There have been rumors buzzing about Ralph Fiennes’ return to the London stage (and to Shakespeare) for months. However, the speculation was about whether he’d be coming back to have another crack at Hamlet. It’s an earlier Shakespeare play, though, that has proved the hook: Julius Caesar.

Fiennes will play Mark Antony. His previous Shakespeare bows have included Edmond in King Lear, Troilus in Troilus and Cressida and the title role in Henry VI for the Royal Shakespeare Company and, elsewhere, Hamlet, Coriolanus and Richard II. His film career embraces hits, including “Schindler’s List,” “The English Patient” and “Red Dragon.”

Alan Rickman assumes directorial duties for the one-woman show My Name Is Rachel Corrie about an American protester who was caught in the middle of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle. Megan Dodds plays Corrie, in the Theatre Downstairs beginning April 7 (with opening night on April 14).

British actor Ben Whishaw will play Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a man born with no odor but a super-refined sense of smell who becomes a scent-maker and eventually resorts to murder to extract elements to create the ultimate fragrance.

Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman are also squaring up to co-star, said Martin Moszkowicz of the $66 million project's German producer Constantin Film. Tykwer co-wrote the screenplay with Constantin founder Bernd Eichinger. Following his 1998 international breakthrough, he went on to direct the 2002 film "Heaven," starring Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi.

Comic Victoria Wood has said she and actress Julie Walters will share the role of cleaning lady Mrs Overall in her stage musical of Acorn Antiques.
The original stars - Walters, Celia Imrie and Duncan Preston - will recreate their roles from the spoof soap opera first seen on TV in 1985.

Walters said the hardest thing about the role was learning how to tap-dance. "I nearly kicked myself to death," she said. "Apart from that I just thought what a great pleasure it is going to be. "It's a fun job and it will be great getting together with everyone again." Walters admitted she was getting increasingly like Mrs Overall as she got older. "I'm getting the physique, the posture and just looking older. I'm also forgetting the lines more," she said. Wood said Walters had been signed up to play Mrs Overall for the first 16-weeks of the run. "After that it will be like the hunt for Scarlett O'Hara to replace her," she added.