James McAvoy, Hugh Bonneville: Nominees for Olivier AWards 2013 (ZIMBIO)

Nominees for the Olivier Awards 2013 with MasterCard pose on stage for a celebratory group photo, back row stage standing (L to R) Jon Morell, Lee Curran, Nica Burns, Kyle Soller, Dawn Reid, Emma Turner, Marianela Nunez, Hattie Morahan, Stephen Boswell, Alex Gaumond, Bill Deamer, Hildegard Bechtler, Gareth Owen, Paul Chahidi, Jenny Tiramani, Adrian Sutton, Miriam Buether, Nick Payne, Ked Mather, Olivia Jacobs, Annette McLaughlin and Alexandra Isaacs, front row stage sitting (L to R) David Wood, Kim Poster, John Miller, Billy Piper, Elliot Davis, David Garrud, Scott Graham, Luke Treadaway, Rafe Spall, James McAvoy, Hayley Flaherty, Leigh Zimmerman, James Graham, Deka Walmsley and Marcus Lovett, back row stalls standing (L to R) Caroline Horton, Debbie Kurup, Edward Snape, Matthew Mitchell, Heather Headley, Tom Chambers, Morgan Lloyd, Kate Bond and Anthony Ward, front row stalls sitting (L to R) Louise Dearman, Gina Beck, Summer Strallen and Kenny Wax, at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on April 9, 2013 in London, England. The ceremony hosted by Sheridan Smith and Hugh Bonneville will take place at the Royal Opera House on Sunday 28 April.

READ MORE:http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/-n6GbSg5Xh7/Nominees+Laurence+Olivier+Awards/oSC-NCk0_iC/Hugh+Bonneville

Hugh Bonneville: Olivier Awards ceremony details announced (LONDON THEATER)

Details of some of the performances and guests planned for the Olivier Awards ceremony on Sunday 28 April 2013, at the Royal Opera House, to be broadcast on television on ITV in an extensive highlights package that night, and live on radio on BBC Radio 2.

As previously mentioned, Hugh Bonneville and Sheridan Smith will host proceedings with voiceover by Julia McKenzie.

The Nominations for the 37th Olivier Awards are.

Best Actor
Rupert Everett - The Judas Kiss at Hampstead/Duke of york's
James McAvoy – Macbeth at Trafalgar Studios
Mark Rylance – Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo
Rafe Spall – Constellations at Royal Court/Duke of York's
Luke Treadaway – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo

Best Actress
Helen Mirren – The Audience at Gielgud
Hattie Morahan – A Doll’s House at Young Vic
Billie Piper – The Effect at Cottesloe, NT
Kristin Scott Thomas – Old Timesat Harold Pinter

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Paul Chahidi – Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo
Richard McCabe – The Audience at Gielgud
Adrian Scarborough – Hedda Gabler at Old Vic
Kyle Soller – Long Day’s Journey Into Night at Apollo

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Janie Dee – NSFW at Royal Court
Anastasia Hille – The Effect at Cottesloe, NT
Cush Jumbo – Julius Caesar at Donmar Warehouse
Helen McCrory – The Last Of The Haussmans at Olivier, NT
Nicola Walker – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo

Best New Play
Constellations by Nick Payne at Royal Court/the Duke of York's
The Audience by Peter Morgan at Gielgud
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Simon Stephens at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
This House by James Graham at Cottesloe/ Olivier, NT

Best Revival
Long Day’s Journey Into Night at Apollo
Macbeth at Trafalgar Studios 1
Old Times at Harold Pinter
Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo

Best Director
Stephen Daldry – The Audience at Gielgud
Marianne Elliott – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Jeremy Herrin – This House at Cottesloe/ Olivier, NT
Simon McBurney – The Master And Margarita at barbican

Best Actor in a Musical
Michael Ball – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi
Alex Bourne – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic
Tom Chambers – Top Hat at Aldwych
Will Young – Cabaret at Savoy

Best Actress in a Musical
Heather Headley – The Bodyguard at Adelphi
Imelda Staunton – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi
Summer Strallen – Top Hat at Aldwych
Hannah Waddingham – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic

Best Performance in A Supporting Role in a Musical
Adam Garcia – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic
Debbie Kurup – The Bodyguard at Adelphi
Sian Phillips – Cabaret at Savoy
Leigh Zimmerman – A Chorus Line at Palladium

Best New Musical
Loserville at Garrick
Soul Sister at Savoy
The Bodyguard at Adelphi
Top Hat at Aldwych

