In this week’s issue of The Stage we talk to Denis Lawson, who has joined the cast of La Cage aux Folles in the role of Georges. He talks about the various acting challenges in his career:
I could see that musicals in London were developing along the lines of the American model and performers were appearing who were becoming known for only doing musicals. I’ve always needed the challenge which variety brings.
Lenny Henry recently announced he was putting his aversion to Shakespeare aside to make his theatrical debut in Othello. Warwick University Professor of English Carol Rutter invited him to the university’s CAPITAL Centre to gain academic expertise on the play
Insight: The EU Commission has accepted proposals to extend musician’s copyright from 50 to 95 years, despite unfavourable independent reports and fierce campaigning from the Open Rights Group. Kay Smith reports
The fallout over Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross’s phone calls to Andrew Sachs has helped to show how diverse and divided the BBC’s audience is. Ben Dowell considers the reactions to the row and asks how the Corporation can learn from it in its bid to serve every household in the country
Channel 4 launches its big new costume drama, English Civil War epic The Devil’s Whore next week. Writer Peter Flannery (Our Friends in the North) tells Matthew Hemley why it’s about time there was a TV series based on the English Civil War, while its star Andrea Riseborough (pictured) tells Adrian Lobb about the research that helped her find the inspiration for her fictional heroine
Forced Entertainment has been questioning the bnature of theatre and pushing boundaries for 25 years. Matt Trueman taks to artistic director Tim Etchells about the company’s past and present
Maggie Brown on Media: What next after the Brand/Ross affair? / Why isn’t Little Dorrit working? / Channel 4’s tough times
Dillie Keane: Beat the recession by inventing a rabbit
Dear John: “I know there are right and wrong ways to approach building my career in this industry, but I also know that it is often individuals and rule-breakers who get the furthest. How do I balance the two?”
In the year in which Quebec City celebrates its 400th anniversary, Lalayn Baluch talks to its culture minister Christine St-Pierre about spreading the celebrations to reach a global audience in London, Liverpool and beyond
Giving new and established acts in the Canary Islands a chance to shine, the Tenerife’s Got (Lots Of) Talent competition has acted as a way to reach audiences of bar owners and promoters as well as tourists and expats. Contest creator Duke Sell tells Derek Smith about the venet’s formation and the chnages in the island’s entertainment scene
Backstage Focus: AK Bennett-Hunter visits the recently opened state-of-the-art Wexford Opera House, which stands on the same site as the Theatre Royal, but has been designed with acoustics in mind
Young people interested a career in the performing arts can gain expert advice on all aspects of theatre — from producing and directing to make-up and props — at the annual careers fair, TheatreCraft 2008
With a 60-year career as a photographer and a long history of taking pictures of showbiz stars, Doug McKenzie has finally taken his turn in the spotlight, devising a show of some of his legendary images set to music. He tells Natalie Lambracos how Phot Song Book evolved from camera to the stage
This week’s Showpeople:
- Harmonica player Ben Hewlett
- Writer and comedian Janice Connolly, known as Holy Mary in Channel 4’s Phoenix Nights and a founder member of Women & Theatre
- X Factor runner-up Niki Evans, currently playing Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers
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