Latest news with #LennyHenry
Time Out
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The 10 best new London theatre openings in August 2025
August is, hands down, the slowest month of the year for theatre in London. Lots of venues are closed, lots of people have buggered off to the Edinburgh Fringe – including us! – there are weeks in September with more openings than the whole of August. But still: this is London, and there's a non-negligible amount of cool summer stuff happening, from a starry West End debut for cult show Every Brilliant Thing to the long-awaited return of Secret Cinema. Here, then, is the very best of the month. The best new London theatre openings in August 2025 1. Every Brilliant Thing What is it? Duncan Macmillan's much-loved depression monologue Every Brilliant Thing has been a cult hit across the world, translated into every language from Arabic to Mandarin. The drama about an unnamed protagonist compiling a gigantic list of everything good about the world always seemed too intimate for the West End – but finally here it comes in a supercharged production that deploys a wild array of celebrities to take turns performing it over the course of its run: Lenny Henry, Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins, Minnie Driver plus Johnny Donahoe, its original performer and co-creator. @sohoplace, Aug 1-Nov 8. Book tickets here. 2. Brigadoon What is it? Lerner & Loewe's Brigadoon is widely regarded as one of the great 20th century musical scores: it's just a shame about the plot, which originally revolved around some American game hunters stumbling across a magical disappearing Scottish village and finding love with the fey, romantic folk within. In other words, it's very offensive to the Scots and thus hasn't been seen in this country for decades. But new Open Air Theatre boss Drew McOnie has found a solution: the composers' estates have mercifully agreed to let top Scottish playwright Rona Munro give the book a fairly hearty rewrite. It's an exciting prospect. Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, Aug 2-Sep 20. Buy tickets here. 3. Secret Cinema's Grease the Immersive Movie Experience What is it? Secret Cinema is back! And after three years away it sounds like they've come up with something a little different. Where most of their shows of yore involved an immersive theatre experience based around a film followed by a screening of said film that could almost feel like an afterthought, this 'immersive movie experience' sets you on a journey in which you watch the film as you traverse the immersive bits. We'll have to see it to get our heads around it, but it sounds like a good idea. Grease is the start of a projected three-summer stand at Evolution London in Battersea Park. Evolution London, Aug 1-Sep 7. Buy tickets here. 4. Good Night, Oscar What is it? Post-pandemic the Barbican has given up its summers to a succession of big budget musicals. But with Fiddler on the Roof having already fulfilled that role this season, the summer show is a transfer of this hit Broadway drama about a dramatic night in the life of pianist and noted wit Oscar Levant, a mainstay of mid-twentieth century US talk shows. Will & Grace man Sean Hayes will reprise his Tony-winning title performance, starring opposite our own Rosalie Craig. Barbican Centre, now until Sep 21. Buy tickets here. 5. Juniper Blood What is it? Announced scarcely a month before it opened, this new drama from the mercurial Mike Bartlett is an intriguing one, following a couple as they attempt to escape the urban rat race and retreat to a farm – at considerable cost to themselves. Is it Mike Bartlett does The Good Life? Maybe - and would that be such a bad thing? Whatever the case, James Macdonald's production looks very promising, with a great looking cast that includes Hattie Morahan's first stage role in a couple of years. Donmar Warehouse, Aug 16-Oct 4. 6. Twelfth Night What is it? The most straightforward piece of programming in a somewhat eccentric Globe summer season is a production of the beloved Twelfth Night that will see Robin Belfield – who directed last year's Princess Essex – get a crack at a Shakespeare play. There's a suggestion it might have a carnival theme of sorts, but essentially it looks like a good vibes take on a comedy that can come across as rather melancholy. Ronke Adékoluéjó will play Viola, with reliably hilarious Globe regular Pierce Quigley as Malvolio. Shakespeare's Globe, Aug 6-Oct 25. Buy tickets here. 7. Interview What is it? An interesting bit of late summer programming from Riverside Studios, with a two-hander stage adaptation of this tense drama about a jaded veteran reporter forced to do an interview with a starlet he sees as beneath him. If this is sounding a bit familiar, that's because there have already been two screen versions: the original, by Theo van Gogh in 2003, and a Steve Buschemi English language remake that came along in 2007. A 2025 update for the age of influencers and smartphones makes a lot of sense and it'll be on stage this August, with US actors Robert Sean Leonard and Patten Hughes starring. Riverside Studios, Aug 23-Sep 27. 8. A Man for All Seasons What is it? Before there was Wolf Hall there was… A Man for All Seasons. This relatively rare chance to see a production of Robert Bolt's classic drama about Thomas More, the polymath chancellor to Henry VIII, whose days became numbered after he failed to support the king in his schism with Rome. Transferring to the West End for a short stint after an acclaimed run in Bath, it stars veteran actor Martin Shaw as More. Harold Pinter Theatre, Aug 6-Sep 6. Buy tickets here. 9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe What is it? Sally Cookson's sweepingly psychedelic take on CS Lewis's iconic kids' fantasy novel was a big hit for the Bridge Theatre back in the day and is still doing the rounds to this day, albeit in slightly redirected form. If you're running low on things to do with kids at the tail end of the hols, this short stint at the tail end of the summer hols should get them back on side. Sadler's Wells, Aug 20-Sep 7. Buy tickets here. 10. Camden Fringe What is it? The Camden Fringe is vastly more ramshackle, DIY and 'early career' than its more famous Edinburgh equivalent. But we wouldn't have it any other way: it's a thoroughly loveable phenomenon that instils a sense of community and drive to London's increasingly fragmented fringe scene. Also tickets are cheap as chips – dip in and support a little local art, and you might just come across an unexpected gem. Various Camden venues, now until Aug 24.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Lenny Henry used humour to protect himself while dealing with racist childhood bullying
