Orange Tree Theatre (OT) today announces further information for its 2024 Autumn season. The season features world premières of David Edgar’s Here in America and Hannah Khalil’s adaptation of Treasure Island alongside a revival of Rajiv Joseph’s Guards at the Taj and Jane Asher joining Oliver Ford Davies to star in Twelfth Night.
The Autumn season opens with the world première of David Edgar’s Here in America directed by James Dacre on 23 September, with previews from 14 September and runs until 19 October. Rajiv Joseph’s Guards at the Taj follows, with JMK Award winner Adam Karim directing the Obie Award winning play opening on 30 October with previews from 26 October and runs until 16 November. Hannah Khalil’s Treasure Island – an adaptation of R.L Stevenson’s 1883 novel directed by Natasha Rickman will run from 18 – 22 December.
Completing the season is a 1940s-set production of Twelfth Night directed by OT Artistic Director Tom Littler and starring Jane Asher as Maria and Olivier Award winner Oliver Ford Davies as Malvolio. Twelfth Night opens on 29 November, with previews from 23 November and runs until 25 January 2025.
Also announced today is the full cast and creative team for Suite in Three Keys. Tom Littler will direct Steffan Rizzi alongside the previously announced Stephen Boxer, Emma Fielding and Tara Fitzgerald. The creative team is completed by designer Louie Whitemore, lighting designer Chris McDonnell, sound designer and composer Tom Attwood, associate designer Jessica Staton and casting director Matilda James CDG.
Artistic Director of the OT Tom Littler said today, “The OT is a multigenerational crucible of creativity, where theatrical veterans share the stage with new talent. On Shakespeare’s birthday, it’s a pleasure to announce that two much-loved actors, Oliver Ford Davies and Jane Asher, will play antagonists Malvolio and Maria in Twelfth Night at the Orange Tree this Christmas. Also during the festive season, Hannah Khalil’s hugely enjoyable Treasure Island will be performed by our 18—25 Young Company, in the largest-scale production seen on the OT stage for years. We’re delighted that Adam Karim has won the JMK Young Directors Award with his superbly conceived production of Rajiv Joseph’s Guards at the Taj, which will follow a new play by the great David Edgar, whose Here in America about McCarthyist Hollywood will be directed by James Dacre. And in a sneak preview of what’s to come in 2025, we’ll be following our production of She Stoops to Conquer with the 250th anniversary production of another masterpiece of eighteenth-century comedy: Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s The Rivals.“
Finally, the OT announced its upcoming programme of community work. Currently in rehearsals, on 6 May the OT Young Company will perform The Maladies by OT Writers Collective alumnus Carmen Nasr, directed by Ed Hill. The Young Company is an ensemble formed annually for people aged 18 to 25 seeking to develop as theatre-makers and performers. Primary Shakespeare, the OT’s flagship project bringing Shakespeare to primary schools, will be touring local schools with workshops over May and June ahead of school groups visiting the OT to see Hamlet, directed by Natasha Rickman, followed by a public performance on 23 June. Finally, a multigenerational Community Show, performed by OT Community members aged 6-96, will take over the OT stage on 28 July; this performance will bring together the OT’s three youth theatres, Young Company and adult company, with over 100 performers sharing the stage.
