A Christmas Carol at Arts Theatre starring Simon Callow

Simon Callow presents Charles Dickens’s classic tale A Christmas Carol in a magical performance that is by turns hilarious, heart-breaking, visionary, a celebration of goodness, a plea for justice and a promise of redemption.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL is the most famous book Charles Dickens ever wrote and one of the most daring. As the Ghosts spirit Scrooge from his past to his present to his future, Dickens plunges the reader cinematically from the miser’s dank and creaking house to riotous festivities, from cosy hearths to graveyards. And all the time the author’s voice, tender, savage, magisterial, is present.

In this bicentennial production, Simon Callow and Tom Cairns, have created a work of total story-telling: hilarious, heart-breaking, visionary, a celebration of goodness, a plea for justice and a promise of redemption.

Simon Callow, one of the nation’s best loved stage and screen actors, returns to Dickens after huge international success with ‘The Mystery of Charles Dickens’ (West End and Broadway), ‘Dr Marigold and Mr Chops’ and ‘Being Shakespeare’.

Chichester Festival Theatre Announces Winter 2011 Season

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

Chichester Festival Theatre

Being Shakespeare Starring Simon Callow Opens In London At Trafalgar Studios 1 On Wednesday 22 June For A Strictly Limited Season

Simon Callow will star in BEING SHAKESPEARE at Trafalgar Studios 1, opening on Wednesday 22 June, with previews from 15 June, running until 23 July. He brings to life Shakespeare’s unforgettable characters and the real man behind the legend in this new play, which comes to the West End for a strictly limited summer season after a hugely successful tour and staging at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year.

BEING SHAKESPEARE follows Simon Callow’s major international success with The Mystery of Charles Dickens (West End and Broadway) and his London sell-out hit Dr Marigold & Mr Chops. Simon’s many films include A Room with a View, Maurice, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love and Christmas Carol: The Movie, and television includes Rome, as Charles Dickens in an episode of Doctor Who and Tom Chance in the series Chance in a Million. His latest TV appearance was in the Channel 4 series Jamie’s Dream School. His most recent stage roles include a hailed performance as Sir Toby Belch in Peter Hall’s sold out production of Twelfth Night at the National Theatre, and Pozzo in Waiting for Godot with Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Ronald Pickup. He has written biographies of Oscar Wilde, Charles Laughton and Orson Welles. His autobiography, My Life in Pieces, was published last year by Nick Hern Books and won the Sheridan Morley Prize for Theatre Biography.

BEING SHAKESPEARE is a new play written by Jonathan Bate, the pre-eminent Shakespeare biographer and editor of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Shakespeare: The Complete Works. He has just been elected Provost of Worcester College and Professor of English Literature at Oxford University and is a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company. His book, The Genius of Shakespeare (1997), is widely held as the best modern book on Shakespeare, and his most recent book, Soul of the Age: The Life, Mind and World of William Shakespeare, was published last year.

BEING SHAKESPEARE is directed by Tom Cairns, whose theatre work includes Phaedra (Donmar), All About My Mother (Old Vic) and The Odyssey and Aristocrats (National), and produced by Ambassador Theatre Group and Act Productions.

Release issued by: Amanda Malpass Media

LINKS

Being Shakespeare website

Brian Cox to reveal Frankenstein science

The National Theatre is to run a series of talks in their Platform series this winter around the new production of Frankenstein.

“Beyond Frankenstein” will see leading figures from arts and science discuss a wide range of topics around the themes and history of Mary Shelley’s original novel, Frankenstein, including discussions by TV physicist Professor Brian Cox and acclaimed biographer Claire Tomalin.

The platform series will take place in the National’s Olivier Theatre and is linked to the forthcoming stage adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel, directed by  Danny Boyle and starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller from 5 February 2011. Frankenstein will also be broadcast live to cinemas across the UK and around the world on 17 March as part of National Theatre Live.

