Mike Bartlett: Last News

EXCLUSIVE: UK drama producer Fictionhouse, founded by Dominic Cooke and Kate Horton, is closing its doors with the pair both pursuing their own theater projects.

EXCLUSIVE: Luke Thallon is in good company when it comes to playing Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

K.J. Yossman “One Day” producers Drama Republic have restructured their C-suite, Variety can reveal, upping chief creative officer Jude Liknaitzky to co-CEO alongside Roanna Benn. Benn’s former co-CEO, Greg Brenman, will take on a co-founder role. Brenman will continue to stay involved in the growth and development of the company with a focus on his own slate of projects. Brenman, Benn and Liknaitzky founded London-based Drama Republic, which specializes in high-end drama, in 2013 after the trio left Tiger Aspect. Drama Republic is part of the Mediawan group, with the French conglomerate taking a majority stake in 2021.

BBC Studios Renews Pact With ZDF

The year is nearly up and ZEE5 Global Chief Business Officer Archana Anand is headed into 2023 in bullish mood. The South Asian streamer, which operates in 190+ territories including the U.S. and offers about 200,000 hours of content, is coming off “our best year yet, and we’re ending it on a high,” she says.

EXCLUSIVE: London-based Lark is one of the buzziest new boutique film and TV agencies in Europe.

Middle East’s MBC Strikes Wide-Ranging Deal With Turkey’s Medyapim & Ay Yapim; ‘Doctor Foster’ Remake Deal With The BBC

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorJonathan Bailey is in talks to join the cast of Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” movies.The “Bridgerton” star will play Fiyero in the two-part feature adaptation headlined by Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The Universal Pictures films are set for release on Christmas in 2024 and 2025.“Wicked” is a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” telling the story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.“We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one ‘Wicked’ movie but two!” Chu wrote in a statement when announcing the two-parter. “With more space, we can tell the story of ‘Wicked’ as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.”

Welsh actor Taron Egerton has explained the heartbreaking reason why he pulled out of Mike Bartlett’s West End play Cock, just weeks after his debut. Taron was lined up for the new production alongside Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, with the pair set to play the two leads.However, Rocketman actor Taron’s stint got off to a rocky start, after he fainted on stage on the opening night.The announcement then came he had dropped out of the play came after he was replaced when he tested positive for Covid-19 by understudy Joel Harper-Jackson, who then stayed in his role. However, it was not expanded at the time on Taron’s reasoning for quitting the show, which he has now shared in a new interview. ‘Toward the end of last year, a close family member was diagnosed with cancer, and I dropped out of a film to come home and be with that person,’ he explained.‘I thought that, with the play, I was ready to go back to work, but I wasn’t. ‘I had to leave, and it was sad, and absolutely one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make,’ he told The New York Times.The play centres around John (played by Jonathan Bailey), a man who falls in love with a woman (Jade Anouka) after taking a break from his long-term boyfriend M, who was played by Taron. In a statement released by the Twitter account for the play, a revival of Mike Bartlett’s 2009 production Cock at London’s Ambassador Theatre, it said that understudy Joel would take over the role of M previously played by Taron.‘Joel Harper-Jackson will take over the role of M in Mike Bartlett’s razor-sharp, hilarious play Cock until the end of the run,’ it said.The statement added: ‘The part was originally played in this production by Taron Egerton, who has had to withdraw from the production due

South Asian streaming service ZEE5 Global is adapting BBC drama Press as local series The Broken News, as part of a wider deal with BBC Studios.

Naman Ramachandran South Asian focused streamer ZEE5 Global and BBC Studios India have partnered to create a slate of Hindi-language originals across genres, commencing with series “The Broken News,” an adaptation of Mike Bartlett’s BBC show “Press,” directed by Vinay Waikul (Netflix’s “Aranyak”). The plot turns on two rival news channels based in Mumbai – Awaaz Bharati, an independent, ethical news channel, and Josh 24/7 News, which offers sensationalist and invasive journalism, and what transpires between the main characters in their quest for news.

Naman Ramachandran Joel Harper-Jackson made his debut as a leading man in London’s West End in dramatic circumstances when Taron Egerton fainted on stage during the first preview of stage play “Cock.”Harper-Jackson had signed up as an understudy to both leads, “Rocketman” and “Kingsman” star Egerton and “Bridgerton” actor Jonathan Bailey, and had learned both parts. The understudies, who have their own dressing room, were listening to the stage feed on speakers. But all of a sudden, some 75 minutes into the 105-minute show, “there was a silence, and we were all puzzled as to what was happening,” Harper-Jackson tells Variety.After some moments of confusion, the understudies were informed that Egerton had fainted, but that he was fine.

