The former Manchester United hero has already been active as an actor in the busy movie scene of France, with such titles under his belt as Le bonheur est dans le pr?, Les enfants du marais, L’Outremangeur, Les Clefs de bagnole, Une belle histoire and several others.

This time, the former football champ has set his sights on the Paris stage with the play Face au Paradis (Faced with Paradise) which is directed by his wife, Rachida Brakni.

Cantona is said to be taking on a highly demanding role which will surely fall under the ever difficult and discriminating eyes of the critics.

The footballer turned actor said that he loves passion and wants to try new things and to feel like he’s flirting with danger.

He said that he always had the same goal: “to play and feel pleasure. To enjoy it you need confidence, and that comes only from a lot of work.”

Face au Paradis (Faced with Paradise) is a new work by a young playwright, Nathalie Saugeon. Cantona and fellow actor Lorant Deutsch find themselves buried in rubble, the only survivors under a collapsed building.

He said that he had things to prove to himself but none to prove to others.

In the play, Cantona portrays a man trapped under the concrete slabs of a collapsed building.

Cantona was part of Manchester United for nearly five years, with which he won four Premiere League titles and 2 FA Cups.

Winehouse, was given common assault and public order offence charges.

The performer is scheduled for a court appearance on January 20 where she will face Milton Keynes Magistrates.

Apparently having disrupted a performance of Cinderella in a theatre, Winehouse is accused of having hit the 27-year-old manager of the venue.

Thames Valley Police formally arrested the talented singer on Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of public order and assault.

A representative for the Thames Valley Police Force explained that a Hertfordshire female resident has received charges relative to an assault which had occurred on Saturday night at Milton Keynes Theatre.

The police spokesperson said that Amy Civil (Amy Winehouse) voluntarily walked into Milton Keynes police station in the company of her legal advisor at 1.15pm on Wednesday.

Winehouse has been followed closely in the media mostly because of her involvement with her ex-husband and convict Blake Fielder-Civil, something which infuriates her father.

Her drug and alcohol issues have become somewhat part of the British cultural landscape. Earlier this week, Winehouse has been listed by British betting company Paddy Power has the second likeliest world celebrity to sustain legal troubles stemming from drug use or drug possession. They gave the star 5 to 1 odds, in second place behind Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty, who was given 8 to 11 odds.

The concrete theatre of Sheffield, the Crucible, is very likely to reopen in February following extensive renovation that will provide a more welcoming and comfortable venue for theatre goers.

The theatre’s new artistic director, Daniel Evans, announced a re-launch programme that will feature Sam Shepard’s True West, the regional premiere of Polly Stenham’s That Face plus a local take of Alice in Wonderland.

Evans became better known 12 years ago, playing the role of Peter Pan at the National Theatre and more recently was the winner of an Olivier for his role in Sunday in the Park With George.

The new director is stepping into some large shoes. His predecessors include Michael Grandage, who attracted stars such as Joseph Fiennes and Kenneth Branagh during his stay in Sheffield. Sam West also directed the company and left because of the theatre’s renovation plans.

Evans takes on artistic control of the Crucible, its studio plus the much larger Victorian 1,000-seat Lyceum which plays host to West End tours, operas, and pantos. Evans said he wished to connect all three venues by featuring work based on one author in coming seasons.

This building is the second Lyric on the same site. The first one was built in the 60s, at the cost of £80,000.

The new theatre, at a budget of £17.85m, will be ready for opening in 2011 and even if construction is now underway, there’s still an additional £800,000 to be raised to finish the building.

Before the original Lyric was constructed its founders, Mary and Pearse O’Malley who were huge fans of W.B.Yeats, used to stage plays in their home on the Lisburn Road.

In 1952 the couple bought a larger house on Derryvolgie Avenue and a small auditorium capable of seating 50 spectators was built from the stables in the rear of the property.

At that time, Mr Heaney was a regular at the Derryvolgie house as junior member of a tribe of up and coming poets.

Mt Heaney said that it used to be a small and intimate place. He added that it was the kind of theatre that Yeats wanted.

He claimed that theatre may not be capable to prevent society’s malign development, but it resolutely works against them.

Upon the construction of the original Lyric In 1965, Mr Heaney had taken the opportunity to recite a new piece, Peter Street at Bankside, a poem specially penned for when the foundation stone was to be laid. A stanza from this work has been engraved in the Threshold Stone, which will decorate the entrance to the new theatre.

Nelson McCausland, claimed the Ministry for the Arts had contributed more than £9m for the new theatre.

He said that this will take part to a cultural renaissance.

Figures released recently by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) indicate that spectator attendances for 2009 so far are up by 2.5% on the same period in 2008. Earnings are also greater with an increase of 3.5% at the box office, bucking the economic crisis which is presently affecting so many other sectors.

