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23 April, 2008
 
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News/Updates


  

On this page you can find out what if I have any news as to what Roger is doing in the world of theatre, television or film. I will also post any announcements that I may have.

If you are interested in what is happening on the site then you can view the list of updates and additions that I have made over the last few months, including any new articles, interviews or pictures.

If there is anything that you would like to see on this site or anything that you think you can help me with then please email me

    
News
 
23rd April 2008

Roger returns to The National in Afterlife

Opening at The National Theatre on 3rd June 2008, Roger plays Max Reinhardt in this new play by Michael Frayn.

Afterlife explores the life of the Austrian impresario and founder of the Salzburg Festival, Max Reinhardt. Max Reinhardt, one the greatest impresarios of theatrical history, had a lifelong ambition - to dissolve the boundary between theatre and the world it portrays. Each year at the Salzburg Festival he directed a famous morality play, Everyman, about God sending Death to summon a representative of mankind for judgment. The victim he chooses is a man who, like Reinhardt, rejoices in his wealth and all the pleasures that money can buy. Then in 1938 Hitler declares his own day of reckoning and sends Death into Austria - whereupon Reinhardt, a Jew, is left as naked and vulnerable as Everyman himself. Afterlife is the story of how Reinhardt achieves his great ambition; though in a way he can scarcely have foreseen.
[Source: whatsonstage.com]

Cast includes: Abigail Cruttenden, David Burke and David Schofield.

For performance and booking details visit The National Theatre Online


14th July 2007

Allam Plays Da Vinci in Sher Premiere at Hampstead

Hampstead Theatre’s newly announced autumn/winter season comprises eight new plays, including the world premiere of Antony Sher’s latest, The Giant, starring Roger Allam as the quintessential Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci.

The Giant, the latest play by actor turned writer and director Antony Sher, currently appearing in Kean in the West End, receives its premiere on 1 November 2007.

This new piece sees Sher “fulfil a lifelong ambition to write a play in which he doesn’t also appear”. Instead, Roger Allam - whose recent West End credits include Boeing-Boeing, Blackbird and Democracy - will play Leonardo Da Vinci in the exploration of the dark interplay between sexuality and creativity. Sher’s partner, Royal Shakespeare Company chief associate director Gregory Doran, directs The Giant.


7th July 2007

The Thick of It returns to the BBC this July with a second showing of the Christmas Special "Rise of the Nutters" which is being shown on BBC Two: Saturday 7 July 2007 9.30pm-10.30pm.

This will be followed by Part Two: "Spinners and Losers" on BBC Four: Saturday 7 July 10.30pm-11.30pm.

In "The Rise of the Nutters" Roger plays Shadow Minister Peter Mannion.

This series contains strong language.


14th March 2007

Roger returns to BBC1 on Friday 23rd March at 8:30pm in a new one-off drama, A Class Apart.

A working class single mother appeals to send her son to the best state school in her area. When the headmaster of a local private school hears of her campaign, he is intrigued, and offers her son a place at his school, betting that he can turn the boy's life around.

Cast also includes Jessie Wallace, Nathaniel Parker, George Cole and Sanchez Adams.

For more information visit the BBC Press Article.


3rd February 2007 (updated 14th March)
Boeing Boeing

Boeing Boeing

A new stylishly retro production of the hit 1960s comedy. Bernard is an English playboy in Paris with three girlfriends who are all air hostesses and don't know of each other's existence. Helped by his long suffering housekeeper Bertha, Bernard has devised a sophisticated timetable to organise his love affairs so they can each spend the night at his apartment whenever they stop over in Paris. Everything proceeds like clockwork until the arrival of the new double speed Super Boeing which changes the schedules of the airlines. Bernard's old school friend Robert arrives unexpectedly from England and unwittingly joins in a farcical whirlwind of mayhem and matchmaking…

View a short video clip at Theatre.com with interviews with the cast and directors.

Visit Theatre.com for a Q&A session with Roger.

Author: Marc Camoletti and Beverley Cross
Director: Matthew Warchus; Producer: Sonia Friedman Productions; Designer: Rob Howell
Cast includes: Roger Allam, Frances De La Tour, Mark Rylance, Tamzin Outhwaite, Michelle Gomez, Daisy Beaumont

The Comedy Theatre
Previews from: 3 February 2007
Opening night: 15 February 2007
Booking until: 28 April 2007
Times: Mon-Sat 19:30, Sat 15:00
Box Office: 0870 060 6637


22nd December 2006

Roger can be heard on Radio 4 this Christmas when he performs Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing on Saturday 30th December at 2:30pm.

