Theatre

Rough Cuts – a regular mini season of short plays, experimental readings and works in progress continues at the Royal Court from 19-28 January 2011. Highlights include a new dance project from the US choreographer Manwe Sauls-Addison exploring the world of celebrity backing dancers, shorts from writers Alia Bano, Brad Birch and DC Jackson and a first glimpse of the Romany Project, an ongoing work developed from interviews with members of the Romany community in the East of England.

The Tron Theatre is announces Abigail Docherty, winner of their 2010 Open Stage Playwriting Competition as the recipient of the prestigious Pearson Playwrights' Bursary. The Pearson Playwrights’ Scheme is one of the most important awards for new writing in British theatre, with only five awards made each year to writers of outstanding promise.

The Tron Theatre announces the first Changing House production of the spring season as The Ushers, presented by Raindog. Written by Simon Crowther and directed by Stuart Davids, the play is the latest addition to the acclaimed production company’s impressive back catalogue of work, which includes The House of Bernarda Alba, Love Lies Bleeding and A.D, as well as television and film productions Wasted and the award-winning Tinsel Town.

Lidless, Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig's devastating first play, transfers to the Trafalgar Studios on Whitehall after a sold out run at this year's Edinburgh Festival, where the production was awarded a Fringe First. This production reconfigures Trafalgar Studios 2 into an in-the-round auditorium for the first time, placing the audience deep within the world of the play. It is HighTide's first production in the West End and will be directed by their Artistic Director, Steven Atkinson.

Full casting is today announced for The David Hare Season at Sheffield Theatres. Patricia Hodge and Isla Blair perform in The Breath of Life and Hattie Morahan, Jack Ryder and Laura Carmichael perform in Plenty. Jane Wymark and Matthew Cottle will perform in Racing Demon. In February and March 2011, Sheffield Theatres will produce their most ambitious project to date where all three performance spaces will be given over to the work of one playwright. The Season runs from Thursday 3 February to Saturday 5 March.