Sir Lenny Henry, who grew up in Dudley, opened up about the racist bullying he endured during his childhood Comedian Lenny Henry detailed how he used humour as his 'sword and shield' against the racist bullies in his childhood. The 66-year-old was born in Dudley in August 1958 to parents Winston and Winifred. His full name is Lenworth George Henry, and he was named after the doctor who delivered him at Burton Road Hospital. Sir Lenny previously revealed the horrific racist abuse that has plagued him, particularly as part of a Jamaican family in the West Midlands in the 70s. He had said that "Keep Britain white" was often painted on walls in the area he lived in, and that people would hound his mother on the streets, "asking where her tail was". In a new interview, the comedian said a lot of his defence from racism came from his late mother, Winifred. She had 'horrible things' yelled at her in the street after she moved to England from Jamaica as part of the Windrush Generation. At the time, Black children living in the area he grew up in were advised to be outside in pairs due to the racist abuse they went through. Speaking to The Sunday Times' Culture Magazine, he explained: "We were in the midst of this maelstrom, but you don't know that when you're kids. You just gravitate to people who like you, or want to snog you. "My humour became my sword and shield. I could deflect something with a joke. I was being beaten up by one kid when I started to talk about the ridiculousness of us rolling around on the floor like we were married. "People started to laugh and suddenly people thought I was worth something. I was still punched, but I'd have people protecting me. I had three white friends by the time I was 12: Greg, Mac and Tom. I still know them today and they saved my life, really. They encouraged me to be funny." The racism continued well into his career, with him previously explaining that the National Front smeared "N.F" in excrement on his and ex-wife Dawn French's door. They were even threatened with burning rags through the door and abusive letters. Dawn once said: 'We had words scratched into every panel of every car — very offensive, derogatory, racist terminology.' Lenny's career began when he appeared on New Faces at aged 15, eventually winning the show with his impression of Stevie Wonder. Two years later, he started doing a stand up routine on The Black and White Minstrel show, where performers in blackface sang minstrel songs. But being the only black performer in this intrinsically racist show gave Lenny "creeping dread". 'I would arrive at the theatre and know that I would be the only actual black person in the building, perhaps the only one within a 50-mile radius," he said.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Lenny Henry says he needed therapy after going on The Black and White Minstrel Show
Sir Lenny Henry has said he needed therapy after appearing on The Black and White Minstrel Show. The comedian admitted he 'didn't realise' what he was doing when he became the first black performer to appear on the controversial BBC programme. The prime-time entertainment show, which ran from 1958 to 1978, was known for white singers and actors donning blackface for their acts. However, Henry, 66, who appeared on the show as a teenager, has revealed the toll it took on his mental health. Speaking to The Times, he said: 'I was 16 and didn't realise what I was doing.' Henry, who worked on the show between 1975 and 1979, has previously spoken about regretting his family not intervening to stop him taking part. 'Many lows' The comic said he has been receiving grief therapy ever since his mother died in 1998, but admitted he needed therapy sooner. 'I have had several times when I needed help,' he added. 'Many lows, even at 16 doing the Minstrel Show. But I'm much better at admitting I need help now.' Henry continued: 'The last decade has seen more people admit they need help – which is a big deal. 'If you need help, seek it out. Because the alternative is unthinkable. There is a lot available that we don't access, because we think we can beat it on our own, so also: talk to your friends. If a mate comes to you with a problem, listen.' Henry has previously said he was contractually obliged to take part in the programme which had already come under scrutiny before his appearance on it. In May 1967, the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination submitted a petition for it to be axed by the corporation. But it was not until the late 1970s that it was eventually pulled – partly because variety shows' popularity was waning with audiences.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lenny Henry, 66, says humour was his 'sword and shield' while battling racist bullying in his childhood because it encouraged others to 'protect him'
