The Victoria Palace Theatre and London underground seem to have finally come to a resolution over a proposed redevelopment of Victoria station. The project, to provide a new ticketing hall and better access has raised concerns that the works would disrupt theatre productions and prevent the theatre’s own plans for expansion.
 
On the day the public enquiry was due to start both parties managed to reach a settlement that should ensure the smooth running of the theatre and the development to the underground station. Theatre owner Stephen Waley-Cohen said,
 
“I am delighted to be able to say that we have now reached a full agreement with London Underground which enables us to withdraw our objection. The agreement does provide us with proper and satisfactory protection from settlement, that’s the risks to the building, and from noise and vibration both during the construction period and afterwards.
 
“They are not going to do construction during performance hours and they are undertaking to use techniques which they don’t believe will cause disturbance.
 
“In the event that they do find that they are wrong, they will fix it. We know that it can be very expensive to fix and they have undertaken to do that.”
 
The agreement means that the theatre’s own plans for refurbishment will now be put on hold until after the completion of the underground station in 2016.
 
 
 

The hit star of Skins and About a Boy, Nicholas Hoult is appearing in his first West End production, New Boy, alongside more seasoned veterans, Mel Giedroyc and Ciara Jansen with the production opening at the Trafalgar Studio 2 in March 2009.
 
The show has been a hit at the Edinburgh Festival and since then has toured successfully throughout the UK and even made it to off-Broadway. The play revisits the perennial theme of a schoolboy crush and the angst that that entails.

Mark thinks that with the onset of Sixth Form that this could possibly be his last chance to try and impress those around him and become more popular, more obnoxious and finally become the most knowledgeable about Gynaecology. He stumbles upon an unsuspecting ally in the form of new boy Barry who despite being annoyingly good looking is finding it hard to make friends. It would appear that everybody is afraid of Barry and Barry could indeed be Marks key to that holy grail of all schoolboy fantasies…his first shag.

New Boy opens on the 19th March 2009 following previews on the 17th of March and runs till the 11th April. New Boy is directed and adapted by Russell Labey.