Sondheim’s Assassins at Union Theatre

As part of the celebrations for Sondheim’s 80th birthday earlier this year, the Union in Southwark will revive his musical Assassins from 30th June to 24th July 2010.

I saw the London premiere of this production which was directed by Sam Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse in 1992 and it lends itself perfectly to a small space like the Union.

The show is a revue-style portrayal of men and women who attempted (successfully or otherwise) to assassinate Presidents of the United States including John Wilkes Booth (Abraham Lincoln), Lee Harvey Oswald (John F Kennedy), Charles Guiteau (James Garfield), John Hinckley (Ronald Reagan) and Giuseppe Zangara (Franklin D Roosevelt).  The book is by John Weidman who worked with Sondheim on Pacific Overtures).

Amongst the other events being staged in London as part of Sondheim’s birthday celebrations are: this weekend’s The Night of 1000 Voices concert at the Royal Albert Hall, a dedicated BBC Prom, and revivals of Passion , Merrily We Roll Along and Company at the Donmar and Into the Woods at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

Into the Hoods at Royal Festival Hall this Summer

Into the HoodsI - the hip-hop street dance/theatre version of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Into the Woods - is returning to the South Bank Centre for a two week run from 30th July to 15th August.  The show has been revamped since it played at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at Christmas.

Into the Hoods puts an urban spin on the Sondheim tale setting it to a soundtrack of music by artists including Massive Attack, Black Eyed Peas and Kanye West, telling the story of two runaway children lost in the Ruff Endz Estate. An evil landlord befriends the children and they are offered a room in his tenement block on the condition that they work for him. Reluctantly they embark on their mission which leads them to the flats of DJ Spinderella; Lil Red (under contract to greedy producer Wolf and the owner of the bright red hoodie); Rapper (producer of the finest quality hair extensions in the city) and Jaxx who owns a white Ipod. But is stealing really the way to get out of the hood?

Into the Hoods is created and performed by ZooNation whose dancers performed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday party. It is directed and choreographed by Kate Prince.




To book tickets visit: www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Into the Hoods Limited Season at Queen Elizabeth Hall

The award-winning smash hit from the West End Into the Hoods is on at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre for a strictly limited season from 16th December-10th January. There is an audio-described performance at 14:00 on 9th January.

The show has some great dance moves and includes music from Massive Attack, Kanye West and Black Eyed Peas.  It is a fairytale of two runaway kids on their adventures at the ominous Ruff Endz estate, featuring characters like aspiring singer Lil Red under contract to greedy producer Wolf, and Prince who is dating both rapper Rap-on-Zel and DJ Spinderella.

Into the Hoods is performed by critically acclaimed dance company ZooNation, whose dancers performed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday party.   You can get tickets at www.southbankcentre.co.uk/intothehoods