Director Trevor Nunn makes his radio debut with this inspired choice of play by Tom Stoppard about the true nature of love and the impermanence of desire, with insights that stay with you long after the final curtain call. The story revolves around playwright Henry and his actress wife Charlotte, who has the lead role in his latest play - about adultery. But Henry is madly in love with another actress, Annie . . . and she is married to Max, Charlotte's costar. Shot through with intelligence, humour, pathos and passion, this Stoppard masterpiece is beautifully handled by a stellar cast including Alex Jennings, Imogen Stubbs, Harriet Walter and Roger Allam.

Visit the Radio Four Website for more information.


17th December 2006

Allam, Rylance & De La Tour Board Boeing

Roger Allam, Mark Rylance and Frances De La Tour will star in a revival of Marc Camoletti’s 1961 French comedy Boeing-Boeing, which will open on 15 February 2007 (previews from 3 February) at the West End’s Comedy Theatre, where it’s initially booking until 28 April 2007.

Paris-based English architect Bernard (Allam) thought he could easily cope with his three air hostess fiancées. It was all a question of timetables and his reliable, down-to-earth maid Bertha (De La Tour), who never forgot to change the photographs in the bedroom. Only when the 'Super' Boeing, with its faster flights, takes over is he landed with a triple problem. His old school friend Robert (Rylance) arrives unexpectedly and joins the set in a whirl of confusion and matchmaking.

For more information visit the Whatsonstage website.


17th December 2006

Roger Allam in The Thick of ItRoger will be returning to television this Christmas when he plays Peter Mannion in The Thick of It - Special to be shown on BBC Four on Tuesday 2nd January 2007 at 10:30pm - repeated Wednesday 3rd January at 1:00am.

Roger is Peter Mannion, Shadow Minister for Social Affairs and Citizenship; James Smith is Glenn Cullen, Senior Advisor; Chris Addison is Ollie Reeder, Junior Advisor; Justin Edwards is Ben Swain, Minister for Immigration; Peter Capaldi is Malcolm Tucker, the PM's enforcer; Alex MacQueen is Julius Nicholson; Vincent Franklin is Stewart Pearson, Opposition PR chief; Olivia Poulet and Will Smith are Opposition researchers Emma Messinger and Phil Smith; and Jo Scanlon is Terri Coverley, DoSAC's Director of Communications.

Visit the BBC Four website for more information.


1st August 2006

Pravda at the Chichester Festival and Birmingham RepRoger will be playing the lead in the Chichester Festival Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company production of Pravda which plays at Chichester Festival Theatre from 8 - 23 September, and afterwards plays at the Birmingham Rep from 29 September to 14 October.

Full details can be found on the Chichester Festival website and on the Birmingham Rep website.

Rehearsal pictures coming soon.


15th February 2006

As an update to the news about the film A Cock and Bull Story - this film has now been released in the UK and you can find more information about it on A Cock and Bull Story - Official Site. Sadly here is no mention of Roger on this site, however I can assure you he is definitely in the film.

Roger can also now been seen in the action drama movie V for Vendetta starring alongside Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving and John Hurt. Roger plays the character Prothero. The UK release date for this movie is 17th March 2006 and you can read more about the film on V for Vendetta - Official Site


9th December 2005
Roger Allam and Jodhi May in Blackbird

Blackbird had its world premiere earlier this year, where it was received with much acclaim. The Edinburgh cast of Roger Allam and Jodhi May reunite for the London season. The play will open on 13th February 2006 at the Albery Theatre.

Roger plays Ray with Jodhi May as Una. Ray and Una had a relationship fifteen years ago. Since, Ray has forged a new identity and a new life for himself. He thought all traces of his old life had been covered. Una has never forgotten. She will never forget. When she finds a photo of Ray, she sets out on a quest with devastating consequences.


12th September 2005
Roger Allam as Abbanazar in Aladdin

Following last year’s sell-out success, Roger Allam returns to The Old Vic Theatre, London as Abbanazar in Bille Brown's pantomime of Aladdin. He is joined once again by Ian McKellen as Widow Twankey, the ultimate pantomime dame, and Frances Barber as Dim Sum (a change to last year's cast). Sean Mathias will direct this classic show for all the family, once again too.

The pantomime opens on 7th December 2005 and runs until 22 January 2006 - booking opens 26th September 2005 - The Old Vic Theatre - Box Office 0870 060 6628.


