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Chichester Festival Theatre presents a new musical version of Erich Segal’s Love Story
“Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”He is Oliver Barrett IV, a Harvard preppie from a wealthy WASP family on his way to a career in law; she is Jenny Cavilleri, a wise-cracking beauty with a blue-collar father, studying music at Radcliffe. Opposites in almost every way, their chemistry crackles from the moment they meet, but fate decides against these star-crossed lovers.
Love Story is one of the most romantic novels of all time and also a hit film. Now, the intimate Minerva Theatre at Chichester Festival Theatre will host the world premiere of the musical version of Love Story. Beautiful and emotional, the poignant story of Jenny Cavilleri and Oliver Barrett IV will make you laugh and cry. It may even break your heart.
With sassy dialogue and lyrics by Olivier award-winning lyricist Stephen Clark (Martin Guerre, The Mahabharata) and a brand new score by Emmy and BAFTA award-winning composer Howard Goodall (Mr Bean, QI, Blackadder, The Hired Man and Tartuffe), this is a new musical not to be missed.
Seven musicians will take to the stage with the actors in this ‘chamber musical’. The musicians will complement a talented cast led by Michael Xavier, (Curly in Festival ‘09s Oklahoma!), and Emma Williams, the original Truly Scrumptious from the stage version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They are joined by Peter Polycarpou (Les Misérables and the BBC’s Birds of a Feather) as Jenny’s father, Phil. Rachel Kavanaugh (Festival ‘08s The Music Man) directs.
Unreservedly emotional, Love Story was Erich Segal’s first novel, published in 1970 while he was a classics professor at Yale University. It propelled him to world-wide fame, eclipsing his earlier Hollywood credits which include the screenplay for The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine (1968).
Romantic, witty and heart-breaking, Love Story is still rated as one of the top 100 tear-jerkers of all time. In fact, the rich boy/poor girl saga has sold more than 21 million copies worldwide. If you remember it from the ‘70s, relish the nostalgia; if you’ve never read or seen this extraordinary love story, don’t miss it this time round.
Love Story, Minerva Theatre,?Chichester Festival Theatre, 01243 781312, www.cft.org.uk, until 26 June (no performance on Sundays), 2.15pm matinee Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7.45pm Monday–Saturday, (except Monday 7 June when show time is 7pm), £27.50
