Theatre September Davina.qxp_Layout 1 24/08/2015 19:49 Page 2
Theatre
Image courtesy of the West End production of King Charles III
King Charles III
Robert Powell
The REP, Birmingham, Fri 4 - Sat 19 September
Mike Bartlett’s future-history play, which here stars Robert Powell, went down a storm with the critics when it debuted in the West End last year. Its quality was further confirmed by an Olivier Award for best new play. The queen is dead, meaning that it’s finally time for Prince Charles to take the throne. But with great power comes great responsibility and before too long the new king is asked to give his assent to a law
that threatens the very future of democracy... Describing King Charles III, Robert Powell said: “The play’s about the battle against everybody else as Charles tries to keep his integrity, because he’s very conscious of his own conscience. He’s a very conscience-driven man, and all the better for that.” Read the full interview with Robert at whatsonlive.co.uk
Crush Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Fri 4 - Sat 19 September
Toe-tapping tunes, witty lyrics, soaring ballads and, er, heaps of hockey sticks are all present and correct in this new, high-energy musical from the pen of Maureen Chadwick (Bad Girls, Footballers’ Wives). When a 1960s boarding school’s proud tradition of free expression is threatened by the arrival of a conservative headmistress, it’s left to the Upper Sixth to save the day... Music and lyrics are by the hugely talented Kath Gotts. Read our interview with Maureen Chadwick at whatsonlive.co.uk Crush in rehearsal
The Shawshank Redemption New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Mon 28 September - Sat 3 October
The movie adaptation of this Stephen King novella is undoubtedly one of the best-loved films of the last two decades. Well, of the last twenty-one years, to be precise. And it’s the fact that the movie is celebrating this coming-of-age milestone that’s inspired this brand new stage version. Familiar television faces Ian Kelsey and Patrick Robinson star in the story of a man named Andy Dufresne who’s serving a double life sentence at the notorious Shawshank facility. An unlikely friendship with prison fixer Red makes life a little more bearable - but when the warden decides to make Andy’s life hell, the nothing-to-lose lifer hatches a daring and ingenious plan to escape... www.whatsonlive.co.uk 25