13th August 2005
Roger Allam & Jodhi May in Blackbird at the Edinburgh FestivalRoger Allam and Jodhi May star in the world premiere of an unflinching, darkly intense play by Scottish playwright David Harower and directed by the great German theatre director Peter Stein. Blackbird is an Edinburgh International Festival Production and runs from 15th - 24th August 2005. For more information and to book go to Edinburgh International Festival or call 0131 473 2000.
To read a review on this play go to Blackbird Review.

30th June 2005
Roger can be heard on BBC Radio 4 on Monday 4th July, when he will be playing the character of Gilbert Harding in the Afternoon Play: Dr Brighton and Mr Harding. This drama is an insight into the personal demons that tormented TVs first superstar, the outspoken, irascible but much-loved broadcaster of the 1950's, Gilbert Harding, who became famous for his unpredictable appearances on panel games such as What's My Line?, Twenty Questions and Round Britain Quiz.

3rd May 2005
Roger has recently been involved in a BBC Film project based on The Life And Opinions Of Tristram Shandy - adapted by Michael Winterbottom. This film will also star Steve Coogan, Gillian Anderson, Jeremy Northam, James Fleet, Greg Wise, Mark Williams, Ronni Ancona and Stephen Fry. The title of this comedy, which is being filmed in Northamptonshire, is A Cock and Bull Story and at the moment no UK release date is known although October 14th 2005 has been suggested for a release in the USA.

13th March 2005
Roger will be appearing in the new series of The Inspector Lynley Mysteries which start on Thursday 17th March. Roger will be playing Fanshaw in the episode, The Seed of Cunning, which will be shown on Thursday 31st March on BBC1.

3rd March 2005
Roger can be heard on BBC Radio 4 from Monday 7th March when he will play Svengali in a new serialisation of Trilby. The play will be broadcast at 7:45pm.

1st October 2004

Roger will be appearing at The Old Vic this Christmas when he plays Abbanazar alongside Maureen Lipman and Ian McKellen in their new production of Aladdin which will run from 17th December 2004 to 22nd January 2005. For tickets contact The Old Vic box office on 0870 060 6628.


30th March 2004

Roger has recently made a short film called Strangers, in which he stars alongside Jemma Redgrave, Steven Mackintosh, Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal. The plot is as follows:

A one night stand goes awry after a condom mishap forcing two strangers to overcome their fears and find a way to communicate.

This film was released in November 2003 at the California Independent Film Festival, USA.


19th March 2004

There have been rumours that Roger was to take the starring role in The Woman in White, a new musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, opening at The Palace Theatre this September. However it has now been confirmed that Michael Crawford will take the role of Count Fosco, rather than Roger.

I do not know the reasons behind this, but it has to be bourne in mind that Roger will be starring in Democracy at Wyndham's from 20th April and presumably has committments to this play well into the year, which would preclude him from being able to rehearse the role of Count Fosco at this time.


20th January 2004
It has now been announced that Democracy will transfer to Wyndham's on 20th April, with previews from 15th April. The NT cast, including Roger Allam and Conleth Hill, will transfer with the production.

16th January 2004
The latest great news is that Roger has been nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actor this year for his portrayal of Willy Brandt in Michael Frayn's Democracy at the National Theatre. We wish Roger the best of luck and hope that he wins this well deserved award once more.

1st December 2003
Democracy, which closes on 30th December 2003, will transfer to The National, Lyttelton Theatre from 12th February and will run until 30th March 2004.

7th September 2003
"Front Row" on BBC Radio 4 will be reporting on Democracy on Wednesday 10th September at 7:15pm.

29th May 2003
Here is some great news - Roger is returning the the stage this Autumn. He will be appearing in the Michael Frayn play Democracy at The National, Cottesloe Theatre from the end of August. For further information visit The National On-Line

18th April 2003
Roger can be heard on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday 20th April at 6:30pm in the Drama on 3: Dionysos. Roger will be taken the part of Lykurgos. Other members of the cast include Diana Rigg, Paul Schofield and Toby Stephens.

1st April 2003
Roger's new film/TV movie - The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone - will be shown in the UK on the Hallmark Channel at 11pm on Tuesday 1st April 2003.

24th February 2003
I have been notified that Stranded will be shown on the Hallmark Channel on Sky on 22nd & 23rd April. Also the new series of Manchild has started on BBC2 but as yet I do not know when the episode with Roger in will be shown.

