Almost the most magnificent part of Daniel Evans’ production of South Pacific is that it’s happening at all: despite the distanced glimmer of blue paper masks, Chichester affirms that big musical theatre is back with almost insane defiance:
‘Utterly joyous & joyful’: SOUTH PACIFIC – Chichester Festival Theatre
While it is sadly premature to say that the theatre is fully back from its enforced hibernation of the last 15 months that put paid entirely to last summer’s Chichester Festival Theatre season, it was a (socially distanced) delight to welcome back of my favourite regional theatres with the opening, at last, of its production of South Pacific originally planned for last year.
NEWS: A stage adaptation of Andrea Levy’s The Long Song & major revival of Martin McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen Of Leenane feature in Chichester’s new season
Four new productions to follow South Pacific in Chichester’s Festival 2021 have today been announced by artistic director Daniel Evans and executive director Kathy Bourne. Two world premieres: The Long Song, a new adaptation by Suhayla El-Bushra based on Andrea Levy’s novel, directed by Charlotte Gwinner The Flock, by Zoe Cooper, directed by Guy Jones Revivals of two great modern …
Mark Shenton picks out his favourite regional theatres for the latest ShenTens podcast
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The post ShenTens: My Top 10 Favourite Regional Theatre Venues first appeared on Shenton Stage.
There’s still uncertainties on the road to theatres’ recovery
We are just over a month away from the cautious re-opening of indoor theatre venues from 17 May, which will restore theatres to their pre-lockdown condition last December of being able to operate at 50% capacity, up to a maximum of 1,000 people.
NEWS: Nimax Theatres, the Criterion Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre & more receive awards in the Culture Recovery Fund second round
Nimax Theatres, the Criterion Theatre, Young Vic and Chichester Festival Theatre are among the 2,700 organisations being offered nearly £400 million in grants and loans as part of the CultureRecovery Fund’s second tranche of funding.
‘It’s a blunt force impact of emotion, building to a frenzy’: CRAVE – Chichester Festival Theatre
Crave is a blunt force impact of emotion, building to a frenzy and then, in a little under 50 minutes, it’s over and we leave. The world outside is just the same, but we’re refreshed – a vital dose of theatre to see us through winter months.
‘Feels like a statement of intent’: CRAVE – Chichester Festival Theatre
A Sarah Kane play is by no means a safe option for any theatre looking to attract audiences back to its auditorium, but this bold and intriguing production of Crave at Chichester Festival Theatre was worth the risk.
‘Filled with fun & mischief’: THE MIDNIGHT GANG – Chichester Festival Theatre ★★★★ (Online review)
This lovely musical based on David Walliams’ children’s book is filled with fun and mischief.
NEWS: Chichester cancels its full summer festival season for the first time
Chichester Festival Theatre has announced that, due to the unpredictable ongoing nature of Covid-19, it has made the very difficult decision to cancel all scheduled Festival 2020 productions.
Lockdown has made me realise, as much as theatre, I’ve been missing live music
It feels slightly odd that my final show before the curtains came down wasn’t a play or musical – instead, it was a dance show.
‘This is Clare Burt’s show’: FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS – Chichester Festival Theatre (Online review)
Making a dramatic property based on a book into a musical can sometimes be hit and miss, whatever the quality of the source material or the best intention of the adaptor.
‘This is the rarest of things, a Working-Class musical’: FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS – Chichester Festival Theatre (Online review)
Far from frivolous, this fashion-based drama is a great choice for Chichester Festival Theatre’s inaugural broadcast, from a venue that so often gets it right. Perfect escapism.
NEWS: Chichester launches Keep Connected with free stream of Flowers for Mrs Harris
For the first time, Chichester Festival Theatre will stream a selection of its archive productions online, beginning with its award-winning 2018 musical Flowers for Mrs Harris from this Thursday 9 April 2020 ahead of the Easter weekend.
NEWS: Sherlock creators Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss collaborate in Chichester Festival Season packed with world premieres
World premieres in Chichester Festival Theatre’s Festival 2020 include first plays by Steven Moffat and Kate Mosse and new work by Suhayla El-Bushra and Christopher Shinn.
Theatre review of the 2019 & what to see in 2020
With a new year fast approaching, it is an interesting time to reflect on small changes across the theatre landscape in 2019 that will continue to shape how UK theatre will look as it moves into a new decade.
NEWS: Laura Wade’s The Watsons transfers to the West End
Following sold-out runs at both Chichester Festival Theatre and the Menier Chocolate Factory, Laura Wade’s The Watsons transfers to the West End in 2020. The production opens at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 19 May, with previews from 8 May, and runs until 26 September.
‘Shocking, foul-mouthed, ferociously brutal & brilliantly played’: SING YER HEART OUT FOR THE LADS – Chichester ★★★★★
Roy Williams’ incendiary 2002 play, Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads, which attacks grass roots racism with all the finesse of a vintage Vinnie Jones tackle, is back and spewing vitriol in Chichester Festival Theatre’s pop-up space, The Spiegeltent.
Best of the Blogs: Master Harold, The Watsons, Mamma Mia!, The Open, Two Ladies &…
In our continuing series, our editor Lisa Martland picks out some of her Top Picks from the last week of theatre (to 6 October 2019), ranging from Libby Purves’ childhood reminiscences associated with Master Harold and the Boys at the National to Abba-fest Mamma Mia! The Party and reviews of new plays The Open, Two Ladies, The Watsons and more. Enjoy.
‘Never less than compelling’: MACBETH – Chichester
It has been a long time since the West End saw a truly great Macbeth so perhaps this is a chance for Simm and Kirwan to buck the trend with impressive performances that offer a different perspective on their characters while creating a potency in their exchanges that is never less than compelling.