Nigel Planer News

It’s tough humour, not always politically correct nor consistently hilarious. All aspects of their personal lives and careers are ammunition. On-set misdemeanours, past scuffles, sexual escapades - everything. It’s somewhat of a potboiler for the easily pleased punters and industry professionals: it’s funny, but far from a knee-slapper and insulated in its type of jokes. Their punches are ruthless and the piece is deliciously self-referential, though its real strength is its unexploited dark side.

The Arc keeps an eye on the past but it’s focus is firmly on the future. Consisting of three plays Birth, Marriage, Death, Emanate Theatre Company’s second production is not one weighed down by existential meanderings or heavy questions. Levity in the face of uncertainty is its greatest strength.

Emanate production are bringing The Arc: A Trilogy of New Jewish Plays, three plays by writers Amy Rosenthal, Alexis Zegerman, and Ryan Craig, to Soho Theatre. Following its inaugural production at the Kiln Theatre last year, Emanate have forged a space for Jewish voices to shine a spotlight on and celebrate modern Jewish stories in theatre.

Park Theatre have announced the new shows in their 2023 Autumn/Winter season which will explore a range of themes from cultural heritage to toxic masculinity as well as a variety of uplifting and comic work.

The cast has been announced for Emanate Productions’ brand-new triple bill of Jewish plays, which will premiere at the Soho Theatre this August. The Arc: A Trilogy of New Jewish Plays explores life’s great moments of birth, marriage, and death through a distinctly Jewish lens, written by three of the UK’s leading Jewish playwrights.

Nenda Neururer will star as Leela, completing the cast of It’s Headed Straight Towards Us, a comedy written by stars of The Young Ones, Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer.

Whether We Will Rock You will attract the attention of Trading Standards is unknown but rarely has a show been so poorly named.

Wicked the Musical is currently in its 17th year in the West End, and the show has now been seen by more than 11 million people in London alone. To celebrate the latest cast changes, we met up with the cast at the star-studded after-party!

As it starts its 10th anniversary celebrations, Park Theatre has announced its Summer / Autumn season. The season that takes audiences from mental health in sport to life choices that are app controlled, from a dystopian Europe to an Icelandic avalanche in a comedy by Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer, and from theatre based on Anime to an exploration of that Princess Diana interview.

Jonathan Church Theatre Productions and RJG Productions have announced It's Headed Straight Towards Us, a comedy written by stars of The Young Ones, Adrian Edmondson and Nigel Planer.

Following a two-week London run, Doing Shakespeare goes on tour to venues across the UK. Doing Shakespeare follows fictional company of actors as they agree to stage a Shakespeare play but don't think to agree on which one should be (or not to be) before chaos ensues.

Following a series of multi-award winning (six OnComm Awards, Scenesaver award for Best Ensemble) online plays throughout the pandemic, The Northern Comedy Theatre Company has adapted its much-loved Doing Shakespeare for the stage and is bringing it to the Bridewell Theatre this November. 

Actor Nigel Planer, fondly known for his portrayal of Neil in classic 1980s sitcom The Young Ones, brings his brand new play to St Helens Theatre Royal next week. 

St Helens Theatre Royal has unveiled its full Autumn season of shows, revealing a packed programme of great events running between now until Christmas. 

The doors reopen on 23 August with swashbuckling panto Treasure Island starring Grange Hill, EastEnders and Dancing on Ice star Todd Carty as pirate Long John Silver. He will be joined by Theatre Royal favourite Reece Sibbald, playing Silly Billy, and Britain's Got Talent's Cal Herbert in a High Seas adventure.

His latest play is called All Above Board and will premiere in Merseyside in August and then tour the UK, coming to The Albany on 7th and 8th September. Nigel will be hosting a Q&A on Tuesday 7th September at 6pm ahead of the performance and this is open to all ticketholders for any of the three shows at The Albany. Audience members can ask Nigel about his time as Neil in The Young Ones, his West End career or how he beat Roland Rat and Mel Brooks to a BRIT Award! 

Ahead of the launch of their new digital membership, h Club London (formerly The Hospital Club) has announced their celebratory event for this year's World Book Night taking place on Thursday 23rd April at 7pm via Zoom.

Today, Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network, in partnership with Royal & Derngate Northampton, are delighted to announce the line-up for their upcoming BEAM2020 showcase. BEAM2020 is the UK's leading showcase for new British musical theatre writing and will take place on Thursday 26th March and Friday 27th March 2020 at Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

Full casting has been announced for the first ever stage adaptation of Grandpa's Great Escape, the exhilarating number one best-selling children's book by David Walliams which will tour the UK this Christmas. Tickets are on sale now.

Founder of Tara Arts, Jatinder Verma MBE, is to step down as Artistic Director, forty years after founding the ground-breaking company.