The Week in Light & Sound
- Details
Pearl Jam - Nearly a decade after last touring the capital, Pearl Jam have announced two London gigs. The band will play London's O2 Arena on the 18 and 19 June next year. Tickets for the shows will go on general sale at 11am on 8 December.
Lucky Dip - Plans have been announced for a new daily lottery for £10 Hamilton tickets. Members of the public can apply for a maximum of two £10 tickets per person via the Hamilton app or online. Representatives for Hamilton have been unable to confirm how many tickets will be available each day. Hamilton, which has book music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is currently booking to June 30, 2018 at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre.
Flying Back - Bat Out of Hell - The Musical will return to London for a run at the Dominion Theatre. Jim Steinman’s musical opened at London’s Colosseum in July this year, where it ran until August 22. It will now return to the West End at the Dominion from 2 April, 2018.
The rock musical features a book by Steinman and Stuart Beattie, with music and lyrics by Steinman. Video design is by Finn Ross, lighting is by Patrick Woodroffe and sound is by Gareth Owen.
London Calling - More than two thirds of all London boroughs have put forward bids to become the first London Borough of Culture in either 2019 or 2020. The 22 bidding boroughs (out of a total of 32) hope to win more than £1m in funding to support local cultural programmes. Additionally, the competition is also supported by a grant of £300,000 from the City Bridge Trust.
The new initiative was launched by London mayor Sadiq Khan earlier this year and is inspired by the UK City of Culture and European Capital of Culture competitions. Bids will be judged on “artistic vision” and the “ability to deliver an array of outstanding cultural initiatives in their local area”, which will attract visitors both from across the capital and outside it.
Bohemian Rhapsody - The director of the new Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, has been fired due to "unreliable behaviour". In a statement, Twentieth Century Fox said Bryan Singer was no longer the director of the film. A source told the BBC the main reason for the firing was "a pattern of unreliable behaviour on the set". But Singer said his firing came while he was ill and that the studio was "unwilling to accommodate" him during his illness.
The Hollywood Reporter reported on Monday that Singer had clashed with lead actor Rami Malek and failed to show up for filming on multiple occasions. The studio had earlier said production had been suspended so Singer could deal with "a personal health matter".
(Jim Evans)
5 December 2017
