Chichester Festival Theatre announces special season for 60th anniversary

Chichester Festival Theatre has announced a roster of special events to mark its 60th anniversary season, with six world premier productions, three musicals, five new plays and three co-productions amongst others. 

Artistic Director Daniel Evans and Executive Director Kathy Bourne, announced the following: 

 Susan Stroman making her Chichester debut directing and choreographing the musical comedy CRAZY FOR YOU, with music & lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, book by Ken Ludwig; Charlie Stemp returns to Chichester to lead the cast

 LOCAL HERO, book by David Greig and music & lyrics by Mark Knopfler, based on the Bill Forsyth film, is directed by Daniel Evans

 THE FAMOUS FIVE: A New Musical, music & lyrics by Theo Jamieson, book by Elinor Cook, based on books by Enid Blyton, is directed by Tamara Harvey in a co-production with Theatr Clwyd

 New plays by Kate Mosse and Alecky Blythe open the season as previously announced: THE TAXIDERMIST’S DAUGHTER directed by Róisín McBrinn, and OUR GENERATION, a co-production with the National Theatre, directed by Daniel Evans

 THE UNFRIEND by Steven Moffat, with Amanda Abbington, Frances Barber and Reece Shearsmith, directed by Mark Gatiss

 THE NARCISSIST by Christopher Shinn, directed by Josh Seymour

 Stephen Beresford’s THE SOUTHBURY CHILD, with Alex Jennings, directed by Nicholas Hytner in a co-production with The Bridge Theatre,

 Henry Goodman plays Poirot in Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, adapted by Ken Ludwig and directed by Jonathan Church

 Nicole Charles recreates her acclaimed Chichester production of Roy Williams’s SING YER HEART OUT FOR THE LADS in the Minerva Theatre

 Alan Ayckbourn’s WOMAN IN MIND is directed by Justin Martin

 Chichester Festival Youth Theatre present Alan Bennett’s adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, with music and additional lyrics by Jeremy Sams, for Christmas

 DIGITAL STAGES uses cutting-edge technology to celebrate CFT’s history and community, including a unique VR link up with Stratford Ontario’s Festival Theatre

Other ways in which the anniversary will be marked with a Culture Spark Festival, full of family friendly shows and activities, a National Youth Conference and a new CFT Lates series for those aged 16 and over. The theatre will also be offering over 20,000 tickets for just £10.

Daniel Evans and Kathy Bourne said: "2022 marks our diamond anniversary year and our sparkling Festival Season offers no less than six world premiere productions, three musicals and a host of dramas, as well as community and digital events celebrating 60 years of CFT. Festival 2022 places compelling stories front and centre: joyful, gripping, uplifting and provocative. They teem with 21st century teenagers and 1930s showgirls; London football fans and Scottish environmentalists; Edwardian feminists fighting for justice and American politicians struggling for dominance. A celebrated sleuth, an Anglican vicar, a troubled housewife and overly-polite middle Englanders all have their battles to fight, while ‘the Famous Five’ and Mole, Ratty and Toad go seeking adventure.

"CFT was built by the community, for the community. Nobody in 1962 could have foreseen the digital revolution which has enabled that community to expand worldwide, and to participate in ways undreamt of 60 years ago. Our digital celebrations will include a unique link-up with the Festival Theatre in Stratford Ontario – a key inspiration for CFT’s unique hexagonal design – on our 60th anniversary itself. Meanwhile, audiences across the country will be able to see 2021’s South Pacific in person when it tours to ten UK and Ireland venues, as well as its run at Sadler’s Wells.

"Three Festival 2022 productions will pilot the standards set out in the Theatre Green Book, continuing our mission to make all our activities environmentally conscious. Off-stage, our events have a refreshed focus on young people’s voices, including a National Youth Conference and CFT Lates. And we are delighted to be co-producing work with the National Theatre, The Bridge Theatre and Theatr Clwyd.

"In happy serendipity, we join with our fellow cultural organisations in Chichester marking significant anniversaries this year with a district-wide festival Culture Spark. After a challenging couple of years, we are all surely in need of a celebration."

FESTIVAL 2022 PRODUCTIONS – APRIL TO OCTOBER

THE TAXIDERMIST’S DAUGHTER
Adapted for the stage by Kate Mosse. A new play based on her novel. Directed by Róisín McBrinn . 8 – 30 April, Festival Theatre 3. Press night: Tuesday 19 April.