Best Musical Revival
A Chorus Line at Palladium
Cabaret at Savoy
Kiss Me, Kate at old Vic
Sweeney Todd at Adelphi

Best Entertainment & Family
Cinderella at St James Theatre
Goodnight Mister Tom at Phoenix
Hansel And Gretel at Cottesloe, NT
Room On The Broom at Lyric

Best Theatre Choreographer
Scott Ambler – Chariots Of Fire at Hampstead at Hampstead/ Gielgud
Bill Deamer – Top Hat at Aldwych
Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett – The Curious Incident of the dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Stephen Mear – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic

Best Set Design
Hildegard Bechtler – Top Hat at Aldwych
Miriam Buether & Wang Gongxin – Wild Swans at Young Vic
Bunny Christie & Finn Ross – The Curious Incident of the dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Tim Hatley – The Bodyguard at Adelphi

Best Lighting Design
Paul Anderson – The Master And Margarita at Barbican
Paule Constable – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Lee Curran – Constellations at Royal Court/Duke of York's
Mark Henderson – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi

Best Costume Design
Bob Crowley – The Audience at Gielgud
Jon Morrell – Top Hat at Aldwych
Jenny Tiramani – Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo
Anthony Ward – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi

Best Sound Design
Ian Dickinson – The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Paul Groothuis – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi
David McSeveney – Constellations at Royal Court/Duke of York's
Gareth Owen – Top Hat at Aldwych

Audience Award for Most Popular Show
Billy Elliot The Musical
Matilda The Musical
The Phantom Of The Opera
Wicked

Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre 
Caroline Horton for You’re Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy at the Bush Theatre
The production of Red Velvet at the Tricycle Theatre
The season of new writing at the Royal Court Upstairs
Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd for You Me Bum Bum Train, presented by Theatre Royal Stratford East

Best new Opera Production
Billy Budd, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Caligula, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Einstein On The Beach at the Barbican Theatre
La Traviata, English National Opera at the London Coliseum

Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Edward Gardner for his conducting of The Flying Dutchman and Billy Budd at the English National Opera, London Coliseum
Bryan Hymel for his performances in Les Troyens, Robert Le Diable and Rusalka at the Royal Opera House
Music Theatre Wales for In the Locked Room/Ghost Patrol at the Linbury Theatre, the Royal Opera House
The Stage Management teams at English National Opera, London Coliseum and the Royal Opera House

Best New Dance Production
Aeternum by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, choreographed by Christoper Wheeldon
Cacti by Nederlands Dans Theatre 2 at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed by Alexander Ekman
A Streetcar Named Desire by Scottish Ballet at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Lez Brotherston for the set and costumes for Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, New Adventures at Sadler’s Wells
ILL-Abilities company in Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells
Marianela Nunez for Aeternum, Diana & Actaeon and Viscera, The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House

Special Award
Former Olivier Award winners Gillian Lynne and Michael Frayn are to be honoured with Special Awards for their outstanding contributions to theatre.

READ MORE: http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/londontheatre/news/ap13/olivierawardsceromony111664.htm

Alan Davies and Sheridan Smith in Jonathan Creek: The Clue of the Savant's Thumb - preview pictures (RADIO TIMES)

Joanna Lumley, Sarah Alexander and Rik Mayall also star in the one-off Easter special of the beloved detective drama

Ellie Walker-Arnott

10:26 AM, 28 March 2013

After a three year hiatus, Jonathan Creek, aka Alan Davies, and his trusty duffle coat are returning to our screens.

The 90 minute drama will see Creek investigate a dead body which disappears from a locked study, a haunted Catholic girls' school and a sinister local society...

Starring Joanna Lumley, Sarah Alexander, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Hasina Haque, Mark Frost and Michael Lumsden, The Clue of the Savant's Thumb will air on Easter Monday at 8:30pm on BBC1. Rising star Sheridan Smith will also reprise her role as Creek's side kick paranomal investigator Joey Ross in the Easter special.


READ MORE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-03-28/alan-davies-and-sheridan-smith-in-jonathan-creek-the-clue-of-the-savants-thumb---preview-pictures

'Quartet' illuminates no matter the age (PHILLY.COM)

STEVEN REA, INQUIRER MOVIE COLUMNIST AND CRITIC
POSTED: Thursday, January 24, 2013, 2:31 PM

'Old age ain't no place for sissies," Bette Davis once famously observed. In Quartet, set in a Georgian-style mansion on a lovely patch of English countryside, the "ain't" has been changed to a more proper "is not." But still, the point is clear: Even here at Beecham House, a stately home for retired musicians, getting old is a challenge.

