Chichester Festival Theatre Announces Winter 2011 Season
September 1, 2011
Following its highly successful Festival 2011, Chichester Festival Theatre’s Winter season features distinguished actors, award-winning companies, and acclaimed writers and directors. High quality drama remains at the heart of the season, and there is also opera, dance, comedy, music and shows for children and young people, including an enchanting adaptation of a classic story for Christmas.
One of Alan Bennett’s biggest successes, THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III, plays in the Festival Theatre from 14 – 19 November. This epic production weaves drama, politics and humour into a vivid portrait of English history. David Haig plays the title role, returning to the Festival Theatre following his highly praised performance in Festival 2010’s Yes, Prime Minister. The production is directed by Christopher Luscombe and the cast also includes Clive Francis, Beatie Edney and Madhav Sharma.
Opening the season in the Minerva Theatre from 1 – 5 November is THE WILD BRIDE, the new production by Kneehigh on Tour. This follows their sell-out production of The Red Shoes in 2010. The company combines inventive storytelling with humour and music to tell the tale of a heroine forced into the wilderness after being sold to the Devil.
Also returning to the Minerva Theatre from 15 – 26 November are Frantic Assembly, who showcase their stunning physicality in LOVESONG, a play which intertwines a couple in their 20s with the same man and woman a lifetime later. Writer Abi Morgan has won acclaim for her recent BBC 2 drama The Hour. This production reunites her with Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett, who will direct and choreograph, following their previous work together on Tiny Dynamite.
Popular actor and virtuoso storyteller Simon Callow brings to life two one-man plays by Charles Dickens, DR MARIGOLD AND MR CHOPS. Adapted by Patrick Garland, the plays tell of a travelling salesman who adopts a girl, and a freak show performer who wins the lottery and a place in society. The production runs in the Festival Theatre from 21 – 26 November.
BASKET CASE is a new comedy about an unreliable charmer, played by Nigel Havers, his ex-wife and their family friend. The play is staged in the Festival Theatre from 28 November – 3 December. The cast also features Christine Kavanaugh, David Cardy and Graham Seed, best known as Nigel Pargetter in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers, until his character’s recent untimely death.
Following its hugely successful premiere in Festival 2010, a West End transfer and sell out tour, the acclaimed production of YES, PRIME MINISTER returns to the Festival Theatre from 26 January – 4 February. The much-loved BBC hit series is reimagined for the stage by original writers Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Prime Minister Jim Hacker, played by Graham Seed (The Archers’ Nigel Pargetter, returning to the Festival Theatre for the second time in the Winter season) and his Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby, played by Michael Simkins (Mamma Mia, Above Suspicion), are back facing a country in financial meltdown.
More humour is on offer in the Minerva Theatre from 29 November – 3 December in THE DEBT COLLECTORS, written and directed by John Godber. This new play depicts two out of work actors forced into the world of debt recovery – a job they despise, but are made for.
Love, laughter and lunacy are in evidence in a magical new version of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM in the Minerva Theatre from 5 – 10 December. Theatre Company Filter will mix music, sound and video with stylised physical movement to create this innovative new production, with music and sound from The London Snorkelling Team.
The festive season will be celebrated in style at the CHRISTMAS CONCERTS in the Festival Theatre from 5 – 10 December. The Choir of Chichester Cathedral and The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines (Royal Band) Portsmouth will be joined by Close Company, and students from local schools, for a programme of music, carols, readings and poems, all compiled and presented by actor and director Philip Franks. A special guest is to be announced.
The festive mood continues with an enthralling adaptation of THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE by C S Lewis, dramatised by Adrian Mitchell, directed by Dale Rooks and designed by Simon Higlett. This delightful production, staged by Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, will feature original music by Matthew Scott, enchanting puppetry by Toby Olié, with costume design by Amy Jackson. The production runs from 17 – 31 December in the Festival Theatre.
Other children’s shows include SNOW PLAY (12 – 15 December), GREAT GRAN’S GREAT GAMES (13 and 14 January) and RING A DING DING (7 – 11 February), all in the Minerva Theatre.
Family entertainment is also on offer in a new musical production of SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS by Helen Edmundson, writer of Coram Boy and Neil Hannon from The Divine Comedy, based on the much-loved book by Arthur Ransome. This delightful story of an idyllic childhood is directed by Tom Morris, whose credits include the international smash hit War Horse. It is presented by The Children’s Touring Partnership following their acclaimed production of Goodnight Mister Tom last year. This production is staged in the Festival Theatre from 17 – 21 January.
One of Russia’s most successful and popular touring companies, Moscow City Ballet, return to showcase their talents with productions of THE NUTCRACKER and ROMEO AND JULIET in the Festival Theatre from 3 – 8 January.
