Wela Frasier - 2 to 25 October 2008

Wela Frasier will be appearing in A Taste of Honey at the Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury. The production runs from 2 to 25 October 2008, and tickets are onsale now. This will be a revival of the play by Shelagh Delaney, now fifty years since it was first produced, and it will be directed by Mark Powell. Wela is playing Jimmie.

Forbes Masson - 29 January to 28 March 2009

Forbes Masson will be appearing in King Lear at the Young Vic, London. The production runs from 29 January to 28 March 2009, and tickets are onsale from Monday 20 October 2008. It is a West End transfer of the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse production. This production of the Shakespearean tragedy is a part of the celebration of Liverpool as the 2008 European Capital of Culture, and it is directed by Rupert Goold. Forbes is playing the Fool.

Katy Stephens - 2 October to 22 November 2008

Katy Stephens will be appearing in Shared Experience's touring production of Mine. The tour will play the following:
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, 2 to 4 October 2008
Hampstead Theatre, London, 7 to 25 October 2008
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, 30 October to 1 November 2008
Minerva Theatre, Chichester, 4 to 8 November 2008
Nuffield Theatre, Southampton, 11 to 15 November 2008
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, 18 to 22 November 2008
This will be directed by Polly Teale. Katy is playing Woman.

Forbes Masson - 30 October to 29 November 2008

Forbes Masson will be appearing in King Lear at the Everyman & Playhouse, Liverpool. The production runs from 30 October to 29 November 2008, and tickets are onsale now. This production of the Shakespearean tragedy is a part of the celebration of Liverpool as the 2008 European Capital of Culture, and it is directed by Rupert Goold. Forbes is playing the Fool.

Maureen Beattie - 30 August 2008

Maureen Beattie was on BBC Radio 7's Dad Made Me Laugh this morning. This fifth episode in a series of seven saw Maureen talking to Sally Magnusson about her father, Johnny Beattie. While it's too late to tune in the traditional way, the programme will be available through the BBC website until Saturday 6th September.

Matt Costain - 16 June to 12 July 2008

Matt Costain recently appeared in Monkey! at the Quarry Theatre, Leeds. The production ran from 16 June to 12 July 2008. This was an aerial-based visual spectacular, based on the old Chinese legend, and it was directed by Dominic Leclerc. Matt played Buddha/Yama, King of Death.

Editor's note: I didn't find out about this production until after it had already finished. I hemmed and hawed for a while, then decided I may as well add it to the blog anyway. It may be too late for any of us to see it, but I'd rather have a more complete history of the ensemble than try to ignore my errors. Hopefully we'll catch the next one in time!

Rob Carroll - 3 to 21 June 2008

Rob Carroll recently appeared in The Smilin' State at the Hackney Empire, London. The production ran from 3 to 21 June 2008. This was a new play by Noel White, and it was directed by Omar F.Okai. Rob played Bruce Huffman.

Editor's note: I didn't find out about this production until after it had already finished. I hemmed and hawed for a while, then decided I may as well add it to the blog anyway. It may be too late for any of us to see it, but I'd rather have a more complete history of the ensemble than try to ignore my errors. Hopefully we'll catch the next one in time!

RSC Open Day - 31 August 2008

The closer we get to the RSC Open Day, Sunday 31 August 2008, the more information there is and the more exciting the day sounds! I wouldn't be mentioning it again, but now that there's more information, I thought I'd point out events that may be of specific interest to those who read this blog.

Michael Boyd: Ensemble, The Shakespeare Institute, 10 - 11am
Following the success of the Histories ensemble, RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd and new RSC Associate Director Roxana Silbert discuss what ensemble means to them.
FREE. Booking required. Please ring the Box Office on 0844 800 1114.

Learning the ropes - aerial display, The Courtyard Theatre, Auditorium, 10.45 - 11.15am
Members of the Histories ensemble perform an aerial display and give an insight into the techniques used.
FREE. Booking required. Please ring the Box Office on 0844 800 1114.

Elizabethan Dancing, The Courtyard Theatre, Auditorium, 3.45 - 4.45pm
Inspired by BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing, watch RSC actors performing Elizabethan dance in front of our special panel of judges including Ray Fearon and Michael Boyd.
£5. Please ring the Box Office on 0844 800 1114.

There's also a whole host of events featured as-yet-unspecified "RSC actors" who may or may not be relevant to our interests. I suppose we shall find out on the day!

Visit the RSC website for more information and to buy tickets!

David Warner - 2008

David Warner has been recording a new Doctor Who audio adventure for Big Finish called Doctor Who Unbound: Masters Of War. It's a sequel to the 2003 audio adventure Sympathy For The Devil (which also featured a young Scottish chap name of David Tennant in a supporting role), directed by Jason Haigh-Ellery, and is a story from the Third Doctor era. It will be available to buy on CD from 30 December 2008. David is playing the Doctor.

Maureen Beattie - 18 to 22 August 2008

Maureen Beattie will be reading Radio 4's Book of the Week, Corvus: A Life With Birds by Esther Woolfson. It's a natural history book about Woolfson's relationship and fascination with corvids, such as rooks, crows, magpies. Selected extracts will be broadcast every weekday morning, from 18 to 22 August 2008, at 9.45am on Radio 4. You can either tune in the traditional way, or listen online. You can also listen online for up to 7 days after broadcast.