The body breaks down, and sometimes the mind. And memories of past glory rush back to remind you that there's not much glory happening at present.

Adapted by Ron Harwood from his stage play, and directed - in a smart and accomplished debut - by Dustin Hoffman, Quartet is a charming and poignant investigation into the autumn years in which four friends, former opera company stars, come together to put on a show. Of course, there are obstacles to surmount along the way: Jean Horton (the ever droll and beguiling Maggie Smith), a reluctant new arrival at Beecham House, long ago broke the heart of Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay), a dapper chap who is not happy to see Jean again.

Meanwhile, the bubbly Cissy (Pauline Collins) is showing signs of Alzheimer's - forgetfulness, disorientation - and the randy Wilf (Billy Connolly) has prostate issues. A hopeless flirt, Wilf's nonstop come-ons to Beecham's female staff, and to the attractive young doctor who runs the place (Sheridan Smith), would be offensive if his lechery weren't so benign. A man with a waggish smile and a Scottish brogue can be forgiven much.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/movies/20130125__Quartet__illuminates_no_matter_the_age.html#ixzz2J7dGkBir 
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Billy Connolly plays it for laughs in Quartet - Hoffman’s debut as film director (LONDON EVENING STANDARD)

Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent

15 October 2012

Dustin Hoffman so loved Billy Connolly’s stand-up that the Hollywood star cast him in his debut film as a director — and even let him ad-lib.

Connolly, who will walk the red carpet at the British premiere at the BFI London Film Festival tonight, joins a stellar British cast of Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins and Sheridan Smith in Quartet, a comedy about opera singers in a retirement home.

He revealed that Hoffman allowed him to bring his wit to the script which Ronald Harwood adapted from his own play. “My character, Wilf, was a dirty old man in the nicest imaginable way. But I found him one-sided,” the comedian said. “So I ad-libbed a lot. It took the grubby air off me.”

The Big Yin, 69, got to know Hoffman, 75, in America where the Oscar-winning star is a regular at the Scotsman’s stand-up gigs. He said he was momentarily overwhelmed to be asked to join the cast but accepted after remembering how much he enjoyed playing Queen Victoria’s Scottish servant in Mrs Brown.

“I just kept thinking about Judi Dench and what a pleasant experience that was and not to be a coward.”

READ MORE: http://www.standard.co.uk/arts/film/billy-connolly-plays-it-for-laughs-in-quartet--hoffmans-debut-as-film-director-8211726.html

Hugh Bonneville's new movie role - Mr. Stink

Hugh Bonneville is set to star on the upcoming television family drama (which is based on David Walliams' children's book of the same name) alongside Sheridan Smith and Britain's Got Talent star Pudsey the dog!

http://tv.uk.msn.com/features/hugh-bonneville-hangs-out-with-britains-got-talents-pudsey

Judi Dench heads to West End and cygnets take on Swan Lake Judi Dench, Daniel Radcliffe and Jude Law set for West End stage, Max Stafford-Clark opens up rehearsals and a French ballet company hatches a plan for Swan Lake with real swans Share 0 Email Alistair Smith guardian.co.uk, Friday 15 June 2012 09.52 EDT

A veritable galaxy of stars are lining up to tread West End (and off-West End) boards in the coming months, with a slew of star-led shows announced. Rowan Atkinson, most recently seen on stage as Fagin in the musical Oliver!, will be performing in his first play in more than 20 years when he appears in a revival of Quartermaine's Terms by Simon Gray. Meanwhile, Sheridan Smith – fresh from critical acclaim for a run of theatrical turns – will take on the title role in Hedda Gabler at London's Old Vic. Another meaty female role is in the offing – for Anna Friel, who will appear as Yelena opposite Ken Stott as Uncle Vanya and with Samuel West as Astrov. And, in north London, Rupert Everett and Freddie Fox are lined up to star in Judas Kiss at the Hampstead Theatre: the play tells the story of Oscar Wilde's relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas.

Not to be outdone, former Donmar Warehouse boss Michael Grandage has just announced a 15-month West End season launching this December, spanning five plays and featuring stars including Judi Dench, Daniel Radcliffe, Simon Russell Beale, David Walliams, Jude Law and Sheridan Smith again. If that weren't impressive enough, 100,000 tickets will be available at the distinctly un-starry price of £10.


READ MORE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/jun/15/judi-dench-west-end-swan-lake?newsfeed=true