Sweeney Todd starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton to play West End in March

Production photos: Sweeney Todd starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton

Production photos of Sweeney Todd at the Chichester Festival Theatre starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton

Chichester’s 2011 festival closes this year with a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical Sweeney Todd.

Leading the cast are two of British Theatre’s biggest names, with distinguished musical performer Michael Ball and Oscar-nominated actress Imelda Staunton starring in the show.

The deliciously dark musical depicts Sweeney Todd’s savage quest for justice and retribution after years of false imprisonment. Aided and abetted by the pie-shop owner, Mrs Lovett, he sets out to avenge the wrongs done to him and his family. Combining a gory sensibility with elements of English music hall, the production offers a fascinating portrait of a man driven to madness by injustice and grief.

Michael Ball plays Sweeney Todd in the show, joined by Imelda Staunton as Mrs Lovett.

The show is directed by Jonathan Kent and designed by Anthony Ward, and runs at Chichester until 5 November 2011.

Photos by Roy Tan.

LINKS

Chichester Theatre website

West End Production: Book tickets to Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi Theatre starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton

Singin’ in the Rain tickets at the Palace Theatre starring Adam Cooper, Daniel Crossley and Scarlett Strallen

Following its critically-acclaimed, sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre, Singin’ in the Rain will be making a splash at London’s Palace Theatre from February 2012. Based on one of the world’s best-loved films, this joyous show stars Adam Cooper, Daniel Crossley and Scarlett Strallen.

Michael Ball And Imelda Staunton In Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Chichester’s Festival 2011 closes with Sweeney Todd, the musical commonly acknowledged to be Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece, in a cast led by distinguished musical performer Michael Ball and Oscar-nominated actress Imelda Staunton.

Set in nineteenth century London and laced with Sondheim’s characteristically brilliant wit and dark humour, the musical depicts Sweeney Todd’s savage quest for justice and retribution after years of false imprisonment. Aided and abetted by the pie-shop owner, Mrs Lovett, he sets out to avenge the wrongs done to him and his family. Combining a gory sensibility with elements of English music hall, the production offers a fascinating portrait of a man driven to madness by injustice and grief.

Michael Ball plays Sweeney Todd. His theatre credits include Hairspray, Les Misérables, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Passion, Aspects of Love, The Woman in White and The Phantom of the Opera. He made his English National Opera debut as Hajj/Poet in Kismet and in 2005 he made his debut with the New York City Opera as Reginald Bunthrone in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience. Ball co-produced Chichester Festival 2010’s West End transfer of Love Story. He also has a successful recording career, and released his eighteenth album, Heroes, and completed a nationwide tour earlier this year.
More follows

Imelda Staunton plays Mrs Lovett. Her theatre credits include A Delicate Balance at the Almeida Theatre, the West End production of Entertaining Mr Sloane, Life x 3 (National Theatre and The Old Vic) and Guys and Dolls (National Theatre). Film credits include the Harry Potter series, Taking Woodstock, and the title role in Vera Drake, for which she received BAFTA, European Film and Venice Film Festival Awards, as well as an Oscar nomination. Television credits include Psychoville and Cranford.

John Bowe plays Judge Turpin. His credits include the West End production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Lady from the Sea and Heartbreak House (Almeida Theatre), Edward Bond’s Lear (RSC and European tour) and Saint Joan (The Old Vic).

Peter Polycarpou plays Beadle Bamford. He was last seen at Chichester in Festival 2010’s Love Story, which later transferred to the West End. His other credits include the West End productions of Les Misérables, Miss Saigon and The Secret Garden, Oklahoma! for the National Theatre, and the popular BBC sitcom, Birds of a Feather.

The cast also features Robert Burt, Luke Brady, Lucy May Barker, Daniel Graham, Gillian Kirkpatrick, James McConville and Simeon Truby. The ensemble includes Valda Aviks, Will Barratt, Josie Benson, Emily Bull, John Coates, Robine Landi, Brian McCann, Tim Morgan, Aoife Nally, Adam Pearce, Vincent Pirillo, Wendy Somerville, Anton Stephans, Kerry Washington and Annabelle Williams.

Stephen Sondheim’s credits as composer/lyricist include Road Show, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, Company, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, Into The Woods and Assassins. He also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy. His film credits include Reds and Dick Tracy, for which he won an Oscar. He has also received numerous Tony and Grammy Awards and a Pulitzer Prize.