1912. In the isolated Blackthorn House on Sussex’s Fishbourne Marshes, Connie Gifford lives with her father. His Museum of Avian Taxidermy was once legendary, but since its closure Gifford has become a broken man, taking refuge in the bottle. Robbed of her childhood memories by a mysterious accident, Connie is haunted by fitful glimpses of her past. A strange woman has been seen in the graveyard; and at Chichester’s Graylingwell Asylum, two female patients have, inexplicably, disappeared. As a major storm hits the Sussex landscape, old wounds are about to be opened as one woman, intent on revenge, attempts to liberate another from the horrifying crimes of the past. A story of retribution and justice, The Taxidermist’s Daughter is a thrilling Gothic mystery set in and around historic Chichester. This world premiere is written by Cicestrian Kate Mosse, based on her No 1 internationally best-selling novel.

Kate Mosse’s novels include The Languedoc Trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel), The Winter Ghosts and her new historical series, The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears; non-fiction includes An Extra Pair of Hands. She is Founder Director of the Women's Prize for Fiction, Founder of the global Woman in History campaign and Visiting Professor in Contemporary Fiction & Creative Writing at the University of Chichester.

The cast includes Geoff Aymer, Pearl Chanda (as Cassie), William Chubb, Tim Frances, Daisy Prosper (as Connie), Forbes Masson, Taheen Modak, Akai Osei, Alastair Parker, Raad Rawi, Howard Saddler, Posy Sterling and Connie Walker.

Róisín McBrinn is Joint Artistic Director of Clean Break; elsewhere she has directed many productions for theatres including The Abbey and Gate Theatres (Dublin), Leeds Playhouse, Sheffield Theatres, Donmar Warehouse, Bush Theatre and Sherman Theatre.

The Taxidermist’s Daughter will be designed by Paul Wills, with lighting by Prema Mehta, music, sound and musical direction by Sinéad Diskin, video design by Andrzej Goulding, movement by Chi-San Howard, fight direction by Rc-Annie and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG.

The production is sponsored by Seaward Homes.

OUR GENERATION
A new play by Alecky Blythe. Directed by Daniel Evans. A co-production with the National Theatre. 22 April – 14 May, Minerva Theatre. Press night: Tuesday 26 April. (National Theatre: running until 9 April)

You may not know them yet – but you’ll never forget them. Meet Mia, who wants to be on Jeremy Kyle. And Robyn, who wants a job. When Ayesha and her brother Ali aren’t bickering, they’re dreaming of going on Hajj or to Australia to get a tan. Lucas wants to get into Durham and get a girlfriend. Basketball holds the future for Taylor and Luan, but for Callum it’s politics. Ierum’s only allowed on her phone at the weekends; Annabella receives surprising news via Snapchat. Emily, whose dad is the housemaster, is predicted to get ten A*s. Zac has six piano concerts in five days. 4

Alecky Blythe’s panoramic new verbatim play tells the stories of a generation. Created from five years of interviews with 12 young people from all four corners of the UK, Our Generation is a captivating portrait of their teenage years as they journey into adulthood.

Often too extraordinary to be fiction, this funny and moving play is for anyone who is – or has ever been – a teenager.

CFT Artistic Director Daniel Evans directs this co-production with the National Theatre, which runs at the Minerva Theatre immediately following its London premiere.

The cast is Dee Ahluwalia, Joe Bolland, Anna Burnett, Anushka Chakravarti, Debbie Chazen, Gavi Singh Chera, Rachelle Diedericks, Hasan Dixon, Hélder Fernandes, Sarita Gabony, Conor Gormally, Alex Jarrett, Callum Mardy, Poppy Shepherd and Stephanie Street, who returns to Chichester where she played Diana Ingram in Quiz in 2017.

Alecky Blythe’s acclaimed verbatim musical London Road premiered at the National Theatre in 2011 and she later adapted it for the 2015 feature film. Her other work includes Little Revolution (Almeida Theatre) and The Riots: In Their Own Words for BBC2.

Our Generation marks Daniel Evans’s directorial debut at the National Theatre; as an actor, his work there included Cardiff East, Peter Pan, Troilus and Cressida, Candide and The Merchant of Venice. His Chichester productions include South Pacific, This Is My Family, Quiz and Fiddler on the Roof.

