Shakespeare in Love coming to the Noel Coward theatre in London in July 2014. Tickets for Shakespeare in Love go on sale in February 2014
The big guns are out for what promises to be the West End hit of 2014 with tickets in hot demand for Shakespeare in Love at the Noël Coward theatre in London.
Shakespeare in Love Producers Sonia Friedman, Thomas Schumaker from Disney and writer Lee Hall
Disney Theatrical Productions, whose previous hit show The Lion King has broken all box office records, have teamed up with Broadway and award-winning former ATG producer Sonia Friedman, who is responsible for bringing The Book of Mormon to the London stage, to produce award-winning Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall’s new stage adaptation of Shakespeare in Love. The 1998 award-winning comedy film of the same name, Shakespeare in Love won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Gwyneth Paltrow and Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench.
The new play Shakespeare in Love is due to open at the Cameron Mackintosh owned venue, the Noel Coward Theatre in the summer of 2014. The pedigree of all those involved promises to make Lee Hall’s adaptation of the Tom Stoppard’s Shakespeare in Love a massive hit. Stoppard’s play has never before been performed on stage and was adapted in to a screenplay for the film.
The stage version of Shakespeare in Love has now been adapted by Lee Hall who won the 2005 Olivier Award for Best Musical for Billy Elliot as well as the 2009 Tony Award for Best Book for Billy Elliot The Musical. Lee Hall also wrote the screenplay for the 2011 big screen adaptation of War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg.
Shakespeare in Love portrays promising new playwright Will Shakespeare plagued by debt, tormented by writer’s block and in desperate need of a new hit. He finds his muse in the form of passionate young noblewoman, Viola De Lesseps, but their forbidden love soon draws everyone, including Queen Elizabeth herself, into the drama and inspires Will to write the greatest love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet.
Declan Donnellan directs with collaborator Nick Ormerod as designer. Since forming Cheek by Jowl in 1981, Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod have since directed and designed over 30 productions which have been performed in more than 300 cities in 40 countries all over the world. The pair have reimagined many of Shakespeare’s texts including the all-male As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Troilus and Cressida and Othello. In 1989 Donnellan was made Associate Director of the National Theatre where productions have included Fuente Ovejuna, Sweeney Todd, The Mandate and both parts of Tony Kushner’s Angels In America. Additional theatre credits include ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, The Changeling, Great Expectations and British premiers of Outcry, Homebody/Kabul, Sara and Lady Betty.
“Everyone who loves the theatre loves what Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman created with the miracle that is Shakespeare in Love,” said Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer of Disney Theatrical Productions. “What better way to celebrate that than to turn to consummate theatre artists: Declan, Nick, Lee and Sonia are all working at the top of their game and it is an honour for our Disney Theatrical team to partner with artists of their weight and calibre.”
Co-producer Sonia Friedman, said: “Every now and then a story comes along that cries out to be staged. This is one such story. Shakespeare in Love bursts with life and is a moving and hilarious celebration of everything that we love about the inspirational and transformative power of theatre. This project has been several years in development and Tom Schumacher and I are thrilled to be confirming its world premiere in London.”
The new stage production will have a cast of over 26 actors and musicians in what promises to be an exciting new romantic comedy, with previews beginning in early July 2014.
Tickets for Shakespeare in Love go on sale in February.
