New season of plays announced for Chichester Festival Theatre
Photo credit: Seamus Ryan
Chichester Festival Theatre have announced outgoing artistic director Daniel Evans’ final season, featuring world premieres and classics.
Aside from the previously reported musicals, the season opens with Noel Coward’s The Vortex, running from 28 April-20 May in the Festival Theatre. This witty portrait of the darkness beneath the glitter of the jazz age was the playwright’s first great success. The production will star Lia Williams, Joshua James and Priyanga Burford.
4000 Miles by Amy Herzog, starring Eileen Atkins and Sebastian Croft, runs in the Minerva Theatre from 4 May-10 June. This drama is a compassionate story of memory, moving on, love and loss.
Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? runs in the Minerva Theatre from 16 June-8 July. This autobiographical play by Adrienne Kennedy and Adam P Kennedy is directed by Diyan Zora, and is told in a one act, near-monologue in a tale of young black women’s betrayal at the hands of the establishment.
Chichester Festival Youth Theatre will present William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the West Dean Gardens from 4-19 August, directed by Jon Pashley.
Emma Butler will direct Never Have I Ever, a new play by Deborah Frances-White, in the Minerva Theatre from 1-30 September. This explosive, savagely funny play explores cash, class, identity, and infidelity.
James Graham’s Quiz, starring Rory Bremner, plays from 22-30 September in the Festival Theatre as part of the show’s UK tour. This is then followed by Arthur Miller’s A View From A Bridge, which is a co-production with Headlong, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Rose Theatre. This timeless masterpiece runs from 6-28 October.
A new play by Harry Davies, The Inquiry, plays in the Minerva Theatre from 13 October-4 November, directed by Joanna Bowman. A gripping drama about the collision between politics, justice and ambition.
In December, Chichester Festival Youth Theatre return with The Jungle Book, running in the Festival Theatre from 16-30 December. This coming-of-age story is family friendly, suitable for ages 7+.
Executive director Kathy Bourne and Artistic Director Daniel Evans said: “This year, we have an outstanding range of plays and musicals, including a handful of world premieres and renowned plays which have never been performed at CFT before. For example, we’ve never staged a play by the great Arthur Miller; nor have we staged Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most-loved musical. There is a rare outing of a play by US writer Adrienne Kennedy and, 50 years after his death, a new production of Noël Coward’s first big success. Contemporary, 20th century or classical, every piece has something to say about the world around us today. A company of exceptional actors are already lining up to join us including Dame Eileen Atkins, Samuel Barnett, Carly Bawden, Gina Beck, Rory Bremner, Sebastian Croft, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Joshua James, Danny Mac, Alexandra Roach, Zizi Strallen, Lia Williams, Greg Wise and Susan Wokoma; and seven directors are making their Chichester debuts.”
Daniel Evans adds: “On a personal note, this is the seventh and last season I’ve programmed at Chichester. I’d like to thank the many thousands of freelance artists, creatives and technical staff who’ve brought them to life; CFT’s indefatigable staff; and of course our audiences, who are among the most supportive and adventurous theatregoers in the country. I know they will welcome my successor, Justin Audibert, with the same warmth that greeted my and Kathy’s own arrivals in this beautiful and unique theatre.”
Priority booking opens online on 25 February, with general booking opening on 4 March here.