Stage: Theatre Royal Brighton’s summer season
A sensational season of powerful drama, hit musicals & much loved children’s shows
Theatre Royal Brighton has unveiled its Summer 2013 season, running from May to August. The season includes a packed programme of “Best of British” writing from across the centuries, with works by Shakespeare, Noël Coward, Terence Rattigan, Lee Hall, Sebastian Faulks and Jonathan Harvey presented by some of our most highly respected theatre companies.
Prior to the West End, Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents Relative Values, one of Noël Coward’s best loved comedies, directed by Trevor Nunn. The production stars Olivier Award winner Patricia Hodge alongside Caroline Quentin and Rory Bremne. Set in the early 1950s, Relative Values is about the uproarious culture clash between the glittering world of Hollywood and the stiff upper lip of the English aristocracy.
Following their highly successful production of Anne Boleyn last year, Shakespeare’s Globe returns to present the three plays of Henry VI, Shakespeare’s powerful rendering of a country racked by civil war. The plays are presented under their original titles Harry The Sixth; The Houses Of York and Lancaster – The True Tragedy Of The Duke Of York. Each play can be enjoyed individually without knowledge of the others, or take advantage of their trilogy package and see all three in one day for the special price of £51.
The horror of war is summoned up equally graphically in Birdsong, the stage version of Sebastian Faulks’ bestselling novel. In pre-war France, a young Englishman Stephen Wraysford embarks on a passionate and dangerous affair with the beautiful Isabelle Azaire. As the war breaks out, Stephen must lead his men through the carnage of the Battle of the Somme. Faced with the horror of the war, Stephen clings to the memory of Isabelle as his world explodes around him.
Love, with its pleasure and pain, is explored in Jonathan Harvey’s award winning Beautiful Thing, a glorious coming of age love story between two teenage boys. This 20th anniversary production, which visits Brighton direct from the West End, stars Suranne Jones, Zaraah Abrahams and Oliver Farnworth. Suranne is probably best known for her role as Karen McDonald in Coronation Street, where she worked closely with Jonathan Harvey, one of the soap’s scriptwriters. For the stage, Jonathan Harvey’s Canary and Corrie! both won acclaim from Brighton reviewers and audiences.
This summer do not miss welcome the return to Brighton of the National Theatre’s The Pitmen Painters, which has enjoyed sell out seasons at the National Theatre and on Broadway. Written by Lee Hall, creator of the worldwide sensation Billy Elliot, The Pitmen Painters has received huge critical acclaim and won the Evening Standard award for Best New Play.
Other drama this season includes the hilarious romantic comedy, Less Than Kind by Terence Rattigan. A steel magnate responsible for tank production in the war cabinet plans to divorce his wife and marry his true love, the widow Olivia Brown. But Olivia’s teenage son has become a socialist and is outraged at the thought of his mother marrying “the enemy”. The play stars Sue Holderness (Only Fools And Horses; Green, Green Grass) and William Gaminara (Silent Witness).
Lovers of musicals should not miss Soul Sister, direct from its smash West End season. This new musical features all the classic Tina Turner hits, including ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’ and ‘Simply The Best’. The story follows the highs, lows, passions and heartbreak of Ike and Tina Turner as their careers soared while their marriage crumbled.
Returning to Brighton by popular demand, 9 To 5: The Musical, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, is a feisty and fun show based on the hit movie and centres on three office workers who turn the tables on their sexist, hypocritical bigot of a boss. The show features 18 original numbers. For younger audiences, Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom from the makers of Peppa Pig is a BAFTA award winning television animation for the first time ever live on stage.
Theatre Royal Brighton, New Road
Box Office 0844 871 7650
www.atgtickets.com/brighton
