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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Roger 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.

Roger 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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):

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.

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.

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.

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

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.”

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.

Privates on Parade

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.

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.

Updates