Our Generation has set design by Vicki Mortimer, costume design by Kinnetia Isidore, lighting design by Zoe Spurr, sound design by Paul Arditti, video design by Akhila Krishnan, movement direction by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, music composition, production & direction by DJ Walde, dramaturgy by Sebastian Born and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG.

Contains strong language; recommended for ages 13+. The Chichester production is sponsored by Wiley.

Henry Goodman in  MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS  By Agatha Christie

Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig. Directed by Jonathan Church. 13 May – 4 June, Festival Theatre. Press night: Friday 20 May

The celebrated detective Hercule Poirot boards the legendary Orient Express, enjoying the prospect of a luxurious rail journey from Istanbul to Calais in the dead of winter.

The train is surprisingly packed for the time of year; only the intervention of the manager secures Poirot a first class berth, alongside an intriguing and glittering company of international travellers.

But just after midnight, the Orient Express screeches to a halt, marooned by a snowdrift. And by morning, one passenger is dead…

Nobody can leave. A guard appears to be missing. A killer is in their midst. And Poirot must deploy his ‘little grey cells’ on the most difficult case of his career: one that will force him to question his deepest beliefs. 5

Adapted from Agatha Christie’s masterpiece by Ken Ludwig, this spectacular and sumptuous new staging is directed by former CFT Artistic Director Jonathan Church (Amadeus, Singin’ in the Rain, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui) and designed by Robert Jones (Oklahoma!, Mack & Mabel).

Henry Goodman makes a welcome return to Chichester to play Poirot, following his appearances in Yes, Prime Minister (2010) and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (2012/13), also directed by Jonathan Church, and which both transferred to the West End. His many other roles encompass his Olivier Award-winning Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Roy Cohn in the UK premiere of Angels in America and Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls (all National Theatre), Volpone for the RSC, and Assassins for which he also won an Olivier Award at the Donmar Warehouse.

Ken Ludwig has had six productions on Broadway and seven in London’s West End. His 30 plays and musicals are staged around the world and throughout the United States every night of the year. His shows have won five Tony Awards. He has also won two Laurence Olivier Awards, the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theater, two Helen Hayes Awards, the Charles MacArthur Award, and the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year. For more information, visit kenludwig.com.

The production will have lighting by Mark Henderson, music by Adrian Sutton, sound by Christopher Shutt, movement by Lucy Hind, and casting by Gabrielle Dawes CDG.

It is sponsored by Greenwood Wealth Solutions.

Murder on the Orient Express will also run at Theatre Royal Bath from 9 – 25 June, immediately following its Chichester premiere.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Stage Play © 2018 Agatha Christie Limited & Ken Ludwig

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, AGATHA CHRISTIE and POIROT are registered trademarks of Agatha Christie Limited.

Amanda Abbington, Frances Barber and Reece Shearsmith in

THE UNFRIEND. A new play by Steven Moffat. Directed by Mark Gatiss. 21 May – 9 July, Minerva Theatre. Press night: Thursday 26 May

After twenty years of marriage, Peter and Debbie are enjoying a cruise as a break from their annoying teenagers. Peter can’t resist exchanging views on Donald Trump with an American fellow passenger. There’s something slightly unsettling about the eagerly friendly Elsa Jean Krakowski – but there’s no point in rocking the boat when you’re about to get off it. Back home, an email arrives from Elsa, followed by Elsa herself. And when Debbie googles their house guest and turns up some hair-raising evidence, their good nature is challenged as never before. What kind of danger have they allowed to take up residence in their spare room? And can they bring themselves to say anything about it? Sometimes, the truth is just too impolite.

The Unfriend takes a hugely entertaining and satirical look at middle-class England’s disastrous instinct always to appear nice. Manners can be murder. 6

Steven Moffat is an award-winning writer, whose hit television series include Doctor Who, Sherlock and Dracula – the latter two co-written with the actor and writer Mark Gatiss, who directs.

Mark Gatiss is also a member of the sketch comedy team The League of Gentlemen alongside Reece Shearsmith, who plays Peter. Last seen at Chichester in The Dresser, Reece’s recent work also includes Hangmen (Royal Court) and TV’s Inside No 9.

Amanda Abbington, whose credits include TV’s Sherlock and Mr Selfridge, and The Son in the West End, makes her Chichester debut as Debbie.

