Coupla Carols in association with Park Theatre has today announced that Cathy Conneff will star in the upcoming new production of Toby Hampton and Matthew Ballantyne’s 21 Round For Christmas, which will run at Park Theatre’s Park90 theatre from 6-23 December 2023.
The Off West End Awards-nominated one woman play, which arrives at Park Theatre following acclaimed runs at the Hope Theatre and Bridge House Theatre, is a comical and chaotic one-woman show about memory, friendship and regrets. Tracy, a day-dreaming, outspoken and extroverted-introvert is trapped in the kitchen cooking Christmas dinner for her huge fussy family while her best friend is lying in a hospice. She just wants to go back to happier times.
Christmas means different things to different people. It’s love, it’s family, it’s corporate exploitation – take your pick. This year, however – for Tracy Sullivan at least – it’s absolute chaos!
She has 21 hungry guests to cook for: and this one won’t eat turkey, that one insists there has to be some. They don’t like carrots, they don’t like sprouts, he’s on a diet, she’s gone keto, he’s gluten free, she can’t eat dairy, the mother-in-law has gone vegan and she doesn’t love her family.
Cathy Conneff is a hard of hearing and neurodiverse actor whose credits include Talking Heads: Her Big Chance for Dramaiocht, Vinegar Tom for OVO at The Maltings and the feature film 24 Hours To Live Or Die, alongside television appearances in Casualty, Coronation Street and The Private Lives of the Tudors. Conneff won best supporting actress in a feature film at the Madrid International Film Festival 2017 for her portrayal of Magenta in Sophia Lazzati and the inaugural Mandy Monologue Competition Actors’ Choice Award.
Written by Toby Hampton and Matt Ballantyne, the creative team for the production are Toby Hampton (Oh No It Isn’t – The Hope Theatre & UK Tour) as Director, Tanya Truman (Pickle – Soho Theatre, Park Theatre & UK Tour) as Creative Producer, Laurel Marks (These Demons – Theatre503) as Production Manager, Emily Rose Simons (Pickle – Park Theatre) as Sound Designer, Alex Forey (Battersea Bardot – New Wimbledon Theatre) as Lighting Designer, Ella McCormack as Assistant Director and Summer Keeling (Infamous – Jermyn Street Theatre) as Stage Manager.
Director and co-writer Toby Hampton said, “I’m certain this show is going to be a joyous Christmas feast! Tracy is a such a lovely character that we can all see within ourselves and her story is being brought to life by a brilliant creative team – I can’t wait to get cooking with them all!”
The run will include an Audio Described performance on 16 December, preceded by a Touch Tour, and a BSL Interpreted performance on 19 December.
Ticket booking and more information can be found at www.parktheatre.co.uk.
