Chichester Festival Theatre’s Festival 2022, along with a roster of special events to mark its 60th anniversary season, has today been announced by Artistic Director Daniel Evans and Executive Director Kathy Bourne.
The season will include three musicals; Susan Stroman makes 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.
There will be five new plays, including three delayed from 2020:
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.
In addition Henry Goodman plays Poirot in Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express, adapted by Ken Ludwig and directed by Jonathan Church and 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.
Chichester’s Culture Spark festival; Family Friendly shows and activities; National Youth Conference; and a new CFT Lates series for 16+.
20,500 tickets at £10 in the Festival Theatre and 10,000 £5 PROLOGUE tickets for 16 – 30 year olds.
Daniel Evans’s 2021 production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells and on UK and Ireland tour.
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.’
Comments 1