Stage: Neville’s Island

Adrian Edmondson joins the cast of Neville’s Island at Chichester Festival Theatre

Multi-talented and much-loved comedian, actor, writer and musician Adrian ‘Ade’ Edmondson has been confirmed in the cast of Neville’s Island at Chichester’s Theatre in the Park this summer.
He will play Gordon, one of four businessman sent off on a team building exercise in Tim Firth’s comedy about a disastrous outward bound expedition.

They succeed in becoming the first people ever to get shipwrecked on an island in the Lake District. What should have been a bonding process turns into a muddy, bloody fight for survival amid a carnival of recrimination, French cricket and sausages.

Edmondson rose to prominence during the 1980s when he became best known for roles in the BBC comedy series’ The Young Ones and Bottom, in which he appeared alongside his long-time collaborative partner Rik Mayall. Edmondson also appeared in The Comic Strip Presents… TV series. He formed the band The Bad Shepherds and has also appeared as a regular TV presenter on programmes such as Ade In Britain.

Edmondson features in Neville’s Island alongside actor and comedian Rufus Hound, with further casting still to be announced. Neville’s Island will be the second production staged in the Theatre in the Park, a temporary state-of-the-art auditorium which has been built while the Festival Theatre’s £22 million RENEW redevelopment continues. Directed by Angus Jackson – director of the Olivier Award-winning production Goodnight Mister Tom – this promises to be a technically and visually ambitious staging of a darkly funny play.

Neville’s Island runs in the Theatre in the Park from 11–28 September, evenings 7.30pm (except for Press Night, Friday 20 September, 7pm). Matinees 2.30pm. 18 – 25 tickets £8.50, other tickets from £10.
Box Office 01243 781312, www.cft.org.uk