Frances Barber, last seen here in Uncle Vanya (1996) returns as Elsa; her extensive screen work includes The Mezzotint, Silk and Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool.

The cast also includes Maddie Holliday and Michael Simkins, whose CFT appearances include Fracked! and Yes Prime Minister.

The Unfriend will be designed by Robert Jones, with lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Ella Wahlström and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG.

The production is sponsored by Jones & Tomlin.

Alex Jennings in THE SOUTHBURY CHILD A new play by Stephen Beresford. Directed by Nicholas Hytner. A co-production with The Bridge Theatre.13 – 25 June, Festival Theatre. Press night: Friday 17 June at 7pm. (Bridge Theatre: 1 July – 27 August)

Sharp-witted, wilful and frequently drunk, David Highland has kept a grip on his parish through a combination of disordered charm and high-handed determination. But when his conscience forces him to take a hard line with a parishioner who wants Disney balloons at a family funeral, he finds himself dangerously isolated from public opinion. As his own family begins to fracture, David must face a future that threatens to extinguish not only his position in the town, but everything he stands for.

Stephen Beresford’s very funny new play is a deeply humane exploration of family, faith, tradition and tolerance in a rapidly changing world. His work includes The Last of the Haussmans at the National Theatre, an adaptation of Bergman’s Fanny & Alexander for The Old Vic and the BAFTA-winning film Pride.

Triple Olivier Award-winner Alex Jennings returns to Chichester to lead the cast. The Southbury Child reunites him with Nicholas Hytner who has previously directed him in Hymn and Cocktail Sticks, Collaborators, The Habit of Art, The Alchemist and The Winter’s Tale (all at the National Theatre) amongst others. His many other credits range from My Fair Lady to Stuff Happens and Hansard at the NT, as well as Hamlet for the RSC. His screen work includes The Crown, The Lady in the Van, The Queen, Victoria, A Very English Scandal and This Is Going to Hurt.

The cast also includes Holly Atkins, Josh Finan, Jack Greenlees, Jo Herbert, Phoebe Nicholls, Racheal Ofori and Sarah Twomey.

Nicholas Hytner also makes a welcome return to Chichester, where he previously directed The Scarlet Pimpernel (with a cast including Alex Jennings) in 1985. Director of the National 7

Theatre from 2003-2015, he is Co-Founder of The Bridge Theatre where his recent work includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Beat The Devil, Bach & Sons, The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage and the forthcoming Straight Line Crazy.

The production will have set designs by Mark Thompson and costume by Yvonne Milnes, with lighting by Max Narula, sound by George Dennis and casting by Robert Sterne CDG.

The Southbury Child is sponsored at Chichester by Hancock & Partners, Lettings & Estate Agents.

Charlie Stemp in CRAZY FOR YOU Music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin Book by Ken Ludwig. Co-conception by Ken Ludwig and Mike Ockrent. Inspired by material by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. Direction and Choreography by Susan Stroman 11 July – 4 September, Festival Theatre. Press night: Tuesday 19 July

Theatre-mad Bobby Child is torn between his show-business dreams and his rich, demanding New York fiancée and rich, demanding New York mother who want him to run the family bank. On his mother’s insistence, he reluctantly heads west for the bygone mining town of Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on a mortgage.

There he finds the mortgage in question is on a dilapidated Victorian theatre and the owner’s daughter Polly is the girl of his dreams. Desperate to prove his good faith and win her love, Bobby lights on the idea of putting on a show – complete with glamorous dancers from New York’s Follies – to save the theatre and renew the town…

This hilarious, riotously entertaining musical is packed with glorious Gershwin melodies (including Someone to Watch Over Me, Embraceable You, I Got Rhythm and They Can’t Take That Away from Me), and its stunning tap-dance routines are guaranteed to set the spirits soaring. The witty book and dialogue are written by Ken Ludwig, who also wrote this season’s Murder on the Orient Express and is the author of the Tony Award-winning Lend Me a Tenor.

This brand new production, which celebrates the work’s 30th anniversary, is directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman: true Broadway royalty and winner of five Tony and two Olivier Awards for productions including The Producers, Contact and The Scottsboro Boys.

