Madonna to write album of ballads with help from Adele

Madonna has asked the 25-year-old songstress, Adele to help her write a 'grown up' album of ballads, reports the Daily Mail.

In return, queen of reinvention Madge has promised to write a song for the young songstress’ next record.

“They have met in London and plan a writing session to produce a track for each other's new albums,” a source close to 55-year-old Madonna, has said.

Dame Eileen Atkins has launched an astonishing attack on an all-male production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night for stealing work from women.

The renowned stage actress has blasted the production of the play whose plot line revolves around the female character Viola disguising herself as a man.

“I refuse to see it. It's camp rubbish,' fumed the 79-year-old. 'I'm so p***ed off with middle-aged men playing female parts in Shakespeare. It couldn't be more wrong.”

Mark Rylance's adaptation of the classsic comedy is receiving rave reviews on Broadway.


The Olivier Award-winning actor dons a dress to play the Countess Olivia, alongside Stephen Fry as Malvolio.

Variety magazine has praised its 'historical authenticity' because in the Bard's time all the actors were male.

But Dame Eileen, who has just finished starring in Beckett's All That Fall in New York, is not reportedly convinced.

She said: “When I was in New York I'd hear people on TV saying that this was exactly how it was done in Shakespeare's day.

'I would scream at the TV, “No it isn't. It was done with boys whose voices hadn't broken yet, not by middle-aged men.” 

Tonight, Dame Eileen opens her own one-woman show about Shakespeare's female characters, Ellen Terry With Eileen Atkins, at London's Sam Wanamaker Playhouse - a new indoor theatre at the Globe.

“One reason I'm doing this is that I have been missing Shakespeare,” she said. 'After your 50s there's nothing for women. We have a small enough chance as women to play Shakespeare and if even those roles are taken away to be played by men of any age, then that makes me pretty angry.

“I think it's ludicrous, this acceptance that the female parts are better played by middle-aged men.

“I wonder if it's anything to do with our weird British liking of pantomime and transvestism.”