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On Tuesday night, critics warmly welcomed the Theatre Royal Haymarket’s major new initiative – a year-long season of work under a single artistic vision in the heart of the commercial West End – and its opening production, Restoration comedy The Country Wife. And last night, Whatsonstage.com theatregoers got their chance to extend their own welcome to the team behind it.

We increased our allocation twice – to 200 tickets - to meet demand for this hugely popular event, which nevertheless sold out some time ago, generating a long waiting list of people desperate to get in.

After enjoying the show, and their free programmes and drinks in one of the Haymarket’s beautiful bars, theatregoers stayed on for our exclusive post-show Q&A. Director Jonathan Kent, the former artistic director of the Almeida Theatre who’s overseeing this inaugural season, stopped in especially for our talk, and he was joined by several members of The Country Wife cast - Patricia Hodge, David Haig, Fiona Glascott (the country wife of the title), Nicolas Day, John Hopkins, Tristan Beint and Elisabeth Dermot Walsh – all of whom were incredibly generous with their time and insights at the end of a demanding two-show day.

Amongst the fascinating topics discussed were the challenges of Restoration language and asides, the meaning of names, morality, corsets, rampant rabbits (versus squirrels), text pruning, Toby Stephens’ connection to Warren Beatty (did you know that the film Shampoo was based on The Country Wife?) and, unsurprisingly given the sexual obsessions of Wycherley’s play, lots of other pure filth. Jonathan Kent also offered a great overview of the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company and its aims – and encouraged us all to play our part in supporting it and the future of the West End.

Edited highlights of the discussion will be posted later today in the News section of the main Whatsonstage.com website here –
http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=198&types=Y

You can add your own comments about the event either here or on the main Discussion Forum. You can also post your verdict on The Country Wife to our User Reviews for the show –
http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=206&action=users&show=l02061978966

We look forward to seeing you all again soon.

- Terri Paddock, Editorial Director

WOS Outing to Glengarry Glen Ross - Thurs 4 October 07

 Our outing to see James Macdonald’s new revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross at The Apollo Theatre was a sell out outing. Starring West End legend Jonathan Pryce and TV star Aidan Gillan, the trip was sell out and all were in high antcipation to see this production. At only 90 minutes long including an interval it was thankful we had a Q&A to make the evening last just that little bit longer!

The Q&A had a wonderful turn out with all cast members, except Jonathan Pryce, coming out alongside the director, James Macdonald. Terri was onhand to ask the initial questions and afterwards the floor was open to you guys - with many of you asking some really insightful questions!

 Please do add your comments and look at the pics of this event!

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 Hope to see you all very soon at another exclusive WOS Outing!

 Until then…

Thursday 20th September marked What’s On Stage’s Outing to see the brand new musical - Bad Girls.

Bad Girls – The Musical is based on the initial first three series of the cult favourite hit drama. Set in the fictional HMP Larkhall, it’s the story of new idealistic Wing Governor Helen Stewart and her battles with the entrenched old guard of Officer Jim Fenner and his sidekick Sylvia Hollamby, played by the much loved Helen Fraser, who brings her character to the stage. It also follows the love story that develops between Helen and charismatic inmate Nikki Wade. Other featured characters include Shell Dockley and her runner Denny Blood, old-timer Noreen Biggs, The Two Julies and the ultimate Top Dog, King-of-Gangland’s missus, Yvonne Atkins who is played by West End leading lady, Sally Dextor.

Over 100 of you turned up at Garrick to see the evening performance collecting your free programme. After the performance we had the exclusive opportunity to meet the cast and, of course, grab your free glass of wine!! As a bonus not only did most of the cast turn up (Helen Fraser, Sally Dextor, Julie Jupp, Nicole Faraday all in attendance!) but also at the bar and mingling around was Maggie Norris (director) and Kathy Gotts  (music & lyrics) - a real treat with many of you taking the opportunity to ask questions about how Bad Girls - The Musical came about.

 The evening was fabulous with many of you staying on and chatting with the cast and creative team. With lots of chatting, picture taking and programme signing going on, a fantastic evening was had!

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 Please do comment on the outing and send in your pictures if you have any!

 Many thanks to all who came along or helped make this event a real joy.

- Ryan Woods (Sales & Marketing)

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Monday 3rd September was our whatsonstage Outing to see the Old Vic’s premiere stage adapatation of All About My Mother, the oscar-nominated film. The production stars West End legend Diana Rigg and Lesley Manville.

With top price seats, free drink and programme, the outing was sold out weeks prior to the event date yesterday and there was certainly a sense of high expectation in the theatre, which, from what I can tell talking to people in the interval, was meet.

We do hope you enjoyed your trip to this production and we look forward to seeing you all again very soon - if you do have any feedback on the production or on the outing please do add!

Last Thursday, the ‘Whatsonstagers’ braved the elements of what Roger casually described as a cool ‘November evening’ (complete with wind and rain, which quite suited the tone of the play), albeit actually in August, to attend another open air Whatsonstage.com Outing. This time it was to Shakespeare’s Globe for a performance of Jack Shepherd’s ‘Holding Fire!’ directed by Mark Rosenblatt.

With our tickets (to top price seats, thankfully undercover), programmes, stickers, Whatsonstage magazines, cushions (thanks to cushion vouchers the Globe kindly provided for us) and the promise of a free drink and Q&A with the writer, director and cast members following the show - we all settled down to watch what was to be an epic story of the Chartist uprisings, which utilised the whole of the Globe’s space with actors turning up in quite unexpected places, occasionally seated next to you encouraging you to join the rebellion!

The Q&A which followed was a big success giving the Whatsonstage group an exclusive opportunity to put their questions to the writer and the director. We were also pleased to be unexpectedly joined by three cast members, including Peter Hamilton Dyer, and they were all immensely pleased that so many of you turned out, with Mark, the director, commenting on how nice it is to have so many people enthuse about the play and theatre itself.

If you have any comments or memories to share, please do add them!

See you for our next Outing on Monday!

Monday 6th August marked our outing to the Open Air theatre to catch Gershwins’ musical, Lady, Be Good!

After pitter-patters of rain in the morning and a few spells again in the afternoon - I am sure everybody like WOS, was praying to Gershwin for it not to rain! It seems those prayers worked as the evening turned into a very pleasent one indeed.

Many picniced in the park or in our exclusive corner off lawn and private bar area before the performance started. With everyone in high spirits, I think its safe to say the majority were fascinated with the rhythm of Gershwin’s winner, Lady, Be Good with many coming back to our lovely area in the interval toe-tapping and humming

A wonderful summers night indeed and to top it off at the end we had a chance to meet the cast and chat with them that many took advantage of.

See you again for the next outing soon,

Ryan Woods - Sales & Editorials

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