Contemporary dance is staged by Probe who present MAY in the Minerva Theatre on 1 February. This darkly humourous story of modern day romance is told in dance, text and song, directed by Pete Shenton and written by Tim Crouch. There will also be a preview of work from Mapdance’s 2012 programme in the Minerva Theatre on 18 January.
Carl Rosa Opera return with IOLANTHE, Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic depiction of class and the political system, in which the topsy-turvy world of Parliament is invaded by fairies. The production runs in the Festival Theatre from 13 – 18 February.
Other musical offerings include the BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA CHICHESTER SEASON (5 and 24 February), MINGUS PROFILES SEXTET (20 January), PIAF – THE SONGS (21 January), ZOE RAHMAN (27 January), RICHARD DURRANT (28 January), FASCINATING AÏDA (9 February) and the THREE PHANTOMS (10 and 11 February).
Roots Around the World return with Britain’s ‘First Lady of Folk’ JULIE FELIX on 19 January and THE BRITFOLK FOOTPRINT featuring Oysterband, June Tabor and special guests on 7 February.
Other one-night-only performances include LAUGH AND BE HAPPY, where Peter Polycarpou and guests reprises the songs and music of Randy Newman on 27 October, THE 3RD OPEN ART LECTURE, MY LIFE IN A SPIN, offering the opportunity to join Tim Marlow (White Cube Director of Exhibitions) in conversation with Frank Dunphy (Manager to Damien Hirst) in the Minerva Theatre on 11 December for a unique insight into the life of leading artists. PAULA PRYKE: A LIFE IN FLOWERS showcases her talents in the Minerva Theatre on 3 February, and THE VIRGINIA MONOLOGUES offers a gently humourous insight into growing older disgracefully, written and performed by Virginia Ironside, and directed by Nigel Planer in the Minerva Theatre on 4 February.
GetComedy.com present a night of BELLY LAUGHS LIVE on 8 February – line up TBC.
Release issued by: Chichester Festival Theatre
LINKS
OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Comedy Winners
June 14, 2010
OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Comedy Winners
Best New Comedy
2010 The Priory
2009 God of Carnage
2008 Rafta Rafta
2007 John Buchan’s The 39 Steps adapted by Patrick Barlow from an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon
2006 Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras translated by Tom Stoppard
Best Comedy
2003 The Lieutenant Of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh
2002 The Play What I Wrote by Hamish McColl, Sean Foley and Eddie Braben
2001 Stones In His Pockets by Marie Jones
2000 The Memory Of Water by Shelagh Stephenson
1999 Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle And Dick by Terry Johnson
1998 Popcorn by Ben Elton
1997 Art by Yasmina Reza
1996 Mojo by Jez Butterworth
1995 My Night With Reg by Kevin Elyot
1994 Hysteria by Terry Johnson
1993 The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright
1992 La Bête by David Hirson
1991 Out Of Order by Ray Cooney
1989/90 Single Spies by Alan Bennett
1988 Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell
1987 Three Men On A Horse by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott
1986 When We Are Married by J.B. Priestley
1985 A Chorus Of Disapproval by Alan Ayckbourn
1984 Up’N’Under by John Godber
1983 Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan
1982 Noises Off by Michael Frayn
1981 Steaming by Nell Dunn
1980 Educating Rita by Willy Russell
1979 Middle Age Spread by Roger Hall
1978 Filumena by Eduardo de Filippo, adapted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
1977 Privates On Parade by Peter Nichols
1976 Donkey’s Years by Michael Frayn
Best Comedy Performance
1995 Niall Buggy for Dead Funny
1994 Griff Rhys Jones for An Absolute Turkey
1993 Simon Cadell for Travels With My Aunt
1992 Desmond Barrit for The Comedy Of Errors
1991 Alan Cumming for Accidental Death Of An Anarchist
1989/90 Michael Gambon for Man Of The Moment
1988 Alex Jennings for Too Clever By Half
1987 John Woodvine for The Henrys
1986 Bill Fraser for When We Are Married
1985 Michael Gambon for A Chorus Of Disapproval
1984 Maureen Lipman for See How They Run
1983 Griff Rhys Jones for Charley’s Aunt
1982 Geoffrey Hutchings for Poppy
1981 Rowan Atkinson for Rowan Atkinson in Revue
1980 Beryl Reid for Born In The Gardens
1979 Barry Humphries for A Night With Dame Edna
1978 Ian McKellen for The Alchemist
1977 Denis Quilley for Privates On Parade
1976 Penelope Keith for Donkey’s Years