Musicals appear to still draw the great majority of the West End’s theatregoers, but plays have benefited from resurgence this year, with nearly two million spectators enjoying a night a the theatre in the first six months of the year, jumping over by 19% the 2008 play attendance.

“Today’s figures are a real cause for celebration,” said SOLT Chief Executive Richard Pulford, “not just for the theatre industry, but for the London economy generally. At a time of economic uncertainty, it’s marvellous that people aren’t retreating into their shells. Instead, they’re choosing to come together in our theatres to be entertained, challenged and uplifted.”

SOLT President Nica Burns also commented on the news: “Why are we doing so well? We’ve got some great shows at the moment; basically, it’s as simple as that. I’m particularly thrilled that plays are thriving as their demise has been regularly reported in the past. Today, the play is alive and well and living in the West End alongside our brilliant musicals and our world-class dance and opera. There’s nowhere in the world that matches London for the breadth and quality of its theatre.”

London’s theatre lovers were drawn to the world’s theatre capital by the varied range of shows on offer during the first six months of 2009. Including Waiting For Godot, Madame De Sade, Hamlet, Phèdre and A Doll’s House, there has been a play for everyone in 2009.

We would like to thank www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk for quotes used in this article.

For the next few weeks, three of Norwich’s parks will be alive with lots of fun with outdoor theatre, music events, family activity sessions and sports sessions.

This summer, there’s still three very different shows which can tickle the fancy of your little ones: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, Raisa and the Baba Yaga, and Pass the Bucket.

Events manager for Norwich City Council Helen Selleck, said: “I think one of the attractions of outdoor theatre is that you are not confined to a building and if you don’t want to stay you can go, its pretty relaxed, with no airs and graces.”

Here’s a detailed schedule for all the activities presented in the three parks:

THEATRE

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse – August 14, 3pm, Waterloo Park, August 15, 3pm, Castle Green, August 16, 11am, Eaton Park.
Raisa and the Baba Yaga, August 21, 3pm, Waterloo Park, August 22, 3pm, Castle Green, August 23, 11am, Eaton Park.
Pass the buck-et – August 28, 3pm, Waterloo Park, August 29, 3pm, Castle Green, August 30, 11am, Eaton Park.

KIDS ACTIVITIES

KidZones are on Wednesdays throughout the holidays from 11am to 4pm
August 12 – Waterloo Park, Catton
August 19 – Eaton Park, North Earlham
August 26 – Sloughbottom Park

BANDSTAND CONCERTS

August 16 – Cawston Band, Eaton Park
September 27 – Bandstand Marathon, Chapelfield Gardens

We would like to thank www.eveningnews24.co.uk for quotes used in this article.

This year festival goers have a huge 399 performances or 118 different shows to choose from. The festival boasts an array of creative, alternative and exciting events such as stand up comedy, kids shows, musicals, dance performances and much more.

Camden Fringe events will take place in 4 venues this year the Roundhouse being added to the three venues from last year- Camden People’s Theatre, Etcetera Theatre and The Camden Head. Just some of the numerous inventive and eclectic events to be found at Camden fringe this year include stand-up, children’s shows, storytelling, poetry, musicals and dance.

The fringe festival has been most well known in previous years for its hilarious comedy acts and this year is expected to be no different with over thirty comedy shows to catch. The shows involve a mix of acts from established comedic names such as Robin Inch to new young up and coming stars.

The Camden fringe also has over 60 theatre shows to entertain you. Listings of all shows and events taking place during the festival can be found on the Camden Fringe Festival website.

Thanks to www.visitlondon.com for the quotes above. For more information visit their website.

The cast of the popular show celebrated the anniversary on the 25th of July, which makes the musical the longest-running show in the history of the Piccadilly theatre. Grease began its current run in 2007 after the reality TV search for actors to play the leads in the show. The reality TV show drew in large audiences and eventually Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden were chosen to play Danny and Sandy in the West- end production. Since then, almost 750,000 people have enjoyed the musical which is set in the 1950’s.

The musical tells the story of a high school love affair between a bad boy and a sweet girl and was written early in the 70s; however it wasn’t until 1978 that it became one of the most popular musicals ever when the film was made which starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.

Ray Quinn, who is famous from acting in Brookside, reaching the X- factor final and winning Dancing on Ice, originally played Doody when the musical first appeared, however he rejoined the cast as Danny in May 2009. Interestingly Ray’s real girlfriend Emma Stevens plays Sandy in the hit show. Quinns fans will be happy to have the chance to see hime perfeorm over the next few months.

See the website http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk for further information on this story.