Final casting has been announced for the first complete London revival of Tonight at 8.30 since 1936. Noël Coward’s cycle of nine one-act plays is being staged by Jermyn Street Theatre as part of its The Reaction Season – comprising 15 plays and musicals (12 of them one-act) – based around themes of reacting and re-enacting.
In Coward’s Tonight at 8.30, running from 10 April to 20 May 2018, the nine short plays range from music-hall pastiche to light comedies, to heartbreaking drama. These have been arranged into three trios entitled Secret Hearts, Nuclear Families, and Bedroom Farces. Audiences have the chance to see the three trios (all nine plays) in a single day on Saturdays and Sundays during the run.
Nine actors play 73 roles across the nine plays. The ensemble cast includes Olivier Award-winning Sara Crowe (her West End roles include Private Lives, Calendar Girls, Bedroom Farce), Ian Hallard (The Boys in the Band, Park Theatre/Vaudeville), Nick Waring (Queen of the Desert with Nicole Kidman, The Heart of Things, Jermyn Street Theatre), Miranda Foster (Hamlet, Shakespeare’s Globe; Springs Eternal, Orange Tree Theatre), and Olivier Award nominee Rosemary Ashe.
Musical direction and piano is provided by Coward specialist Stefan Benardzcyk, who also plays a number of roles. Jeremy Rose (currently at English Theatre Frankfurt in Jekyll and Hyde), Boadicea Ricketts (nominated for two OffWestEndAwards as Best Actress and Best Ensemble in her debut as Sylv in the revival of Steven Berkoff’s East), and Ben Wiggins (Henry V, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) complete the cast.
Set design is by Louie Whitemore, twice nominated for OffWestEnd Awards for her work at Jermyn Street Theatre last year, and costume designs are by Emily Stuart (two-time OffWestEnd Award winner). Choreography is by Gabriella Bird, lighting by Tim Mascall, and sound by Tom Attwood. The plays are directed by Tom Littler, Jermyn Street Theatre’s artistic director.
Tonight at 8.30 plays in repertory with Tomorrow at Noon, featuring three new plays by Jenny Ayres, Emma Harding, and Morna Young, each of which reacts to one of Coward’s Tonight at 8.30 plays, and responds to it in a contemporary voice. Ayres, Harding and Young were chosen from more than 390 anonymous entrants.
Cast (and the roles they are playing in the season)
Rosemary Ashe: Clara (We Were Dancing), Nanny (Ways and Means), Martha (Shadow Play), Lily Pepper (Red Peppers) Violet (Star Chamber), Myrtle (Still Life), Emily (Family Album), Clare Wedderburn (Hands Across the Sea).
Stefan Bednarczyk: musical director/piano and playing: Major Blake (We Were Dancing), Alf (Red Peppers), Jimmie Horlick (Star Chamber), Albert (Still Life), Burrows (Family Album), Peter (Hands Across the Sea), Sir Reginald (The Astonished Heart).
Sara Crowe: Louise Charteris (We Were Dancing), Olive Lloyd-Ransom (Ways and Means), Victoria (Shadow Play), Xenia James (Star Chamber), Dolly (Still Life), Lavinia (Family Album), Mrs Wadhurst (Hands Across the Sea), Leonora (The Astonished Heart).
The company of Tonight at 8.30
Miranda Foster: Stella (Ways and Means), Sibyl (Shadow Play), Miss Mabel Grace (Red Peppers), Dame Rose (Star Chamber), Laura (Still Life), Jane (Family Album), Piggie (Hands Across the Sea), Barbara (The Astonished Heart).
Ian Hallard: Karl (We Were Dancing), Chaps (Ways and Means), Simon (Shadow Play), Johnny Bolton (Star Chamber), Johnnie (Still Life), Richard (Family Album), Mr Wadhurst (Hands Across the Sea).
Jeremy Rose: Servant (We Were Dancing), Gaston (Ways and Means), George Cunningham (Shadow Play), George Pepper (Red Peppers), Julian Breed (Star Chamber), Bill (Still Life), Edward (Family Album), Ally (Hands Across the Sea), Ernest (The Astonished Heart).
Boadicea Ricketts: Eva (We Were Dancing), Princess Eléna (Ways and Means), Lena (Shadow Play), Hester (Star Chamber), Beryl (Still Life), Harriet (Family Album), Walters (Hands Across the Sea), Susan (The Astonished Heart).
Nick Waring: Hubert Charteris (We Were Dancing), Toby Cartwright (Ways and Means), Michael (Shadow Play), Mr Edwards (Red Peppers), Mr Farmer (Star Chamber), Alec (Still Life), Jasper Featherways (Family Album), Major ‘Bogey’ Gosling (Hands Across the Sea), Christian (The Astonished Heart).
Ben Wiggins: George (We Were Dancing), Stevens (Ways and Means), Young Man (Shadow Play), Alf (Red Peppers), Maurice (Star Chamber), Stanley (Still Life), Charles (Family Album), Mr Burnham (Hands Across the Sea), Tim (The Astonished Heart).