Jonathan Kent’s credits include Chichester Festival 2010’s A Month in the Country. His recent work includes the National Theatre production of Oedipus starring Ralph Fiennes, and The Fairy Queen at Glyndebourne. Kent was joint Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre where his work included When We Dead Awaken, All For Love, Medea, The School For Wives and Gangster No.1. Other theatre credits include Le Cid, Mother Courage and Her Children and The False Servant, all for the National Theatre.

Design is by Anthony Ward whose credits include Festival 2011’s She Loves Me, ENRON (Festival 2010 and 09), Macbeth (Festival 07), Posh at the Royal Court, as well as West End productions of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Oliver! and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He has won a Tony Award for Costume Design for Mary Stuart, and Olivier Awards for the Set Design of Oklahoma! and the Costume Design of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, La Grande Magia and The Way of the World.

Choreographer is Denni Sayers whose credits include Don Giovanni (Glyndebourne), Ibsen’s Emperor and Galilean and Oedipus (National Theatre), Parsifal and The Flying Dutchman (ENO), Cyrano de Bergerac, Carmen, Paul Bunyan and The Bartered Bride (all for ROH).

Lighting Design is by Mark Henderson whose credits include A Month in the Country (Festival 2010), ENRON (Festival 2010 and 09, the Royal Court Theatre, West End, Broadway and tour), West End productions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Iceman Cometh, Copenhagen, Hamlet and The Real Thing (all also on Broadway), All My Sons, Mourning Becomes Electra, The History Boys and The Habit of Art (National Theatre).

The musical director is Nicholas Skilbeck whose credits include West End productions of Sister Act, Hairspray, Billy Elliott – The Musical, Mamma Mia! and Cats.

Orchestration is by Jonathan Tunick whose credits include Road Show, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Into the Woods, Passion, A Chorus Line, The Color Purple and Nine.

Sound design is by Paul Groothuis whose credits include Festival 2011’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead; His Dark Materials, Edmond, Henry V and A Streetcar Named Desire (all for the National Theatre), Anything Goes, My Fair Lady and All My Sons (National Theatre and West End), as well as the West End productions of Children’s Hour and Flare Path.

Sweeney Todd is at Chichester Festival Theatre from 24 September – 5 November, 7.30pm (except Press Night Thursday 6 October, 7.00pm), matinees 2.15pm. Tickets £10 – £28 (University of Chichester Previews), £13 – £33 (Previews/Press Night) and £14 – £38 (Evenings/Matinees) are available online at www.cft.org.uk or from the Box Office on 01243 781312.
Age guideline: 12+

Join Jonathan Kent in conversation on how his production of Sweeney Todd has been staged at Chichester. This free pre-show talk is on Tuesday 4 October at 6.00pm in the Steven Pimlott Building.
After Words – join some of the Sweeney Todd cast and creative team for a post-show discussion on Thursday 13 October.

Release issued by: Chichester Theatre

LINKS

Chichester Theatre website

West End Production: Book tickets to Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi Theatre starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West End Transfer For Max Stafford-Clark’s Critically Acclaimed New Production Of Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls

SONIA FRIEDMAN PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS OUT OF JOINT & CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE PRODUCTION AT THE TRAFALGAR STUDIOS

Max Stafford-Clark’s new production of Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls is to transfer to the Trafalgar Studios following its critically acclaimed, sell-out run at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester. Top Girls, produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions, will run at the Trafalgar Studios from 5 August – 15 October 2011 with press night on 16 August 2011. Designs are by Tim Shortall with lighting by Jason Taylor, sound by Ian Dickinson and video design by Finn Ross. Stafford-Clark’s Out of Joint/ Chichester Festival Theatre co-production reunites him with producer Sonia Friedman, with whom he co-founded Out of Joint Theatre Company in 1993.

The cast is Stella Gonet, Suranne Jones, Catherine McCormack, Lucy Briers, Laura Elphinstone, Lisa Kerr and Olivia Poulet.
It’s Thatcher’s England and hard-nosed, go-getting businesswoman Marlene is hosting a dinner party to celebrate her promotion to MD of the Top Girls Employment Agency. Her guests – all powerful women from myth and history – make for an extraordinary gathering. A provocative study of success, and what happens to those who get left behind.

