We recently sat down with Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), alongside fellow cast mates Indira Varma, Tom Rhys Harries and Daniel Monks, during rehearsals to discuss the upcoming West End revival of The Seagull.

Full cast has been announced for The Seagull, which has found new dates in 2022 after being postponed by the pandemic.

Joining the cast alongside the previously announced Emilia Clarke (Nina), Tom Rhys Harries (Trigorin), Daniel Monks (Konstantin), Indira Varma (Arkadina) and Sophie Wu (Masha) are Jason Barnett (Shamrayev), Robert Glenister (Sorin), Mika Onyx Johnson (Medvedenko), Gerald Kyd (Dorn) and Sara Powell (Polina), with understudies Katie Buchholz, Tina Harris, Joseph Langdon and David Lee-Jones.

Anya Reiss’ adaptation of Chekhov’s play, which follows a group of despondent individuals confined to a house, has set and costume by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Jackie Shemesh, sound and composition by George Dennis, casting direction by Stuart Burt, costume supervision by Anna Josephs, props supervision by Fahmida Bakht, associate direction by Jonathan Glew and associate design by Rachel Wingate.

For certain Monday evening and Wednesday matinee performances there will be £15 seats available across the house exclusively for under 30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits.

There is an additional 5,000 free tickets for those with limited access to the arts, distributed by the company’s outreach manager.

The show runs from 29 June to 10 September 2022. Tickets are on sale. [Source]

The Seagull with Emilia Clarke has announced new plans for its West End run.

The piece, adapted from Chekhov by Anya Reiss, had to close in previews last March but is now back for a full run. It follows a group of characters, all based at an isolated house in the country, that console each other as their dreams fall apart.

The piece will star Emilia Clarke (Nina), Tom Rhys Harries (Trigorin), Daniel Monks (Konstantin), Indira Varma (Arkadina) and Sophie Wu (Masha), with Katie Buchholz, Tina Harris and Joseph Langdon. Further cast to be announced.

The show opens at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 6 July, with previews from 29 June, running until 10 September 2022.

Jamie Lloyd directs, with design by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Jackie Shemesh, composition and sound design by George Dennis, projection design by Duncan McLean, associate direction by Jonathan Glew, casting direction by Stuart Burt, costume supervision by Anna Josephs and props supervision by Fahmida Bakht.

The news comes as Cyrano de Bergerac also confirms a return to UK stages. Lloyd said today, “It is incredibly exciting to confirm the return of these productions and, most importantly, the continuation of our access ticket schemes, with 12,000 £15 seats across the productions and 5000 totally free tickets, which will enable people with limited access to the theatre to experience our work — an important commitment as our industry builds back. Continue reading  »

Performances of Emilia Clarke’s play The Seagull have been suspended as London theatres shut their doors in a bid to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

Following advice from Prime Minister Boris Johnson about mass gatherings, the West End has decided to postpone their performances.

The Game Of Thrones star made her West End debut in the play on 11 March, with performances scheduled to run until 30 May.

As theatre-goers arrived at the venue, a sign on the doors of The Playhouse read: ‘Due to the ongoing public health crisis with COVID-19, Today’s performance of The Seagull at the Playhouse Theatre has been cancelled. Please contact your point of sale from 10am tomorrow to enquire about refunds and exchanges, none will be issued at this time.

‘We thank you for your support and understanding at this challenging time. Playhouse Theatre Management.’

A statement on the official Twitter page announced that no further performances will take place for the foreseeable future.

The message from Mark Cornell, Group CEO at Ambassador Theatre Group read: ‘We understand that this decision comes as a disappointment, and a massive inconvenience for those of you already on the way to a venue this evening, but ultimately we all want the same thing: the health and safety of our communities, and we believe this is the correct decision to make.’

He added that they are ‘consulting with industry bodies’ as to what will happen ‘in the immediate future’.

The Society of London, which represents the West End, and UK Theatre also followed suit.

Their statement read: ‘We regret to announce that from this evening (including tonight’s performances) SOLT and UK Theatre venues have closed in light of official government advice.

‘They will remain closed until further notice and will re-open when possible, following government recommendations.

‘Your box office/retailer from whom you bought your tickets will be in contact with regards to refunds and exchanges. Please bear with us in these unprecedented times.’ [Source]

She’s a global star looking to open a post-dragon chapter in her career. He’s a little-known Australian actor who stunned critics with his UK stage debut. Together, they’re tackling Chekhov

‘Oh my GOD,’ roars Emilia Clarke in faux horror, after I tell her I’ve never watched ‘Game of Thrones’.

‘I should say I haven’t seen “Game of Thrones” either,’ ventures Daniel Monks, who’s co-starring with her in super-director Jamie Lloyd’s new production of Chekhov’s ‘The Seagull’.

‘I’m SURROUNDED!’ bellows the erstwhile dragon queen. ‘You’ve not even seen my FUCKING SHOW!’

‘But,’ interjects Monks, ‘I have seen every episode of Jonathan Van Ness’s “Gay of Thrones” [a video series in which the “Queer Eye” star recaps each episode of the fantasy show]. I know everything!’

‘It’s fine,’ Clarke sighs. ‘None of my friends have seen all of it either.’

‘She’s very good in this play and I’m sure she’s very good in “Game of Thrones”,’ affirms Monks.

The pair are clearly getting on like a house on fire – allies in what is a West End debut for both of them. But it’s astonishing what different journeys they’ve taken to be here, in the London Bridge rehearsal room of super-director Jamie Lloyd, preparing to play Nina and Konstantin, the damaged couple at the heart of Chekhov’s classic play ‘The Seagull’.

You probably know who Emilia Clarke is. Fresh out of drama school, she was snapped up to play Daenerys Targaryen in “Game of Thrones”, a role that swallowed the next decade of her life and made the motormouthed, swear-happy Brit a global superstar. If she hadn’t got that gig, she thinks she’d probably have ‘gone on to do six plays in theatres above a pub’. Continue reading  »