Charlie Stemp plays Bobby, returning to Chichester where he played Arthur Kipps in Half A Sixpence in 2016, for which he won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Musical and received Olivier and UK Theatre Award nominations. The production transferred to the West End, and was recently broadcast on Sky Arts as Kipps – The New Half A Sixpence Musical. He has starred on Broadway in Hello, Dolly! opposite Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters, and at the London Palladium in Dick Whittington, Snow White and Pantoland at the Palladium. He is currently playing Bert in Mary Poppins in the West End, for which he received his second Olivier Award nomination.

Tom Edden makes his Chichester debut as Bela Zangler; he received a Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nomination for One Man, Two Guvnors at the NT, West End and on Broadway, and his extensive work also includes Cyrano de Bergerac, Matilda, The Pinter Season and Les Misérables in the West End, Amadeus at the NT and Oliver! at Sheffield Crucible, 8

The set designer is Beowulf Boritt; the costume designer is William Ivey Long; the lighting designer is Ken Billington, musical director, Alan Williams; with new orchestrations by Doug Besterman and Mark Cumberland, original orchestrations by William David Brohn, sound design by Kai Harada, new arrangements by David Krane, original arrangements by Peter Howard and casting by Jill Green CDG.

There will be a Dementia Friendly performance on 1 September at 2.30pm.

Crazy for You is sponsored by Architectural Plants Ltd and R.L. Austen.

Crazy for You™ is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Tams-Wittmark LLC. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk

SING YER HEART OUT FOR THE LADS by Roy Williams. Directed by Nicole Charles . 22 July – 13 August, Minerva Theatre. Press night: Wednesday 27 July. Saturday 7 October. Gina, landlady of The King George pub, has a lot on her plate. The England vs Germany World Cup qualifying match is about to start, the pub football team is about to charge in and the TV’s on the blink.

Over the next few hours, national defeat looms and xenophobic tensions rise, fuelled by the inarticulate fury of the pub team captain, Lawrie, and the insidious propaganda of right-wing extremist Alan. And while policeman Lee struggles to keep the peace, disillusioned squaddie Mark and Gina’s bullied son Glen are fighting their own demons.

Premiered at the National Theatre in 2002, Roy Williams’s ferocious, funny and disturbing play takes aim at what it means to be black, white and English in twenty-first century Britain. Scoring high on foul language, threat and vulgar humour, Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Nicole Charles’s much-praised production, which earned critical and public acclaim when it was staged in Chichester’s Spiegeltent in 2019, returns for a run in World Cup and Women’s Euro year in the Minerva Theatre, part of which will be transformed into a pub setting to create an immersive theatrical experience.

Roy Williams’s award-winning plays include Death of England and Death of England: Delroy (both co-written with Clint Dyer for the National Theatre); Sucker Punch, Fallout, Clubland and Lift Off (Royal Court); and Days of Significance (RSC).

Nicole Charles’s recent work also includes Emilia at Shakespeare’s Globe and in the West End.

Original cast members Kirsty J Curtis, Jennifer Daley, Michael Hodgson and Mark Springer return, with further casting to be announced.

Please note this play contains strong language. Recommended for ages 15+

The production has set design by Joanna Scotcher, costume design by Amelia Jane Hankin, lighting by Joshua Carr, sound by George Dennis, video by Isaac Madge, movement by Chris Whittaker, fight direction by Kate Waters and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG.

It is sponsored by Genesis Town Planning. 9

THE NARCISSIST. A new play by Christopher Shinn. Directed by Josh Seymour. 26 August – 24 September, Minerva Theatre. Press night: Wednesday 31 August

Everyone needs Jim. His mother. His best friend. His brother. His new lover. A hopeful future President. But can Jim really help anyone, when he isn’t sure who he is any more, or what he actually believes? An expert in electoral strategy, he’s forged a successful career by advising politicians how to communicate with voters. But following seismic shifts in the political landscape, he’s disillusioned. And his marriage is in crisis. As he juggles the demands on his life through his smartphone, will the lure of success and fame prove irresistible?

The Narcissist is a gripping, inventive and witty take on personal and political communication in the internet age.

Christopher Shinn is a celebrated American playwright whose work has been produced to huge acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. His first play, Four, premiered at the Royal Court in 1998 and, in 2008, his play Dying City was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Josh Seymour was formerly Resident Assistant Director at the Donmar Warehouse and won the 2016 Off-West End Award for Best Director for Tennessee Williams’s One Arm at Southwark Playhouse. His theatre credits also include Associate Director on A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic, and The Normal Heart and Follies at the National Theatre.