Lenny Henry has revealed he used humour as his 'shield' against racist bullies during his childhood, because it encouraged others to 'protect him.' The comedian, 66, opened up about his past growing up in Dudley in a new interview, where he detailed the challenges of being in the 'maelstrom' of divided Britain in the mid 1960s. Speaking to The Sunday Times' Culture Magazine, Lenny shared that much of his defence from racism came from his late mother Winifred. He said that Winifird herself had 'horrible things' shouted at her in the street after she migrated to the UK from Jamaica as part of the Windrush Generation. At the time, black children living in Dudley were advised to go out in pairs due to the fear of racist abuse they endured. Tensions were heightened when Conservative Enoch Powell delivered his much-criticised Rivers Of Blood speech about immigration in Birmingham, for which he was accused of stirring up racial hatred. But Lenny said he realised he could use his humour as a defence against the abuse, telling the publication: 'We were in the midst of this maelstrom, but you don't know that when you're kids. You just gravitate to people who like you, or want to snog you.' 'My humour became my sword and shield. I could deflect something with a joke. I was being beaten up by one kid when I started to talk about the ridiculousness of us rolling around on the floor like we were married. People started to laugh and suddenly people thought I was worth something. 'I was still punched, but I'd have people protecting me. I had three white friends by the time I was 12: Greg, Mac and Tom. I still know them today and they saved my life, really. They encouraged me to be funny.' In the interview, Lenny also reflected on his relationship with his late mother, who died in 1998, sharing he still goes to 'grief therapy' in the wake of her passing. Detailing his own mental health struggles, the Broadchurch star said he feels people have gotten better at admitting they 'need help' over the past decade, something he's encouraged after losing several friends to suicide. Earlier this year, Lenny who is currently starring in the play Every Brilliant Thing at London's Soho Place, hinted he may be making a return to stand-up comedy after a 15-year hiatus to focus on acting. Speaking about his return, Lenny told The Mirror: 'It's been a while, but there are plans in motion.' He hinted that his new material could include a mix of classic and fresh content and teased that some of his iconic characters from The Lenny Henry Show, such as Theophilus P. Wildebeeste and Delbert Wilkins, might make a reappearance alongside modern creations. He explained: 'It might just be me talking to the audience, but I love weaving in the characters. It's the 21st century, though, so I want to try something new.' The comedian also addressed concerns about navigating today's comedy landscape, saying: 'People can say anything they like, as long as they edit themselves. If you can't self-edit, that's when you're in trouble.' Sir Lenny first made his mark on shows like Tiswas and as a warm-up act for comedy greats Morecambe and Wise. More recently, he's earned acclaim for his acting, including a role in Harlan Coban's Netflix hit Missing You earlier this year. With his comeback on the horizon, Lenny said he's inspired by changes in society and politics, describing the current climate as 'a massive smorgasbord of subject matter.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV Shark Celebrity Infested Waters star details hidden injury 'it's not pleasant'
ITV's new reality show Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters premiered last week Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters star Ross Noble has revealed a hidden on-set injury as he said, "It's not pleasant". The new reality show premiered on ITV last week, with seven celebrities heading to The Bahamas to participate in a dive expedition with three world-renowned shark experts. The aim for the stars is to dive with sharks in their natural environment in a bid to appreciate the animals and be less fearful of them. All five episodes are now available to stream on ITVX. The famous faces taking part are Sir Lenny Henry, Helen George, Lucy Punch, Rachel Riley, Ade Adepitan, Dougie Poynter and Ross Noble. Shortly after the show's premiere, 49-year-old comedian Ross took to Instagram on Tuesday (July 22) to detail a painful injury he sustained before filming, which was kept hidden on camera. "For those of you wondering why on Shark show on ITV I never stand up on the boat and drag myself around. The answer is and it is never mentioned in the show, I broke my foot just before we started filming," the caption read. "The doctor signed me off to swim which meant the adventure could continue. The crew were amazing and the care was first class. "Putting on a wetsuit over a broken foot is not pleasant but there is no way I was going to miss out on what was one of the greatest experiences of my life. You can see all the eps on @itvxofficial now." The post was accompanied by a series of photos showing the extent of Ross' broken foot, with one image featuring the comedian sitting on a boat while wearing a large black boot. Another photo showed the injury up close, with the side of his left foot looking bruised and swollen, while a third image showcased the knee-length leg cast. Fans quickly took to the comments section to share their support, with one person writing: "And yet you were such a trooper through it all. Badass man." Another added: "Wow you really been hit by the 'hurt' stick lately. Glad you got to do something amazing as you were healing," while a third said: "We were already impressed. Now we bow down to you." A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: "Oh jeez that's a bit of decent mischief you've done yaself there, badass alright!" Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters only reached a peak viewing of 1.5 million for its launch episode, with the following instalment attracting just 1 million. More viewers tuned in to watch a rerun of Death in Paradise on BBC One, and history documentary Human on BBC Two.
