A unique opportunity to spend an intimate evening with one of the world’s best loved and most captivating performers. Ruthie Henshall and her band will take you on a musical journey through her extraordinary career, from working with Lionel Bart to playing Chicago on Broadway and from starring in Les Misérables to receiving an Olivier award. This is your chance to hear Ruthie’s story in her own words as well as the defining songs of her life, onstage and off, in this brand-new and personal show.

This eclectic and engaging evening will feature some of the songs Ruthie is best known for, whilst touching upon other genres and contemporary tunes which have influenced her personally and professionally.

Ruthie Henshall plays the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, on 21st October.

Show stopping songs from some of the best loved musicals of all time as Ruthie is joined by leading West End artists and a full orchestra for an afternoon packed with all the glamour and excitement of musical theatre.

Songs from My Fair Lady, Oliver!, West Side Story, Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.

Ruthie will be joined by Graham Bickley, Tim Howar, Lisa Hull and the Manchester Concert Orchestra.

Three leading lights of West End musical theatre discuss all aspects of writing, producing and performing in musicals: with Tom Chambers, star of Top Hat; Ruthie Henshall, Broadway and West End star and the author of So You Want to Be in Musicals? and Julian Woolford, director, librettist and the author of How Musicals Work.

Time: 12noon (1 hour)

Tickets: £8

The award-winning playwright, author of the stunning Parlour Song and the West End and Broadway hit Jerusalem starring Mark Rylance, joins us in conversation. He reflects on the writing process, and being back home at the Royal Court Theatre with his bewitching new play The River.

Incoming Artistic Director of the RSC Gregory Doran and award-winning actor and author Sir Antony Sher discuss Shakespeare in performance, inspired by their work together and Gregory’s production of Julius Caesar for the World Shakespeare Festival.

In his acclaimed one man show, leading classical actor of stage and screen takes you on a vivid journey through the life work of William Shakespeare.

His career has spanned 40 years of performing with The RSC, the National Theatre and his own English Shakespeare Company.

This is a unique opportunity to hear Helen in conversation with Giles Croft (Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse) about her life and work, listen to a reading from one of her plays, and take part in a Q&A.

'Ageing with Pride'

Dame Harriet Walter’s glittering career as an actor on stage and screen has seen film credits including Atonement and Sense and Sensibility. Now, she has embarked on an ambitious photography project to celebrate the beauty of older women.

Described by Carol Ann Duffy as 'an inspirational presence in British poetry' - in this event Lochhead reads poems from her recently published selection, A Choosing, discussing her work with BBC Scotland's political editor Brian Taylor.

Tickets: £10/8 (concessions)
Duration: 1 hour

'Ordinary People, Extraordinary Voices'

James Kelman, winner of the 1994 Man Booker Prize, is joined by Scotland's Poet Laureate Liz Lochhead to discuss Kelman's latest novel: a tender and deeply affecting story of a Glasgow woman in London, Mo Said She Was Quirky.

Tickets: £10/8 (concessions)
Duration: 1 hour

Scotland’s National Poet, and veteran Fringe performer, in a celebration of the word - poems, monologues, characters, lyrics, theatre pieces. And, daily, a guest artist - a song, a wee bit of music - from a friend in town today.

Tickets: £10/9 (concessions)
Duration: 1 hour

‘brilliantly, raucously and scabrously funny’ Sunday Times

‘it’s the beautiful, lyrical meditation … which lingers longest in the imagination’ Scotman

Mark Rylance reads from, and discusses, his play I Am Shakespeare, after the matinee performance of Richard III at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. The event will be followed by a book signing.

Meet in the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre foyer at 5.15pm to be guided to the event location.

Tickets are free but advance booking is essential - email: rosie.t@shakespearesglobe.com

An exploration of the techniques used by the 'Laughter Makers' of the Commedia dell Arte: skills inherited by Pantomime, Music Hall, and Silent Film. The workshop will be led by Barry Grantham, author of Playing Commedia and Commedia Plays, and will run over the last weekend in July at London's famous Sands Films Studios.

Cost: £75 (includes lunch)

A literary event with Michael Pennington, talking about his book Sweet William: Twenty Thousand Hours with Shakespeare, and his acclaimed one man show of the same name.

Tickets will be available on the door, or in advance from The Shakespeare Bookshop.

Michael Pennington, who plays Antony in Chichester Festival Theatre’s forthcoming production of Antony and Cleopatra, discusses his book Sweet William: Twenty Thousand Hours with Shakespeare.

There will be a book signing following the talk.

Tickets must be booked in advance (£13).

A refreshing, revitalising and empowering talk from one of the world’s most gifted, celebrated and beautiful actresses. In Facing It: Reflections on images of older women Dame Harriet Walter encourages women to look the mirror full in the face, enjoy what they see and glorify the lines that time and experience have placed there.

In Other People's Shoes, Harriet offers a wonderfully practical - and personal - introduction to acting:
'A fascinating insight into the working life of an actor... very enjoyable' The Times

Join the multi-talented Simon Callow (My Life in Pieces) and Michael Pennington (Sweet William, Shakespeare User Guides) in conversation with Don Paterson for a Shakespeare-themed panel discussion. 

Blackwell Bookshop, 100 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0JG.

Tickets are free but booking is essential - email events.london@blackwell.co.uk.

Max Stafford-Clark has directed first productions by Timberlake Wertenbaker, David Hare, Stephen Jeffreys and Caryl Churchill to name but a few, and was Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, and now heads Out of Joint theatre company. 

In this invaluable workshop, he demonstrates a unique approach to directing a piece of new writing.

A second date for this workshop will take place on 26th June, 10am (1 hour).

Part of the International Student Drama Festival taking place in Sheffield, 22nd – 30th Jun 2012.