21st January 2003
I have just been informed that What The Night Is For will now close two weeks early. The last performance will be on Sunday 9th February 2003. This is sad news for both Roger and Gillian who have enjoyed doing this play together.

20th January 2003
Roger will be appearing in an episode of the BBC2 comedy series Manchild some time this year. As soon as I have a date for the transmission of this I will post it here. The series also stars Nigel Havers, Anthony Head, Ray Burdis and Don Warrington.

21st November 2002

There are some very nice pictures from What The Night Is For on the GAuk website which you can view by clicking the following link (you can click on any of the pictures for an enlargement):

http://gauk.net/wtnifpics.html

14th November 2002

Roger will be appearing in the ITV wartime crime-drama series Foyle's War on Sunday 17th November. He will be playing Alastair Graeme in the last of this highly successful series, which stars Michael Kitchen.

He can also currently be heard in the BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial play on Sunday afternoons. In The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Roger plays Rogozhin.

17th September 2002

I now have official confirmation of the venue, dates, times and prices for What The Night Is For. This information will be posted on the official web site soon. There is currently no on-line booking but I am hoping to receive confirmation of this as soon as it is available.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE via PHONE at TICKETMASTER on +44 870 534 4444 or via
PHONE at COMEDY THEATRE on +44 20 7369 1731.

FIRST PERFORMANCE DATE : THURSDAY 7TH NOVEMBER

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:
Tuesday ­ Saturday 7.30pm
Wednesday & Saturday Matinees at 3pm
Sunday Matinee at 4pm

TICKET PRICES:
£37.50, £34.50, £27.50, £23.00, £19.00, £15.00, £10.00

GROUPS:
£10.00 off top two prices for groups of 8 or more for all performances
between Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday/Sunday matinees.

If you go to the TheatreMonkey web site you will be able to see what the best seats are and which ones to avoid when you are booking.


14th September 2002 

It has now been confirmed that What The Night Is For will open at The Comedy Theatre with previews from 7th November 2002. Currently the official opening date is not confirmed, however it is strongly rumoured to be 27th November.

Please visit the two main Gillian Anderson web sites which carry information regarding this play - the Official Gillian Anderson Website and the Gillian Anderson United Kingdom Website. There is information regarding the play on the Whatsonstage.com website. Please also visit the official What The Night Is For website.


12th September 2002 
Roger will be back on television on Monday 23rd September in the crime drama series Waking the Dead with Trevor Eve and Sue Johnson. The episode Thin Air will be shown on BBC1 at 9pm with the second part of the story on Tuesday 24th September at 9pm. Currently I do not have confirmation as to whether he is in both parts of the story.

11th September 2002

I have just been informed that Roger will be starring alongside Gillian Anderson (X-Files) in the West End this Autumn in a new play by Michael Weller. What The Night Is For will run from November 2002 to February 2003. As yet exact dates and the venue is not known but this information will be released next week and will be posted here.

For more information please visit the Official Gillian Anderson Website


15th February 2002
Congratulations to Roger for winning the Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance as Terri Dennis in Privates on Parade. This is one of the most deserved awards that I have ever known. The award was presented to Roger by Lady Olivier, Joan Plowright. He went on to thank everyone involved in the production of Privates on Parade especially the rest of the cast, who he said partly owned the award with him, although he would be keeping it on his mantlepiece.

In an interview before the presentation Roger made commented on the fact that he quite enjoys painting his toenails and that “the first time you put your trousers on when you shave your legs is quite nice.”


23rd January 2002
Roger has been nominated for the Laurence Olivier Best Actor Award for his role as Terri Dennis in Privates on Parade. He is up against stiff competition in Alan Rickman for Private Lives and Simon Russell Beale for Humble Boy, but I have my fingers crossed for him as this will be an extremely well deserved accolade.

6th January 2002
Roger and Malcolm Sinclair were on Radio 2 on the Arts Programme interviewed by Sheridan Morley on Friday 4th January, when they spoke about Privates on Parade and the success that it is currently enjoying. 

Roger will also be the guest on Loose Ends on Saturday 12th January at 18:15. 

He can also be heard every weekday night at 19:45 for 15 minutes when he plays Jean Valjean in the Radio 4 serialisation of Les Misérables. This play has been released as an Audio Book and you can purchase it from Amazon by clicking on the following link - Les Miserables. The cast also includes Joss Ackland, Leslie Phillips, Struan Rodger and Patsy Palmer.