Frankenstein on Film on 24 February will see film historian Kim Newman take a look at movie versions of the Frankenstein tale, including Hollywood’s many interpretations of Shelley’s famous create.

On 4 March, Frankenstein’s Science will feature popular TV scientist Professor Brian Cox (Wonder of the Solar System) in discussion with Romantic biographer Richard Holmes on Mary Shelley’s remarkable exploration of man’s desire to bring life to an inanimate object. They will also explore whether the notion is possible, in both the 19th century and today.

Frankenstein’s Creator: Mary Shelley on 15 March sees award-winning biographer Claire Tomalin offer a glimpse into the life of Mary Shelley. Tomalin wrote the biography of Mary’s mother Mary Wollstonecraft, and will be joined by author of Young Romantics, Daisy Hay.

Finally, Josephine Hart presents Romantic Poetry on 15 April will see the acclaimed novelist and presenter offer star-studded readings that will bring the great romantic-gothic world of Frankenstein to life in the form of the work of Shelley, Byron and their Romantic contemporaries.

In addition to the Beyond Frankenstein platforms, Frankenstein director Danny Boyle and adaptor Nick Dear will discuss their new production on 14 March 2011.

Other platforms running alongside the National’s new season include director Marianne Elliott on her new production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Christmas tale, Bill T Jones on FELA!, Ron Moody on his new memoir, Edward Petherbridge discusses his work, Nicholas Hytner explores the rehearsal process for Hamlet with members of the acting company, there will be a series of afternoon interviews with members of the companies of Twelfth Night and Hamlet, including Rory Kinnear, Clare Higgins, David Calder, Rebecca Hall and Simon Callow, and a series of “in conversations” will feature Mark Gatiss, Catherine Tate and David Troughton.

Book tickets to Frankenstein at the National Theatre

LINKS

News: Frankenstein at the National Theatre
Booking for the National Theatre’s Platforms series

OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Director Winners

OLIVIER AWARDS – Best Director Winners

Best Director

2011 Howard Davies for The White Guard
2010 Rupert Goold for Enron
2009 John Tiffany for Black Watch
2008 Rupert Goold for Macbeth
2007 Dominic Cooke for The Crucible
2006 Richard Eyre for Hedda Gabler
2005 Nicholas Hytner for The History Boys
2004 Michael Grandage for Caligula
2003 Sam Mendes for Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya
2002 Michael Boyd for Henry VI Parts I, II and III and Richard III
2001 Howard Davies for All My Sons
2000 Trevor Nunn for Summerfolk, The Merchant Of Venice and Troilus And Cressida
1999 Howard Davies for The Iceman Cometh
1998 Richard Eyre for King Lear
1997 Des McAnuff for Tommy
1996 Sam Mendes for Company and The Glass Menagerie
1989/90 Michael Bogdanov for The Wars Of The Roses
1988 Deborah Warner for Titus Andronicus
1987 Declan Donnellan for The Cid, Twelfth Night and Macbeth
1986 Bill Alexander for The Merry Wives Of Windsor
1985 Bill Bryden for The Mysteries
1984 Christopher Morahan for Wild Honey
1983 Terry Hands for Cyrano De Bergerac
1982 Richard Eyre for Guys And Dolls
1981 Peter Wood for On the Razzle
1980 Trevor Nunn and John Caird for Nicholas Nickleby
1979 Michael Bogdanov for The Taming Of The Shrew
1978 Terry Hands for Henry VI
1977 Clifford Williams for Wild Oats
1976 Jonathan Miller for The Three Sisters

Best Director of a Play

1995 Declan Donnellan for As You Like It
1994 Stephen Daldry for Machinal
1993 Stephen Daldry for An Inspector Calls
1992 Deborah Warner for Hedda Gabler
1991 David Thacker for Pericles
Best Director of a Musical
1995 Scott Ellis for She Loves Me
1994 Declan Donnellan for Sweeney Todd
1993 Nicholas Hytner for Carousel
1992 Simon Callow for Carmen Jones
1991 Richard Jones for Into The Woods