Stella Gonet plays Isabella Bird/Joyce/Mrs Kidd. Her television credits include the drama series The House of Eliott and Holby City as well as Mo Mowlam, and Persuasion. Her theatre credits include Racing Demon, Skylight, Hamlet and The Voysey Inheritance for the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Measure For Measure, Three Sisters and The Revenger’s Tragedy and Women, Power and Politics for the Tricycle Theatre.

Suranne Jones plays businesswoman Marlene. She has most recently been seen on television as DC Bailey in the new ITV1 detective series Scott and Bailey, playing opposite Lesley Sharp. Her other television credits include Vincent, Unforgiven, Five Days and Single Father as well as the role of Karen McDonald in Coronation Street which she played for over four years. Her stage credits include A Few Good Men in the West End, the touring production of Terms of Endearment and Blithe Spirit at the Royal Exchange Theatre.
Catherine McCormack plays Lady Nijo/Win. McCormack’s screen credits include Braveheart, Dangerous Beauty, Spy Game and 28 Weeks Later. Her theatre credits include an Olivier Award nominated performance in All My Sons, Honor and Dinner all for the National Theatre, the West End production of The 39 Steps, The Lady from Dubuque at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and A Doll’s House and The Portrait of a Lady for the Theatre Royal Bath and the Rose Theatre Kingston.

Lucy Briers plays Pope Joan/Louise. Her theatre credits include Behud for Soho Theatre, Bedroom Farce and Miss Julie for the Rose Theatre, Kingston, Ivanov at the Donmar and Wyndham’s Theatres, Some Kind of Bliss at the Trafalgar Studios, The Voysey Inheritance for the National Theatre and Cloud Nine, Teeth ‘n’ Smiles and Don Juan for Sheffield Theatres. Her many television credits include the role of Mary Bennet in the adaptation of Pride and Prejudice as well as The Night Watch, Einstein and Eddington and Silent Witness.

Laura Elphinstone plays Patient Griselda/Nell. Elphinstone’s credits include A Month in the Country for Chichester Festival Theatre, Tom and Viv at the Almeida Theatre, Pains of Youth for the National Theatre, Breathing Corpses and Country Music for the Royal Court. Her film and television credits include The History Boys and Tess of the D’Urbevilles.

Lisa Kerr plays the Waitress/Kit/Shona. Her credits include the Out of Joint productions of The Big Fellah for the Lyric Hammersmith and on tour, Andersen’s English for Hampstead Theatre and Mixed Up North for the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, Wilton’s Music Hall and on tour.

Olivia Poulet plays Dull Gret/Angie/Jeanine. Her credits include recent roles in the television comedy The Thick of It, as well as the film In The Loop.

As well as Top Girls, Caryl Churchill’s plays include Cloud Nine, Serious Money, Far Away and A Number.

Max Stafford-Clark returns to Top Girls having directed its world premiere at the Royal Court in 1982. He was Artistic Director of the Royal Court from 1979 – 1993 and of the Traverse Theatre Edinburgh from 1968 – 1970. He co-founded the Joint Stock Theatre Group in 1974 and Out of Joint (with Sonia Friedman) in 1993. Among his directing credits are regular collaborations with writer Caryl Churchill, including Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, Cloud Nine, Serious Money and Blue Heart.

Top Girls opened at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester last month, where it runs until 16 July 2011 before its West End transfer.
Out of Joint is a theatre company acclaimed for producing and touring new writing. Under the directorship of Max Stafford-Clark it has premiered plays by David Hare, Caryl Churchill, Sebastian Barry, Timberlake Wertenbaker and many more, and launched the careers of such talents as Mark Ravenhill and Stella Feehily. The Out of Joint production of A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson will transfer to the West End in September.

Chichester Festival Theatre is one of this country’s leading producing theatres with a strong track record in commissioning and producing new plays and adaptations. Over the past five years, playwrights whose work has been premiered at Chichester include David Edgar, David Hare, Ronald Harwood, Mike Poulton, Ben Power, Lucy Prebble, Martin Sherman and Nicholas Wright.

Release issued by: Premier PR

LINKS

Sign up to our news alerts to hear about booking for Top Girls at the Trafalgar Studios

Production photos of Singin’ in the Rain at the Chichester Festival Theatre

Production photos: A brand new stage production of Hollywood classic Singin’ in the Rain has started at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

An all-star cast includes Adam Cooper, Daniel Crossley, Katherine Kingsley, Scarlett Strallen, Michael Brandon and Sandra Dickinson.

