250 not out: Bristol Old Vic prepares to celebrate record achievement by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

2016 will see the venue become the only theatre in the English-speaking world to reach the age of 250 yearsFrom its illegal origins to surviving numerous closure threats to avoiding Luftwaff…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:25pm on December 29, 2015[SHARE]

World's first computer-generated musical to debut in London by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Beyond the Fence, the story of a family at Greenham Common, will incorporate machine-generated plot and musicThey have become brilliant at chess, had music performed by one of the world's le…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:46am on December 1, 2015[SHARE]

Nicole Kidman wins best actress award for role in Photograph 51 by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Portrayal of the overlooked DNA scientist Rosalind Franklin wins best actress prize at London Evening Standard theatre awardsNicole Kidman's triumphant return to the West End stage for the f…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:19pm on November 22, 2015[SHARE]

Ballet stars Osipova and Polunin confirm show … and relationship by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Royal Ballet lead and 'bad boy of ballet' end relationship rumours as they announce contemporary performance in next year's Sadler's Wells programme Two of classical ballet's superstars, Nat…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:09am on November 5, 2015[SHARE]

Glenn Close: Sunset Boulevard heroine is 'part of fabric of my being' by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Actor first played early Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Lloyd Webber musical in LA during 1990s and is excited to reprise role in London's West EndDelusional silent-movie star Norma Desmond…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 1:56pm on November 2, 2015[SHARE]

Royal Court's 60th year kicks off with Caryl Churchill play with older women by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Theatre's birthday celebrations open with Escaped Alone, featuring women in their sixties discussing the personal and the epicA new play by Caryl Churchill that has four lead roles for women…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:28pm on October 12, 2015[SHARE]

Jane Horrocks to appear in 'combo of a gig and a show' by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Actor to celebrate music of her youth with cover versions of new wave bands, in all-singing no-speaking London theatre show called If You Kiss Me, Kiss MeJane Horrocks is to celebrate the po…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:32pm on September 29, 2015[SHARE]

Jeremy Irons and Lesley Manville to star in anniversary play at Bristol Old Vic by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Theatre to celebrate 250th birthday with plays from four centuries including Eugene O'Neill classic directed by Richard Eyre Britain's oldest working theatre, the Bristol Old Vic, is to cele…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:06am on September 23, 2015[SHARE]

National Theatre to end War Horse despite runaway success by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Production has run for seven years and has made the NT £13.5m, but director Rufus Norris says it is time to put it out to pastureThe National Theatre's wildly successful West End producti…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:46pm on September 17, 2015[SHARE]

Kenneth Branagh's Garrick productions to be broadcast live in cinemas worldwide by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

The Winter's Tale, Romeo and Juliet and The Entertainer will be shown on 1,300 screens, including more than 500 in UK Kenneth Branagh's productions of The Winter's Tale, Romeo and Juliet an…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:22pm on September 10, 2015[SHARE]

Nicole Kidman admits to nerves before stage return in Photograph 51 by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Actor says she took on role in new play about DNA pioneer Rosalind Franklin in part as a tribute to her scientist fatherNicole Kidman has spoken of her intense nerves as she took to the stag…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:55am on September 7, 2015[SHARE]

In Bruges director Martin McDonagh returns to Royal Court with new play by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Hangmen, telling story of Britain's second best-known executioner, is McDonagh's first UK play in 10 yearsMartin McDonagh, the playwright and writer/director of the films In Bruges and Seven…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:03pm on July 14, 2015[SHARE]

Belarus Free Theatre: glimpse stage life under authoritarian rule by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

UK festival of undercover performances and secretive debates lets audience experience restricted existence of theatre outlawed in its home countryThe cloak and dagger nature of trying to see…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:13pm on June 10, 2015[SHARE]

Edgar Degas ballerina takes centre stage at Sotheby's impressionist auction by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

One of the great sculptures of the modern age, Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans depicts a defiant 14-year-old dancer " and comes with a £10m-£15m estimate In its day, audiences were ast…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:26am on June 10, 2015[SHARE]

Shakespeare: writer claims discovery of only portrait made during his lifetime by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Historian Mark Griffiths says picture of unknown man on title page of botanical work is playwright, as editor hails 'literary discovery of the century' Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:55am on May 19, 2015[SHARE]

National Theatre Wales artistic director departs for Manchester festival job by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

John McGrath leaving theatre he helped launch six years ago to take charge of Manchester international festival Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:04pm on May 13, 2015[SHARE]

Tate Modern boss to leave for leading role at Berlin's Volksbühne theatre by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Departure of Chris Dercon, who will take charge of Berlin's experimental theatre in 2017, means Tate has lost two directors in as many months Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:23am on April 24, 2015[SHARE]

Kenneth Branagh unveils all-star residency at Garrick theatre in London by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

The celebrated actor and director has spent two years planning a five-play season, which will run for a year and feature Judi Dench, Lily James and Rob Brydon Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:01pm on April 16, 2015[SHARE]

Tessa Ross resigns as National Theatre's chief executive by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Ross, who joined from Channel 4, had only been in the job for six months but said the new management structure was not working Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:30pm on April 16, 2015[SHARE]

View from the Bridge scoops three Olivier awards by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Ivo Van Hove's production of Arthur Miller play carries off prizes for best actor, best revival and best directorThere is no set, no interval and not a prop or a shoe in sight yet Ivo van Ho…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:30pm on April 12, 2015[SHARE]

'People are ready' for Jimmy Savile play, says Jonathan Maitland by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Journalist and writer's play about the DJ, An Audience with Jimmy Savile, begins in June and stars impressionist Alistair McGowan in the lead role Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:00am on April 6, 2015[SHARE]

Gerhard Richter and Arvo Pärt combine for Manchester international festival by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

Influential pair will present work inspired by and dedicated to the other in July, while festival will also feature work by FKA twigs, Björk and Maxine PeakeGerhard Richter and Arvo Pä…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:00am on March 5, 2015[SHARE]

Jung Chang reveals the truth of another chapter in Chinese history by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

The Empress Cixi's reputation as a 'cruel despot' masks her contribution to China's modernisation Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:01pm on August 10, 2014[SHARE]

New Zealand launches biggest ever cultural charge to Edinburgh festival by Mark Brown Arts Correspondent

NZ Edinburgh 2014 includes around 240 actors, dancers, musicians, Maori performing artists, producers and writers Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:15pm on August 4, 2014[SHARE]