The British Theatre Guide: News for 3rd August, 2008

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Dateline: 3rd August, 2008

Hawkes to Star in Manilow Musical
Chesney Hawkes is to play Tony, the lead role in the Barry Manilow musical Can't Smile Without You. He is joined in the cast by Siobhan Dillon, one of the How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? finalists.

The show, which is written by Tim Prager, based on an original idea by Bill Kenwright, who also produces and co-directs it with Keith Strachan, opens at the Churchill, Bromley, on 1st September (previews from 28th August), before touring to Dartford's Orchard Theatre (Sept. 8-13), Liverpool Empire (Sept. 15-20), Bristol Hippodrome (Sept. 22-27), the Palace Manchester (Sept. 29-Oct 4), Hull's New Theatre (Oct. 6-11), Glasgow King's (Oct. 13-18), the Festival Theatre Edinburgh (Oct. 20-25), the Royal and Derngate Theatre Northampton (Nov. 10-15), Stoke Regent (Nov. 17-22) and Darlington Civic (Nov. 24-29).

Jermyn Street Produces First Show
The Jermyn Street Theatre, the London fringe venue in the West End, is to mount its first in-house production in September.

Gillian Plowman's Crooked Wood will open on 10th September (preview on 9th) and will run until 4th October. The cast will be Clive Carter, Shona Lindsay, Doreen Mantle, Alec Walters and Nick Waring.

The play centres on Miss Barwick (Mantle), an eccentric old lady who refuses to leave her home, in spite of being offered £1m, and so holds up a major Olympics-related development.

Reality Finalist in Touring Cabaret
Samantha Barks, a finalist in I'd Do Anything, is to play Sally Bowles in Rufus Norris' touring production of Cabaret, joining Wayne Sleep who will play the EmCee.

The tour begins at Birmingham Rep on 13th August before moving on to Bristol, Liverpool, Nottingham, Manchester, Woking), Cheltenham, Bath, Truro, Northampton, Eastbourne, Malvern, Hull and Glasgow.

McGowan and Merrells in Shakespeare Tour
Alistair McGowan and Jason Merrells are to star in a touring production of Measure for Measure in spring, 2009. McGowan will play the Duke and Merrells Angelo. Jamie Glover makes his directorial debut in the Thelma Holt production.

No other casting has been announced, not any touring dates. It is expected that the tour will be followed by a London transfer.

Never Forget Transfers
The Take That musical Never Forget is to transfer to the Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue, on 20th November. The show will close at the Savoy on 15th November to move in what the producers are calling a "permanent transfer."

Chichester Six Characters London Transfer
The Chichester Festival production of Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello, in a new version by Rupert Goold and Ben Power, will open at the Gielgud Theatre on 15th September (previews from 10th), booking to 8th November.

Reggae Musical to Close Early
The reggae musical The Harder They Come (Playhouse) will close on 13th September. It had been booking until 1st November.

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