cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof | Theatre Breaks

West End Breaks

http://theatrebreaksmag.co.uk/west-end-breaks/

West End Breaks – a great way to see London West End breaks are a great way to really get to know the glitziest area of London. Staying in the West End for a few days gives you a chance to see the capital and really get familiar with one small part of the metropolis. London can seem a bit overwhelming when you have to whiz about on the tube. Staying in one area where everything is within walking distance really helps you to connect with the city and start to feel comfortable with it. Things to do in the West End See a show, or even two. West End breaks - The Mousetrap The West End has some of the best shows and theatres in the world. Everything from the quintessentially English Mousetrap to the Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof can be found within a few minutes walk. If you are booking a West End break to see one show why not try fitting in a matinee of another as well? You can get half price tickets for many matinees actually on the day at the Official Ticket Booth on Leicester Square. Do not be seduced by deals at the other so called discount booths as these are often overpriced once you add in booking fees etc. If you do not feel like another show you could even check out the latest films in Leicester Square. If you are lucky you might happen on some stars attending the latest world premier! Shop till you drop Shopping during a West End break is easy and fun. You are within walking distance of Covent Garden where ther’s a wonderful selection of interesting little shops, the Apple Market (which is full of crafts and antiques) and The Jubilee which is a fascinating market. On Mondays, Antiques; from Tuesday-Friday clothing and household goods, and on Saturday and Sunday arts and crafts. Venture a little further and you find one of the biggest shopping centres in Europe in Oxford St, Bond St and Piccadilly Circus. There you will find all the high end fashion and major shops you might want. Where the West End really scores though is with little unique shops in Seven Dials and Carnaby St which will intrigue and tempt you in to look at and buy things you didn’t even know you needed. Eat the world Food on a West End break is very easy to organise. You might want to book your pre-theatre dinner when you book your break. Most companies offer good deals on early dinners and restuarants are used to making sure you have had your meal with plenty of time to spare for what is usually a short walk to the theatre. It is so much more relaxing than trailing across London after you’ve eaten and worrying about getting to the show on time. The West End has lots of restaurants and they are always changing. You can eat in just about any style you fancy from Classic French to Japanese and just about everything in between. In Covent Garden you can even get a real Cornish pastie and a pint of genuine Cornish beer if that is what you fancy. Check the menu boards outside if you are worried about the prices but most places are fairly reasonable. London’s reputation for being expensive really is not deserved and prices compare very favourably with tourist traps like the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. For real food bargains head for Soho and explore China Town. It is just a short walk but a world away. West End breaks are a great way to get to know London and I hope this little introduction will help you to see that London is definitely worth getting to know.

December 8 2009, 12:33pm | Comments »

I posted to usefulwiki.com

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof.html

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Tennessee Williams’ classic story of the Deep South, has come to the West End. The Broadway production has transferred to the Novello for a reasonably long run. It should be with us till April 2010 but if you want to see it I suggest you book as soon as possible. It could easily sell out before you get a chance to book, just like it did on Broadway! Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Novello We were lucky enough to see an open dress rehearsal last Saturday. I know, I love my job sometimes I thought it was a piece of great theatre and beautifully acted. The use of an all black cast hardly has any effect on the story at all. It really highlights the universal nature of the themes of family, love, friendship and the lies we tell each other and ourselves. It is wonderful to see such a piece of classic American theatre on the London stage. (It is a real treat to have both this and Miller’s All My Sons in London) The Cast of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Introduce Themselves

James Earl Jones is an American actor of stage and screen, well known for his deep bass voice. He was the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King. He played Terrence Mann in Field of Dreams and was recently seen in an episode of House. Phylicia Rashad is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the 1984-1992 NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. In 2004 she became the first African-American actress to win the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, for her role in the revival of A Raisin in the Sun. Adrian Lester played the title role in Henry V for the National Theatre but he is perhaps best known on television for playing con-artist ‘Mickey Bricks’ in Hustle. His has also been in Merlin, Ballet Shoes, Being Human and Afterlife. He has also appeared in a number of films including Primary Colors, Born Romantic, Day After Tomorrow and Doomsday. Sanaa Lathan was also in Raisin In The Sun. She is best known in the UK for playing Michelle Landau in Nip/Tuck. Her film work has included Wonderful World , The Family That Preys Together, Something New, Alien vs. Predator and Out of Time. This is Debbie Allen directorial debut in the West End. Her directing credits on screen include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air featuring Will Smith, A Different World, Girlfriends, The Jamie Foxx Show and Family Ties. She is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress and is best known on screen for playing Lydia Grant in the original film and television series of Fame. The Story of Cat Cat on a Hot Tin Roof tells story of a rich Southern family in crisis. It focuses on the turbulent relationship of Brick and Maggie and the rest of Brick’s family over the course of one evening at the family estate in Mississippi. The whole family has gathered to celebrate the birthday of patriarch and tycoon “Big Daddy” Pollitt but the night brings more than just a birthday party. a

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November 25 2009, 3:04pm | Comments »

I posted to theatrebreaksmag.co.uk

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

http://theatrebreaksmag.co.uk/cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof/

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof in London Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is a play by Tennessee Williams that has been a great success on Broadway for four months and now comes to the Novello Theatre in London with most of the original cast. Set in the deep South of the USA in the early part of last century, this adaptation of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is remarkable for having a cast of all black actors, or African Americans as the politically correct but technically incorrect Americans would say, since the lead role, Brick is played in London by a British actor.

If you’re looking to see a serious play in London, full of drama and intrigue, unafraid to tackle the heavyweight topics of human relationships, then Cat On A Hot Tin Roof would be the one to choose for a high-brow theatre break in London without any music and dancing. The acting in this one is very powerful indeed, and at times humorous, while the brilliant writing of Tennessee Williams drives the plot forwards so you would never notice the hours passing. James Earl Jones as Big Daddy James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader) was born to play the part of Big Daddy, and Adrian Lester in the part of Brick does a magnificent job of anchoring the whole show around him, while his stage wife, “Maggie the cat” played by Sanaa Lathan does most of the talking.

James Earl Jones is well known for his deep bass voice and he puts it to good use in the role of Big Daddy. As child he had elective mutism due to a very severe stammer and dyslexia, both of which he eventually overcame. Jones grew up in Mississippi and says he know men just like the old plantation owner. He is older than you might think at 78 and remembers seeing Burl Ives in the role when Cat on a Hot Tin Roof first opened on Broadway in 1955. He says he has been wanting to play the role for many years and has modeled his performance on that of Ives. The production team seem genuinely excited to be bring this show to London and it does seem likely that the people of the UK as a whole will respond by bringing an appreciative new audience in to the West End of London for the four and a bit months that Cat on A Hot Tin Roof provides the opportunity for.

November 25 2009, 3:45am | Comments »

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