The production will be designed by Jasmine Swan, with lighting by Jess Bernberg, sound by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, movement by Chi-San Howard and casting by Amy Ball CDG.

The Narcissist was initially commissioned by Fictionhouse.

The production is sponsored by Behrens Sharp, Chartered Surveyors.

WOMAN IN MIND by Alan Ayckbourn. Directed by Justin Martin. 23 September – 15 October, Festival Theatre. Press night: Wednesday 28 September

A knock on the head from a garden rake splits Susan’s world in two. Is she living happily with her devoted husband, charming brother and talented daughter, revelling in her rose-filled garden with its swimming pool and tennis court, and combining her blissful family life with a successful career?

Or is Susan trapped in a suburban existence with her pedantic husband, resentful sister-in-law and estranged son, wrestling with desperate frustration at her aimless life of routine domesticity?

Which of these lives is real? Which one does she want? And is Susan in control of either of them?

Alan Ayckbourn’s dazzling black comedy takes us on a dizzying journey through the looking glass into a woman’s mind. 

The author of over 80 plays, Ayckbourn has won countless awards for his work including Olivier and Tony Lifetime Achievement Awards. Previous productions at Chichester include The Norman Conquests, Way Upstream, Absurd Person Singular, Surprises and A Small Family Business.

Justin Martin makes his directorial debut at Chichester. His West End work includes Prima Facie and The Jungle (also New York), the latter co-directed with Stephen Daldry with whom he also collaborated on TV’s Together and The Crown.

Woman in Mind will be designed by Sophie Thomas with casting by Charlotte Sutton.

The production is sponsored by Bishops Printers.

LOCAL HERO. Book by David Greig, Music and Lyrics by Mark Knopfler. Based on the Bill Forsyth film. Directed by Daniel Evans .8 October – 19 November, Minerva Theatre. Press night: Monday 17 October

It’s 1983 and hotshot Texan oil executive Mac MacIntyre is dispatched to the tiny Scottish fishing village of Ferness with $30million in his pocket. The bay may have views to die for but it’s the only place that can take the tankers from an offshore oil field, so it’s up to Mac to seal a deal on the locals’ homes and put a refinery in their place.

The villagers aren’t averse to cashing in on the black gold and Gordon, the local hotelier-lawyer-accountant-ceilidh organiser, proves a surprisingly tough negotiator.

But they’ve all overlooked one very important person. And as the northern lights dance in the skies, Mac comes to realise that not everything of value is for sale.

The book by David Greig (Artistic Director of Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre), based on Bill Forsyth’s iconic film, features new songs by the legendary Mark Knopfler (formerly of Dire Straits). This new musical version of Local Hero will win devotees from admirers of the beloved film as well as those coming fresh to this funny and enchanting story. It’s directed by Daniel Evans, whose previous Chichester productions include South Pacific, Quiz, Fiddler on the Roof and this season’s Our Generation.

Local Hero will be designed by Frankie Bradshaw; the musical director will be Richard John and the music producer, Guy Fletcher; with orchestrations and arrangements by Dave Milligan, lighting design by Paule Constable with Ryan Day, sound design by Paul Arditti and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG.

The sponsors are itd Consultants and Genesis Town Planning.

THE FAMOUS FIVE A New Musical  Music & lyrics by Theo Jamieson, Book by Elinor Cook Based on books by Enid Blyton  Directed by Tamara Harvey A co-production with Theatr Clwyd 21 October – 12 November, Festival Theatre. Press night: Tuesday 25 October. (Theatr Clwyd: 23 September – 15 October, press night 29 September).

George isn’t happy at the idea of being lumbered with three unknown cousins for the summer, and her devoted dog Timmy agrees. Her cousins aren’t keen on the prospect either. Julian’s struggling to live up to the responsibility of being the eldest; Anne is working out how to make her voice heard; while Dick would like everyone to stop fussing and focus on more important things. Like sandwiches.

But out in the bay lies Kirrin Island, with a ruined castle rumoured to harbour secrets. And it quickly becomes clear that five heads are better than one when it comes to solving mysteries…

Soon the Famous Five are on a daring mission with the future of the planet at stake!

Based on Enid Blyton’s multi-million-selling novels, this brand new musical written by Elinor Cook, with music and lyrics by Theo Jamieson, is an exciting and heart-warming family treat celebrating adventure, bravery and friendship for everyone aged 7+.

