of Gavin and Stacey and Abigail’s Party.
For more information see www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk

King Lear
Young Vic, 29 January to 28 March 2009
Rupert Goold’s bold new production of King Lear comes to the Young Vic. Pete Postlethwaite, loved for his work on stage and screen, will play the King in this intimate and provocative staging of Shakespeare’s most elemental tragedy. Giles Cadle’s staging evokes the dramatic scenery of the Northern landscape in the late 1970s on the eve of Thatcher's premiership.
For more information contact Laura Myers on 0207 922 2979 or lauramyers@youngvic.org

December 31, 2008   Posted in: England