Based on the classic MGM movie, Singin’ in the Rain features a glorious score including Make ‘em Laugh, Good Morning, Moses Supposes and, of course, Singin’ in the Rain. Directed by Chichester’s Artistic Director Jonathan Church, the show stars Michael Brandon as film boss R. F Simpson, Sandra Dickinson as Dora, Katherine Kingsley as Lina Lamont, Adam Cooper as Don Lockwood, Daniel Crossley as Cosmo Brown and Scarlett Strallen as Kathy Selden.

Singin’ in the Rain is at Chichester Festival Theatre from 27 June to 10 September 2011.

Photos by Roy Tan.

LINKS

Chichester Festival Theatre website

Pygmalion – Round-up of Reviews

Reviews round-up of Pymalion at the Garrick Theatre, starring Rupert Everett, Kara Tointon and Diana Rigg.

Following a sell-out run in Chichester, George Bernard Shaw’s classic play Pygmalion comes to town starring Rupert Everett as egocentric Professor Henry Higgins and Kara Tointon (EastEnders) as Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle.

Read a round-up of Pygmalion reviews, below.

LINKS

Book tickets to Pygmalion at the Garrick Theatre in London

First Look Photos: She Loves Me at Chichester starring Joe McFadden and Dianne Pilkington

Award-winning choreographer Stephen Mear has directed a brand new production of Broadway musical She Loves Me at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester (until 18 June 2011).

The witty and romantic show about lovelorn shop assistants stars TV heartthrob Joe McFadden (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Rent, Heartbeat) and West End leading lady Dianne Pilkington (The 39 Steps, Wicked).

The show, with a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, is directed and choreographed by Stephen Mear and designed by Anthony Ward.

The strong cast also includes Jack Chissick, Steve Elias, Matthew Goodgame, Charlotte Harwood, Joshua Lay, Gavin Mccluskey, Amanda Minihan, Danielle Morris, Zak Nemorin, Brenda Jane Newhouse, Lee Ormsby, Joseph Prouse and Amy Ellen Richardson.

Photos by Roy Tan.

LINKS

Chichester Festival Theatre website

Joe Mcfadden And Dianne Pilkington In She Loves Me

9 MAY – 18 JUNE, MINERVA THEATRE, CHICHESTER

Director and Choreographer STEPHEN MEAR
Book by JOE MASTEROFF
Music by JERRY BOCK
Lyrics by SHELDON HARNICK

Based on a play by Miklos Laszlo
Originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince
Originally produced on Broadway by Harold Prince
In association with Lawrence N Kasha and Philip C McKenna

A witty and warm-hearted musical about two lovelorn shop assistants launches Festival 2011 at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester.

She Loves Me is the delightful story of Georg and Amalia, who work in a 1930s parfumerie. Adversaries by day, at night they write ardent love letters to their anonymous sweethearts. They both fall in love with their mystery pen pals, unaware that each is the other’s secret correspondent.

The cast features Joe McFadden as Georg. Last at Chichester in Festival 05’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, his other credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Rent on stage and Heartbeat, Casualty and Cranford on television.

Dianne Pilkington plays Amalia. Her stage credits include The 39 Steps, Wicked, The Wolf Man, Taboo, Tonight’s The Night, The Beautiful Game and Les Misérables.

The musical will be directed and choreographed by Chichester Festival Theatre Associate Stephen Mear. His productions for Chichester include The Music Man and Funny Girl. Other credits include the forthcoming West End production of Betty Blue Eyes, Shoes, Mary Poppins, for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Choreography, together with Matthew Bourne, and Hello, Dolly! for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer. He has also featured as a judge on BBC 1’s So You Think You Can Dance, returning for a new series in March.

The production is designed by Anthony Ward whose previous credits include ENRON (Festival 2010 and 09), Macbeth (Festival 07), Posh at the Royal Court, as well as West End productions of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Oliver! and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He has won a Tony Award for Costume Design for Mary Stuart, and Olivier Awards for the Set Design of Oklahoma! and the Costume Design of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, La Grande Magia and The Way of the World.

Lighting design is by Chris Davey, musical direction is by Phil Bateman whose work includes Chichester Festival Youth Theatre’s production of Peter Pan, and West End credits Billy Elliott and Our House, sound design is by Matt McKenzie and orchestration is by Steven Edis.

