Pop Culture

Broadway lost six productions on January 15 – including the top-grossing The Music Man – to the usual January roster-thinning, and each show went out on a happy note with strong attendance. With 29 productions on the boards, Broadway grossed $33,859,988 for the week ending January 15, down about 9% from the previous week when

Madonna has announced a major world tour marking her 40th anniversary, including a show at London’s O2 Arena. The announcement comes after weeks of speculation the Queen of Pop had been planning something big to celebrate her career since the release of her self-titled debut album, which launched her on the path to stardom with

Kevin Spacey has picked up a lifetime achievement award in Italy – days after appearing in court in the UK to deny allegations of sexual assault. In his first official speaking engagement since the #MeToo-era allegations came to light, the 63-year-old visited the city of Turin where he was honoured with an award for contributing

Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida has died at the age of 95, according to ANSA news agency. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s, playing opposite Hollywood stars including Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra. Image: Lollobrigida with Tony Curtis in Trapeze, in 1956.

Hollywood actor Richard E Grant and TV presenter Alison Hammond have been announced as the hosts of the 2023 BAFTAs. Grant, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in crime biography Can You Ever Forgive Me?, will host the 76th annual film awards ceremony at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in February.

The O2 Academy in Brixton will remain shut for three more months after two people were killed in a crowd crush. Owners Academy Music Group (AMG) said it had “reflected deeply” on the incident and had decided to stay closed regardless of an impending licensing decision by the local council. Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23,

Is there still a space on screens for films that make light of incredibly serious topics, just for a laugh? Well, the cast of a new Sky film seem to think so. There are referrals to depictions of sexual assault further into this article. Click to subscribe to Backstage wherever you get your podcasts The

An image has been released of actress Marisa Abela starring as Amy Winehouse in an upcoming film about the singer. Abela, who has starred in BBC Two series Industry and Sky One drama COBRA, is due to start filming the biopic, called Back To Black, next week – which is named after the artist’s famous

Nicolas Cage has said he is “heartbroken” by the death of Lisa Marie Presley, as it was announced his ex-wife would be buried at the Graceland mansion she inherited from her father Elvis. The 54-year-old died in hospital following a cardiac arrest at her home in Calabasas, California, on Thursday. It came less than three

Kevin Spacey has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges at Southwark Crown Court in south London. Appearing via videolink under his full name – Kevin Spacey Fowler – the two-time Oscar winner wore a pink tie, a light blue shirt and black blazer for Friday’s hearing. The 63-year-old spoke to formally enter his pleas

Singer Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of rock and roll legend Elvis, has died, her mother has said in a statement. The 54-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest at her home in Calabasas, California, on Thursday morning. Her mother, Priscilla Presley, said: “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news

Tony Award nominee Ato Blankson-Wood (Slave Play) will take on the title role of Hamlet this summer, starring in the Public Theater’s extended, nine-week Free Shakespeare in the Park production at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Kenny Leon will direct. Previews begin Thursday, June 8, with an official opening on Wednesday, June 28. The

Blue singer Lee Ryan has been found guilty of the racially aggravated assault of a female cabin crew member on a British Airways flight. It comes following an incident on a journey from Glasgow to London in July last year. The court heard that the singer was “slurring his words and staggering around” after drinking

Legendary rock guitarist Jeff Beck, known for his work with The Yardbirds, has died at the age of 78. A family statement posted on the musician’s official Twitter account read: “It is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing. “After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away

Barry Grove will step down as the Executive Producer of Manhattan Theatre Club, a major Broadway and Off Broadway institution, at the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season. In his 48 years collaborating with MTC’s founder and Artistic Director Lynne Meadow, Grove has been a driving force in the production of nearly 450 American and world

Hollywood stars have returned to the Golden Globes in force – but host Jerrod Carmichael wasted no time addressing the diversity controversy that has overshadowed the awards. On a night that saw big wins for TV shows The White Lotus, Abbott Elementary and House Of The Dragon – with The Banshees of Inisherin and Steven

Prince Harry’s autobiography is the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever, recording figures of 400,000 copies so far across hardback, ebook and audio formats on its first day of publication. Larry Finlay, managing director of Transworld Penguin Random House, said: “We always knew this book would fly but it is exceeding even our most bullish expectations. “As

Parade, the Jason Robert Brown-Alfred Uhry musical revived at New York City Center in November starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond will move to Broadway, following the successful recent path of City Center’s Into The Woods. The limited engagement, revealed in a tweet this morning, will begin Feb. 21 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre,