This new feature will provide dates for your diary as I find them…..
Friday March 4
- JUDI DENCH IN CONVERSATION WITH GYLES BRANDRETH AT THE GIELGUD
For three Sunday afternoons in June and July — on June 19, 26 and July 3, at 3pm — Judi Dench will be in conversation with her old friend Gyles Brandreth, talking about her life from her childhood in York in the 1930s to her latest Oscar nomination in 2022. For those who are unable to attend either of the live shows, the London event on 03 July will be livestreamed via Fane Online. For further details and to book, visit https://www.fane.co.uk/judi
- OLD FRIENDS celebrate SONDHEIM AT THE SONDHEIM
On May 3, an all-star gala will take place at the West End’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre, staged by Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman, choreographed by Stephen Mea, and produced by Cameron Mackintosh.
The line-up (shown above) so far includes Julia McKenzie, Bernadette Peters, Imelda Staunton, Judi Dench, Adrian Lester, Michael Ball and Elaine Paige, all of whom headlined in his work. In a press statement, Mackintosh has commented,
“It is impossible to overstate the influence and contribution Stephen Sondheim has made to Musical Theatre, both personally and professionally. He was as great a teacher as he was an incomparable writer and the Little Things that he did for so many people forged legions of friendships throughout his long life. I was lucky enough to be Steve’s friend and occasional collaborator for over 45 years since I first produced Side By Side By Sondheim and the Wyndham’s Theatre in 1976. It was a friendship full of laughter, gossip and glorious insightful camaraderie.
Steve was so prolific and profound as a writer that it’s impossible to put together a definitive list of his greatest songs, as everyone has their own favourites, so our choice of songs will purely reflect the joy and love I have for one of the greatest Broadway Babies of all time.”
All profits from the evening will go to the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, which the legendary composer and lyricist established under his Will to receive future income from his copyrights and intellectual property, with the proceeds to be used principally for the support of playwrights, composers, and lyricists in the early stages of their careers to assist in the development and advancement of their work, as well as for sustaining other aspects of the musical theatre craft and arts education.
Website: sondheimoldfriends.com
Press enquiries: Janine Shalom at Premier Janine.shalom@premiercomms.com
Thursday March 3
- West End Flea Market returns on May 21 at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden
- Melissa Errico returns to London, to play three nights at Crazy Coqs from March 30-April 1.
The concerts will take place on March 30 (7pm), March 31 (9:15pm) & April 1 (7pm). Accompanied by Ronnie Scott’s James Pearson on piano, Amour & After features the music of one of her closest mentors & collaborators, the late, beloved composer Michel Legrand. The programme includes many Legrand classics, from Watch What Happens to Windmills of Your Mind, as well as the premiere of the last song that Legrand ever composed with his favorite lyric writing team, Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Errico appeared in the short-lived 2002 run of Amour, the only Broadway musical that Legrand composed the score for; she comments, “I call the show ‘Amour & After’ because that’s also the great subject of all French songs: ‘Amour’ – love! — and everything that comes afterwards.” To book, viisit https://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/melissa-errico-sings-michel-legrand/?instance_id=393558