This rare musical gem is the fifth adaptation of the play Parfumerie, which was reworked to become the 1940 film The Shop Around The Corner starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan, followed by the 1949 musical version In the Good Old Summertime featuring Judy Garland. The story also provided the inspiration for the 1998 rom-com You’ve Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

It was first staged as She Loves Me on Broadway in 1963. Both the original productions and the Broadway and West End revivals received rave reviews and numerous awards.

Writer Joe Masteroff was nominated for a 1964 Tony Award for She Loves Me. He won the 1967 Tony Award as author of the book of the Best Musical for Cabaret. Composer
Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick forged a successful partnership on a number of productions including the 1964 production of Fiddler on the Roof, for which they received a Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist. Harnick’s other credits include lyrics for the English language stage adaptation of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

She Loves Me is at the Minerva Theatre 9 May – 18 June, evenings 7.45pm except for the press night on Monday 16 May at 7pm, matinees 2.30pm. Tickets £23.50 (previews/press night) or £29.50 (evenings/matinee) are available online at www.cft.org.uk or from the Box Office on 01243 781312.

Stephen Mear, the director and choreographer of She Loves Me, will give a free pre-show talk about the challenges of turning his choreographic craft into direction on Friday 13 May at 6.00pm in the Steven Pimlott Building. Tickets should be booked in advance from the Box Office.

After Words – a free post-show discussion with some of the She Loves Me cast and creative team – will be held on Thursday 16 June.

There will be also be a talk entitled Songs of Love and Longing, on Saturday 9 July at 11.00am in the Steven Pimlott Building when Ben Hall, Head of Music at the University of Chichester listens closely to the musical connections between Singin’ in the Rain, She Loves Me and Sweeney Todd. Tickets £5, Friends and concessions £3, available from the Box Office.

Release issued by: Chichester Festival Theatre

LINKS

Chichester Festival Theatre website

Ralph Fiennes cast in Trevor Nunn’s The Tempest at the Haymarket

Trevor Nunn has cast stage and screen actor Ralph Fiennes as Prospero in his new production of The Tempest.

The play will run as part of Nunn’s first season as artistic director of the Theatre Royal Haymarket, which launched with his acclaimed new production of Terence Rattigan’s Flare Path starring Sienna Miller, Sheridan Smith and James Purefoy.

The Tempest will run from 27 August 2011 for ten weeks. Preceding this will be a transfer of the Chichester Festival Theatre’s Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead (16 June – 20 August 2011), also directed by Nunn. Tom Stoppard’s play will feature two of the stars of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys – Samuel Barnett, who stars in sitcom Beautiful People, and Jamie Parker (Valkyrie), along with stage and screen actor Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) as the Player King.

Fiennes was last seen on the London stage in 2008 in Oedipus at the National Theatre. His other stage credits include Hamlet at the Hackney Empire and on Broadway and Julius Caesar at the Barbican. His extensive film work includes starring and directing Coriolanus, Oscar nominations for The English Patient and Schindler’s List, and BAFTA nominations for The Constant Gardener and The End of the Affair. He also plays Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise and will shortly start filming the new James Bond movie, directed by Sam Mendes.

TICKETS

Book tickets to The Tempest at the Theatre Royal Haymarket starring Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes: Stage Timeline

• 1985: Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ring Round The Moon at the Open Air Theatre
• 1986: Night and Day and See How They Run at Theatr Clwyd; Me Mam Sez, Don Quixote and Cloud Nine at the Oldham Coliseum; Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Open Air Theatre
• 1987-1988: Six Characters in Search of an Author, Fathers and Sons and Ting Tang Mine at the National Theatre
• 1988 – 1991: The Plantagenets, Much Ado about Nothing, King John, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Playing with Trains, Troilus and Cressida, King Lear and Love’s Labour’s Lost at the RSC
• 1995: Hamlet at the Hackney Empire and on Broadway, for which he won a Tony Award
• 1997: Ivanov at the Almeida
• 2000: Coriolanus and Richard II at the Gainsborough Film Studios and in New York
• 2001: The Play What I Wrote at the Wyndham’s Theatre
• 2003: Brand at the RSC; The Talking Cure at the National Theatre
• 2005: Julius Caesar at the Barbican
• 2006: Faith Healer at the Gate Theatre Dublin and Broadway
• 2007: First Love at the Sydney Festival
• 2008: Oedipus at the National Theatre; God of Carnage at the Gielgud Theatre

 

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