Tamara Harvey, Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd, directs this co-production. Her work includes the Olivier Award-winning Home, I’m Darling, Peter Gill’s adaptation of Uncle Vanya and productions for Shakespeare’s Globe, Bush Theatre, Hampstead Theatre and in the West End.

The Famous Five: A New Musical will be designed by Lucy Osborne, with choreography by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, musical supervision by David White, musical direction by Katherine Rockhill, orchestrations by Theo Jamieson, lighting by Johanna Town,sound design by Dan Samson, video design by Ash Woodward and casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG.

There will be a Polish-interpreted performance of The Famous Five on 26 October at 7pm, and a Relaxed performance on 28 October at 2pm.

The production is sponsored at Chichester by Henry Adams.

Enid Blyton and The Famous Five are registered trademarks of Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Chichester Festival Youth Theatre present

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS  By Kenneth Grahame Adapted for the stage by Alan Bennett Music and Additional Lyrics by Jeremy Sams Directed by Dale Rooks  17 – 31 December, Festival Theatre Press night: Tuesday 20 December

The inquisitive Mole abandons spring-cleaning his burrow and, to his delight, discovers the river. There he meets Ratty, a water vole with a passion for boats. Soon the two are firm friends and settle down to life in Ratty’s riverbank home, surrounded by the neighbouring otters, rabbits, fieldmice and hedgehogs.

Over at Toad Hall, the ebullient Toad persuades them to join an excursion in a horse-pulled caravan – only for disaster to strike when they are overturned into a ditch. But the accident ignites Toad’s passion for motorcars…

And Mole can’t resist the temptation of another adventure, braving the snowy and threatening Wild Wood to find the elusive Badger, who welcomes Mole and Rat into his own cosy home.

But can the three friends save Toad from the consequences of his terrible driving, and defeat their enemies, the hungry and wily weasels and ferrets? 12

Alan Bennett’s stage adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 story, originally seen at the National Theatre, has become a classic in its own right: faithful to the spirit of Grahame’s immortal characters while laced with Bennett’s inimitable wit, making this a delight for children and adults alike.

Dale Rooks, whose Chichester productions include The Butterfly Lion, The Midnight Gang and Pinocchio, directs a Chichester Festival Youth Theatre show that perfectly combines humour and enchantment with a delicious shiver of danger.

The Wind in the Willows will have set design by Simon Higlett, costumes by Ryan Dawson Laight, musical direction by Colin Billing, lighting by James Whiteside and sound by Gregory Clarke.

Recommended for ages 7+. There will be a Polish-interpreted performance on 20 December at 2pm and a Relaxed performance on 28 December at 2pm, and.

The Wind in the Willows is sponsored by Chichester College.

This amateur production of The Wind in the Willows is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk

DIGITAL STAGES  Six dynamic digital events will celebrate Chichester Festival Theatre across the decades. Using new technology to put the history of CFT centre stage, these special events will be released over CFT’s birthday week in July for audiences across the globe.

Visionary Stages – from Sunday 3 July Using cutting-edge technology, the 1962 stage has been recreated for a virtual meet-up with Daniel Evans and the Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival Theatre in Ontario, Canada, Antoni Cimolino. Launching on CFT’s official 60th birthday, they will talk about the shared history of the two buildings and 60 years of extraordinary theatre, reliving some favourite productions and meeting up with special guests as they travel through the decades.

Backstage Virtual Tour – from Monday 4 July, FREE An immersive VR backstage tour allowing audiences to encounter actors as they prepare to go on stage and see the inner workings of the Theatre in virtual reality. Available using VR headsets in the Theatre foyer, or via a 360-degree video version on CFT’s YouTube channel.

Re-staged– from Tuesday 5 July A chance to relive a favourite CFT show. A well-loved director and alumni cast (full details to be revealed) will restage a scene from an archive production for a special Zoom performance.

Your Dream – from Wednesday 6 July, FREE Anyone who fancies themselves as the next Laurence Olivier has the chance to take part in a mammoth online performance from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Choose your stage and your costume and send in a video of yourself performing a pre-selected scene. All submissions will be edited together for a one-off screening online. The deadline for submissions is Friday 6 May; visit cft.org.uk/YourDream for full details.