Taron Egerton has reportedly split from his longtime girlfriend Emily Thomas after six years of dating. The Rocketman actor recently pulled out of his West End play for ‘personal reasons’ and a source now claims he’s been dealing with a break-up behind the scenes. He is said to have deleted photos of Emily, an assistant director on blockbusters such as Wonder Woman, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Justice League, from his Instagram page, and is reportedly signed up to dating app Raya in hopes of moving on. A source claimed: ‘Taron and Emily have both been really busy for the past year and it put a lot of pressure on their relationship. ‘They have separated and it hasn’t been easy for either of them.

Naman Ramachandran BBC Studios, Screenplay, Disney Plus Hotstar Pact for “Doctor Foster” Indonesian AdaptationBBC Studios property “Doctor Foster” is being adapted by Screenplay Films for Disney Plus Hotstar in Indonesia. “Doctor Foster” is the story of a doctor whose life implodes when she uncovers her husband’s infidelity. The show title in Indonesia will be “Mendua” (Between Two Hearts) and Pritagita Arianegara (“Surga yang Tak Dirindukan 3”) will direct.

West End show Cock which he was starring in alongside Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey.The actor's exit from the play was announced in a statement made by the show's official Twitter account, which said the star, 32, had left the show for "personal reasons".The Rocketman actor had previously fainted on stage during the opening night of the play and was replaced by his understudy after contracting Covid.In view of their 1,400 followers, the show made the announcement confirming Taron's exit.It read: "Joel Harper-Jackson will take over the role of M in Mike Bartlett's razor sharp, hilarious play Cock until the end of the run."The part was originally played in this production by Taron Egerton, who has had to withdraw from the production due to personal reasons."Joel understudied the role and has been playing the part of M for the past ten days while Taron was absent from the production having tested positive for Covid," it added.The show's director Marianne Elliott branded Joel an "absolute hero" and a "gifted actor", adding that audiences have been "cheering" for him.Meanwhile, the show's star, Bridgerton actor Jonathan, called him an "immense talent", saying that he is "proud" to appear on stage with him.Express.co.uk has contacted Taron's representatives for comment.The play follows John (Jonathan) who falls in love with a woman (Jade Anouka) after going on a break from his long-term boyfriend (Taron).The announcement comes after Taron fainted on stage during the first run of the play.Following the concerning incident, a statement read: "During this evening's first preview of Mike Bartlett's play 'Cock' at the Ambassadors Theatre, Taron Egerton fainted towards the end of the performance."A doctor who was in the audience

Taron Egerton is bowing out of a production in London’s West End earlier than planned.

Taron Egerton will no longer appear in his West End show opposite Bridgerton season 2 star Jonathan Bailey after dropping out due to ‘personal reasons’.The announcement that the Rocketman actor has dropped out of the play comes after he was replaced when he tested positive for Covid-19, having fainted on stage weeks prior on the opening night.In a statement released by the Twitter account for the play, a revival of Mike Bartlett’s 2009 production Cock at London’s Ambassador Theatre, it said that understudy Joel Harper-Jackson will take over the role of M previously played by Taron.‘Joel Harper-Jackson will take over the role of M in Mike Bartlett’s razor sharp, hilarious play Cock until the end of the run,’ it said.‘The part was originally played in this production by Taron Egerton, who has had to withdraw from the production due to personal reasons.’The statement added that Joel was an understudy for the role, ‘and has been playing the part of M for the past ten days while Taron was absent from the production having tested positive for Covid’.pic.twitter.com/VMXjpFC1rlDirector Marianne Elliott described Joel as an ‘absolute hero’, saying that he’s a ‘brilliant and gifted actor’ who took over the role ‘at extremely short notice’.‘Audiences have been standing and cheering and so am I,’ Marianne said.Jonathan, who has recently been leaving Netflix viewers swooning with his return as Anthony Bridgerton in the second season of the hit period drama Bridgerton, added that Joel is ‘an immense talent and we couldn’t be luckier to have him on board’.‘I am proud to continue sharing the state with him,’ he added.While people on social media expressed their disappointment over Taron not returning to play the role of M in the

Taron Egerton has dropped out of the West End play Cock, less than a month after performances began.

The ill-fated run of Rocketman and Kingsman star Taron Egerton in the London play Cock has apparently come to an end.

Taron Egerton has contracted Covid-19 and will not perform this week in his London play.

David Benedict John is desperate: “It’s not a competition. Please, please it mustn’t be that.” Cue his girlfriend’s snapped retort: “Then what is it really?” Good question.