The other piece of news is that Roger has been in Thailand filming the new television movie The Swiss Family Robinson. He will be playing the part of Blunt with Liam Cunningham playing Mr Robinson. It's an American production for Hallmark Entertainment and will be released in the US under the title Stranded. Hopefully it will shown on British television in the coming year.


2nd December 2001
Privates on Parade is now previewing at the Donmar Warehouse and will open on 10th December. As yet there are no reviews but Denis Quilley wrote an article for the Evening Standard in which he says "I'm madly jealous that Roger Allam will be playing the part that I'm 20 years too old for now. Actually I bumped into him here in the green room at the National and he said, 'I want your advice about make-up,' and I said, 'Oh, I didn't need any dear'.

The picture on the right, believe it or not, is Roger in the role of Terri Dennis, a camp old queen who has got into the army as a temporary acting captain, to run the unit and to direct the shows and star in them.

The play is booking until 2nd March 2002, and the box office number is +44 (0)20 7369 1732.

You can read the review in Time Out by Kate Stratton by clicking here.


29th October 2001
Roger appeared on Channel 4 in the documentary series Plague, Fire, War and Treason in the episode Cromwell: New Model Englishman - playing the part of Oliver Cromwell.

The film told the dramatic rise to power during the Civil War of the fenland farmer whose convictions led to the killing of a king.


1st September 2001
Roger will be appearing on BBC1 on Sunday 2nd September in an episode of the comedy series Chambers.


9th July 2001
I now have confirmation regarding Roger's appearance at the Donmar Warehouse. Privates On Parade, Nichols's hilarious 1977 account of a post-war army concert party in Malaya and a satire on the decline of British colonialism, runs from Nov 30 (booking opens Sept 24.)

           
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5th April 2004
Added new Democracy interview with Roger from TheatreGoer, April 2004 on the Interviews and Articles Page

19th September 2003
Two new articles on Roger's new play, Democracy, have now been added to the site on the Interviews and Articles Page

31st December 2002
The What The Night Is For page has now been added to the Theatre section - along with pictures and reviews.

18th November 2002

I have added an Interview with Roger on What The Night Is For on the Interviews and Articles Page.


12th September 2002
I have added a link to The Detox from the Radio page.

12th September 2002
I have now added a link to the movie Stranded from the Television and Films page.

16th February 2002
I have added the page for Privates on Parade - reviews to follow shortly.

26th January 2002
I have added a page about the radio play - Les Misérables - which is currently being broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

7th January 2002
The section on Today has now been added to the site along with pictures.

6th January 2002
I have finally got around to updating the site with news of Roger's appearance in the Radio serialisation of Les Misérables and his two radio interviews on the Arts Programme and Loose Ends.

21st December 2001
There was an article in "What's On In London" magazine about Roger's new role as Terri Dennis in the current production of Privates On Parade.  You can read it by clicking on the link above.

5th November 2001
There are some new pictures for The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and I have also added an interview that Roger gave to Time Out in 1991 on the same play. This can be found in the Interviews/Articles section.

28th October 2001
There are some new pictures in the Learned Ladies section and I have now added Les Misérables to the Theatre page.

27th October 2001
I have added a complete new section called Drawings which contains some lovely sketches of Roger in four different roles done by a very talented artist.

7th October 2001
Richard III and All's Well That Ends Well have now been added to the Theatre section.

9th September 2001
The Archbishop's Ceiling and Heresies have now been added to the Theatre section.

8th September 2001
Chambers has been added to the Television section.

1st September 2001
Measure for Measure has now been added along with pictures and cast list.

20th August 2001
There is also now a page for Twelfth Night with pictures and cast list.

18th August 2001
I have added pages on the plays Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing and The Seagull with pictures, reviews and cast lists.

11th August 2001
There is now a new section - Interviews and Articles - and I have put the two interviews that Roger has done on this page. I have also added information for two plays - The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; and The Madras House.

8th July 2001
The links from the Television page now go to individual pages containing information on each programme, some include pictures.

1st July 2001
The Television page has been updated and the Radio page has been added to the site

30th June 2001
The Learned Ladies and Macbeth now added to the Theatre pages

23rd June 2001
Added links to City of Angels and Arcadia from the Theatre Page.

16th June 2001
I now have links to Albert Speer, The Importance of Being Earnest and Art from the Theatre Page.

10th June 2001
I have now added information and pictures about three plays to the Theatre section - The Way of the World, Troilus and Cressida and Money. More will follow soon.

           
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  ©Linda Green 2006