Haymarket Theatre - History of The Theatre - The 21st Century

The 21st Century

Productions at the Haymarket in 2000 included Collected Stories (Donald Marguiles), starring Helen Mirren, and August Strindberg's Miss Julie, followed in 2001 by The Blue Room by David Hare; Japes by Simon Gray, directed by Peter Hall; and The Royal Family (Edna Ferber), starring Judi Dench. In 2002 the theatre presented Lady Windermere's Fan, directed by Peter Hall starring Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson; Rose Rage, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry VI plays, directed by Edward Hall; and Judi Dench and Maggie Smith appeared on stage together for the first time in over 40 years in The Breath of Life by David Hare. Productions in 2003 were The Rat Pack: Live From Las Vegas, Brand (Ibsen) directed by Adrian Noble, starring Ralph Fiennes, and A Woman of No Importance, with Rupert Graves, Samantha Bond and Prunella Scales, also directed by Noble.

In 2004, the theatre presented a stage adaptation of the film, When Harry Met Sally, starring Luke Perry and Alyson Hannigan, during which the house closed for two nights after bits of the ceiling fell down during a performance injuring about 13 people. It was followed by Singular Sensations, a season of performances by Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein, Michael Ball and Joshua Rifkin. The last production of 2004 was a revival of Becket by Anouilh. 2005 productions were Victoria Wood's Acorn Antiques The Musical, starring Julie Walters, Celia Imrie and Duncan Preston, directed by Trevor Nunn; The Genius of Ray Charles; and A Few Good Men, starring Rob Lowe, Suranne Jones and Jack Ellis. 2006 featured three revivals: A Man for All Seasons, starring Martin Shaw; Coward's Hay Fever, with Judi Dench and Peter Bowles; and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, starring Dave Willetts and Shona Lindsay. The last production of that year was Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, starring Claire Bloom and Billy Zane.

The first production of 2007 was Pinter's People, a compilation of Harold Pinter sketches of the past 40 years, staged by a company of four, led by Bill Bailey; later productions of that year were The Lady from Dubuque (Albee), starring Maggie Smith; David Suchet in The Last Confession; and The Country Wife, starring Toby Stephens, Patricia Hodge and David Haig. The following year's productions were The Sea (Bond), starring David Haig, Eileen Atkins and Russell Tovey; Marguerite, a new musical starring Ruthie Henshall and Alexander Hanson; Girl with a Pearl Earring, a stage adaptation by David Joss Buckley of Tracy Chevalier's novel; and Keith Allen in Treasure Island.

In 2009 the theatre presented On the Waterfront; Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Simon Callow and Ronald Pickup starred in Waiting for Godot; followed by Breakfast at Tiffany's, starring Anna Friel, Joseph Cross, James Dreyfus and Suzanne Bertish. Godot and Tiffany's were featured, along with the staff and history of the Haymarket Theatre itself, in a 2009 eight-part Sky Arts documentary, Theatreland. In 2010 Waiting for Godot was staged again with McKellen, Roger Rees, Matthew Kelly and Pickup; followed by a transfer of Sweet Charity from the Menier Chocolate Factory. The next show was The Rivals starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles.

Trevor Nunn was Artistic Director for the year 2011. His productions included a revival of Flare Path, as part of the playwright Terence Rattigan's centenary year celebrations, starring Sienna Miller, James Purefoy and Sheridan Smith; the Chichester Festival Theatre's revival of Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard; Ralph Fiennes as Prospero in The Tempest; and, from November 2011 to January 2012, Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley in The Lion in Winter. From March 2012, the Haymarket hosted the National Theatre production One Man, Two Guvnors, which transfers from the Adelphi Theatre with a new cast including Owain Arthur and Jodie Prenger.

This theatre is one of the 40 theatres featured in the 2012 DVD documentary series Great West End Theatres, presented by Donald Sinden.