London Theatre Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

London’s West End are set to dim their lights in memory of Dame Angela Lansbury following her death at the age of 96.  The Murder, She Wrote actress died just days before her 97th birthday, her family confirmed this week, leading to an outpouring of grief from friends and fans.  In honour of Lansbury, who had an illustrious stage career as well as working in film and television, London’s West End theatres are set to dim their lights for two minutes at 7pm on Wednesday before performances, the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre have said.

The 2024 Olivier Awards take place this evening at the Royal Albert Hall in London with an array of screen names set to be celebrated for performances given on the London stage.

Les Miserables legend Martin McCallum has died at the age of 73.

Martin McCallum, a British theatrical producer whose work on more than 500 Broadway and West End shows saw his participation in some of the most successful stage productions in modern theater history, died January 14 in Sydney, Australia. He was 73.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively enjoyed some quality time together while across the pond. 

The 2024 Olivier Awards recognizing achievement in London theater will be held April 14, 2024, at Royal Albert Hall. Nominations will be announced Tuesday, March 12.

Naman Ramachandran U.K. culture secretary Lucy Frazer has revealed ambitions to shift the balance of power in the theater world from Broadway in New York to London’s West End.  Delivering the keynote address at the Society of London Theatre summit in London on Monday, Frazer stated her plans to work closely with U.K. theater practitioners to “make the West End a magnet for the best productions, the best directors and the best playwrights in the business.” The plans for growing the U.K.’s theater sector are part of the government’s $63 billion vision for the creative industries. “We want the Creative Industries Vision to be something that paves the way for a shift in the balance of power from Broadway to the West End,” Frazer said.

Naman Ramachandran Theaters in London’s West End will dim their lights at 7pm local time on Thursday in memory of Tina Turner, who died on Wednesday. Hannah Essex, co-chief executive of the Society of London Theatre and U.K. Theatre, said: “The theatre world pays tribute to the immense talent and impact of Tina Turner. She has inspired countless generations through not only her pioneering music career, but her ability to break down barriers in the face of adversity. She will be greatly missed.” “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical” is currently playing at the Aldwych Theatre, located in the heart of the West End, London’s theatre district. Kristina Love plays the iconic singer in the musical.

The 2023 Olivier Awards are here!

Cheryl is thought to have beefed up her security team and hired bodyguards after a stalker left "disgusting and disturbing messages" outside the London theatre at which she is currently performing.The 39 year old former Girls Aloud star is currently starring in 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End, which is where the individual has reportedly been leaving the notes. It's believed that Cheryl has often had to deal with over-zealous fans throughout her two decades in showbiz, and her security team are not taking any chances with the new threats.

Paul Mescal has clocked his first Olivier Award nomination for his leading performance in Rebecca Frecknall’s buzzy stage adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire. Scroll down for the full list of nominees.

Theaters on London’s West End dimmed their lights Wednesday evening in memory of the late Angela Lansbury who passed away Tuesday at age 96. The London-born actress last appeared on the West End in 2014’s Blithe Spirit at the Gielgud Theatre, in which she reprised her Tony-winning role as Madame Arcati. She won the Best Supporting Actress Olivier Award for her turn.

Composer and London theatre owner Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera) informed cast and creatives today that his Cinderella musical will close at the Gillian Lynne Theatre ,Covent Garden,London on June 12 after a troubled run of less than a year.

K.J. Yossman Eddie Redmayne, Jessie Buckley and “The Crown’s” Emma Corrin are among those nominated for the U.K.’s most prestigious theater awards, the Olivier Awards.Redmayne and Buckley were both nominated for best actor awards for “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club” while Corrin was nominated for “Anna X” at Harold Pinter Theatre.

Naman Ramachandran Theaters in London’s West End are getting ready to honor the memory of the late composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who passed away at the age of 91 on Friday.The theaters will dim their lights for two minutes at 7pm U.K. time on Monday, Nov.

West End theatres are to pay tribute to Stephen Sondheim The composer and lyricist, famous for creating the musical Sweeney Todd, was described as one of theatre’s “greatest geniuses” after his death aged 91 on Friday morning. To pay tribute, West End theatres will dim their lights for two minutes at 7pm on Monday.

Naman Ramachandran The U.K. theater scene was vibrant, with a box office breaking £1 billion ($1.4 billion) annually, until coronavirus struck in 2020.Of this, London’s famed West End theater district contributed nearly £800 million in 2019 with more than 15 million admissions annually, according to data from industry body Society of London Theatre.Now, as the U.K.

Manori Ravindran International EditorExactly one year since U.K.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterThe Theatre Artist Fund, set up by Sam Mendes and The Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, has seen its pot rise to $5M (£3.5M) after a $1.3M (£1M) donation from Arts Council England.A second round of applications opens on Thursday (August 27) for the scheme, which was designed to support under-represented groups who have been disproportionately affected by the crisis, as well as regional performers and craftspeople, by giving them one-off grants of

More shows will close and not reopen and more theatres will go out of business, the chief of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre has warned.

The Theatre Artists Fund, spearheaded by Sam Mendes to help support freelancers in the U.K. stage industry struggling during the lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, has raised £1.6 million ($2 million) since it launched on July 6, with donations from a number of major stars.

Netflix has donated $625,000 (£500,000) to a new fund established by Sam Mendes, the Society of London Theatre and U.K. Theatre to help the U.K.'s pandemic-affected theater workers.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterSam Mendes, The Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre and Netflix have established a fund to support beleaguered workers in the sector during the ongoing COVID-19 closures.The streamer is donating $620K (£500K) to launch the initiative, which will give out grants of up to £1K per person. To be eligible, applicants must have worked in theater between March 31, 2020, and the beginning of 2019.

Manori Ravindran International EditorA new U.K. theater fund spearheaded by “1917” director Sam Mendes has been created with the support of Netflix, and the backing of Steven Spielberg and Armando Iannucci.Industry orgs Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre will set up the fund, which is supported by a £500,000 ($623,000) donation from Netflix.

By Leo Barraclough

All performances at London's West End venues are canceled until at least June 28, due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. The Society of London Theatre made the announcement about the continued shutdown of stages in the British capital on Tuesday.

All performances at London's West End venues are canceled until at least June 28, due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.The Society of London Theatre made the announcement about the continued shutdown of stages in the British capital on Tuesday."To give our customers some clarity, we have been cancelling performances across the West End on a rolling basis, in line with the latest advice from the government," it said.

West End theatre closures have been extended to June 28 amid the coronavirus crisis.

By Manori Ravindran

By Manori Ravindran

By Andreas Wiseman

The Society of London Theatre has said that all performances at West End theatres are cancelled until April 26 “whilst we wait for further clarity from the Government” about the Covid-19 outbreak.

By Patrick Hipes

The U.K.’s leading theaters have closed their doors following government advice issued today for people to avoid public venues.

British stage organizations The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and U.K. Theatre have advised there is currently no reason to cancel productions in light of the coronavirus outbreak.