Digital Diorama – from Thursday 7 July, FREE A digital diorama sharing memories and anecdotes attached to 60 pieces from CFT’s fascinating archive will go on virtual display this summer. Model boxes, props, costumes, set designs, footage, programmes, artwork, time-lapses, interviews and sound bites will tell the story of the Theatre through the last six decades. 13

Game Changer – from Friday 8 July, FREE Our creative ‘Wednesday and Friday’ community companies for adults with learning disabilities will work alongside digital experts and combine gaming technology with theatrical storytelling and music to create a new virtual theatre experience.

FESTIVAL 2022 EVENTS

A lively programme of events and activities will complement Festival 2022.

Family Friendly performances and activities range from free Family Fun sessions and storytelling to shows including Meet me a Tree and The Rascally Diner, and a treasure hunt inspired by The Famous Five.

Join Kate Mosse to walk in the Fishbourne footprints of The Taxidermist’s Daughter, and Roy Williams to discuss efforts to kick racism out of football. We celebrate International Women’s Day and continue the conversation in our quarterly Fizz and Feminism events. Free Pre- and Post-Show Discussions, with the director and cast members, are held for each production.

CFT Lates is a new series of drag and comedy showcases, karaoke and live bands for ages 16+, and special Prologue Events for 16-30 year-olds include a verbatim workshop with Alecky Blythe, opportunities to meet Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and the cast of Crazy for You, as well as a one-week intensive acting course.

A national Youth Conference on 26 November, hosted by CFT’s Youth Advisory Board, students from the University of Chichester and other young people within our communities, will bring together young people changing and challenging the cultural landscape.

CULTURE SPARK

2022 heralds significant anniversaries for many of Chichester’s cultural organisations: 60 years of CFT, 40 years of Pallant House Gallery, 30 years of Chichester Cinema at New Park’s International Film Festival, 10 years of The Novium Museum and the Festival of Chichester; and 200 years of the Canal Trust. Culture Spark will bring together artists, musicians and community groups from across the district to create a season of events that showcases work by local creatives and gives everyone a chance to enjoy a rich summer of fun.

The full programme will be announced in the spring, but highlights will include a Carnival of Lights on Friday 10 June which will see a grand parade of locally-created lanterns move through the streets of Chichester to the Canal Basin for a waterside celebration; a community lantern-making workshop will take place at CFT on 21 April. We The People, a touring photographic exhibition, will celebrate the generosity and commitment of the many volunteers on whom our cultural organisations rely.

ENDS

BOOKING INFORMATION

Booking for The Taxidermist’s Daughter and Our Generation is now open.

For the newly announced Festival 2022 productions:

Priority booking for Friends of Chichester Festival Theatre opens:

Saturday 12 March (online and booking forms only)

Tuesday 15 March (phone and in person) 14

Booking for Groups and Schools opens:

Thursday 17 March

General booking opens:

Saturday 19 March (online only)

Tuesday 22 March (phone and in person)

cft.org.uk Box Office 01243 781312

Tickets from £10

Prologue: £5 tickets for 16 – 30s

10,000 £5 tickets are available for 16 to 30 year-olds for all productions throughout Festival 2022; sign up for free at cft.org.uk/prologue. Members also have access to a range of exclusive events.

Twitter @ChichesterFT Facebook ChichesterFestivalTheatre

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#Festival2022 #CFTat60

Festival 2022 press nights The Taxidermist’s Daughter, Festival Theatre	Tuesday 19 April, 7.00pm
Our Generation, Minerva Theatre	Tuesday 26 April, 6.30pm
Murder on the Orient Express, Festival Theatre	Friday 20 May, 7.00pm
The Unfriend, Minerva Theatre	Thursday 26 May, 7.00pm
The Southbury Child, Festival Theatre	Friday 17 June, 7.00pm
Crazy for You, Festival Theatre	Tuesday 19 July, 7.00pm
Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads, Minerva Theatre	Wednesday 27 July, 7.00pm
The Narcissist, Minerva Theatre	Wednesday 31 August, 7.00pm
Woman in Mind, Festival Theatre	Wednesday 28 September, 7.00pm
Local Hero, Minerva Theatre	Monday 17 October, 7.00pm
The Famous Five, Festival Theatre	Thursday 25 October, 7.00pm
The Wind in the Willows, Festival Theatre	Tuesday 20 December, 7.00pm