cft.org.uk
‘ Chichester Festival Theatre hosts world-class performances, bringing some of the top shows on tour and curating its own exciting programme of events’ Metro
ChichesterFestivalTheatre ChichesterTheatre cft.org.uk
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WINTER SEASON
WELCOME We’re pleased to present our Winter 2018/19 programme of touring productions, which follows on from The Midnight Gang in the Festival Theatre. This season we’ve put together a diverse mix of touring dramas, comedies, family friendly shows and musical acts, to satisfy the local appetite for varied and exciting work in Chichester. We are particularly thrilled to be working with Flute Theatre to present their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream created for young people with autism, alongside Twelfth Night for our wider Shakespeare-loving audiences. Chichester Festival Youth Theatre present another wonderfully imaginative Christmas production, Sleeping Beauty, and throughout this eclectic season we have a programme of events and workshops, offering access to high quality theatre for everyone in our local community. 4
THE MIDNIGHT GANG
30 ROUGH CROSSING
6
THE MESSIAH
32 THE LIFE I LEAD
8
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
34 COMEDY
10 THE NIGHTINGALES
36 DRAMA
12 CHRISTMAS CONCERTS
38 MUSIC
14 THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE
40 FOR FAMILIES
16 SLEEPING BEAUTY
42 EVENTS
18 DEAR SANTA
45 SCHOOLS
20 THE NUTCRACKER
46 PROLOGUE
22 TWELFTH NIGHT & A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
47 SUPPORT US
24 ART
49 VISIT US AND ACCESS
26 TRIAL BY LAUGHTER
50 BOOKING INFORMATION
28 THE UNRETURNING
52 DIARY
48 FOOD AND DRINK
Starring
TS TICKE Y L I FAM AILABLE AV
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JENNIE DALE
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F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
WORLD PREMIERE
THE MIDNIGHT GANG
By David Walliams Adapted by Bryony Lavery Music & Lyrics by Joe Stilgoe A bang on the head during a cricket match at his boarding school has landed twelve-year-old Tom in the children’s ward of the spooky Lord Funt Hospital. Luckily, he’s not on his own with the strict Matron and the scary-looking Porter. George, Amber, Robin and Sally are in there too, and they’re not taking things lying down. When the lights go out and the clock strikes twelve, they’re off. But will they let new boy Tom join their forbidden midnight adventures through the hospital’s labyrinthine realm? This inventive tale of fun, friendship and the importance of kindness is adapted by Bryony Lavery (A Christmas Carol, 2015), with music and lyrics by renowned musician and composer Joe Stilgoe (The Jungle Book, 2017). Director Dale Rooks’s production of Running Wild (Festival 2015) won the UK Theatre Award for Best Show for Children and Young People. Jennie Dale returns to play Matron following her acclaimed performance as the tap-dancing solicitor Parchester in Me and My Girl (Festival 2018).
13 October – 3 November
PERFORMANCE TIMES Mon – Sat eves 7pm Mats 2pm (see diary pages) TICKET PRICES From £10 Concessions available, visit cft.org.uk/pricing FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult. Top 3 prices (excludes Sat eve)
GROUPS 8+ Mon & Tue £29 Wed – Fri £5 off top 3 prices GROUPS 40+ Wed – Fri £8 off top 3 prices SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
Ages 7+
‘ I am absolutely thrilled that my book is coming to the CFT stage. It is a story about children helping each other to make their dreams come true’ David Walliams
‘A beguilingly funny, original and thought-provoking tale’ Times review of the novel 5
Sponsored by Jackson-Stops Kenwood Supported by The Midnight Gang Commissioning and Patrons Circles
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YOUR VISIT
Hugh Dennis Lesley Garrett John Marquez
THE MESSIAH Written and directed by Patrick Barlow Directly prior to the West End. Three towering talents play a cast of thousands in this new comedy of Biblical proportions by the Olivier Award-winning writer of the West End hit The 39 Steps. A travelling theatre troupe of two actors and an opera singer arrive by camel in the ancient town of Chichester to masterfully enact the greatest story ever told. Join the absurdly talented Maurice Rose (Hugh Dennis), the alarmingly unpredictable Ronald Bream RAC (John Marquez) and the distinguished diva Mrs Doreen Small (Lesley Garrett), in an hilarious Christmas comedy that conjures up the sublime, the ridiculous and the truly angelic. The Messiah promises to be the funniest and most magical Nativity you will ever see.
F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
12 – 17 November
PERFORMANCE TIMES Mon – Sat eves 7.30pm Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm TICKET PRICES Mon – Thu performances £37 £32 £24 £16 £10 Fri & Sat performances £39 £36 £27 £16 £10 FRIENDS £2 off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances Drama Saver available CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances
With additional material by John Ramm, Jude Kelly and Julian Hough.
‘Ridiculously funny, yet gloriously exhilarating’ Guardian
GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances
‘Comic splendour’ Time Out
‘ The comedy is two-pronged. It is about pretension and about incompetence. Both prongs are bliss’ Financial Times
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SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
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F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE Based on the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard Adapted by Lee Hall Music by Paddy Cunneen Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block... the deadline for his new play – a comedy called Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter – is fast approaching, he’s struggling to finish the first line of a sonnet and he’s in dire need of inspiration. Then he meets the beguiling Viola de Lesseps, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant. Viola is prepared to do anything – including risking the frosty disapproval of Queen Elizabeth I – to fulfil her illicit dream of performing on the London stage and pursuing a passionate affair with the greatest playwright of the age.
20 – 24 November
PERFORMANCE TIMES Tue – Sat eves 7.30pm Wed, Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm TICKET PRICES Tue – Thu performances £37 £32 £24 £16 £10 Fri & Sat performances £39 £36 £27 £16 £10 FRIENDS £2 off top 3 prices Tue – Thu performances Drama Saver available CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices Tue – Thu performances
This adaptation of the multi award-winning film classic is exuberant, witty, funny, and a beautiful homage to love, art, and theatre itself. This new production will be directed by Phillip Breen, director of the highly acclaimed recent Royal Shakespeare Company productions of The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Hypocrite.
★★★★★
‘The best British comedy since One Man, Two Guvnors’ Daily Telegraph
★★★★★
‘A riotously enjoyable evening in the theatre’ Sunday Times
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GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Tue – Thu performances SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
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YOUR VISIT
F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
Ruth Jones
THE NIGHTINGALES By William Gaminara Directed by Christopher Luscombe One of the UK’s best-loved stars, Ruth Jones, makes a rare stage appearance in this intriguing new comedy. When the local acapella group gather in the village hall they have every reason to look forward to their weekly rehearsal. There’s Steven, aged 60, the Cambridge-educated choirmaster; Diane, his younger wife; Ben, who was once a professional tennis player married to Connie, who was once a model; and Bruno, a young history teacher, who cares for his mother. They appear to be the friendliest bunch you could imagine. Whatever their differences, whatever the problems they may have at home, all are happily bound together in their shared love of music. The two hours of laughter and harmonies fly by. Until one day newcomer Maggie knocks on the door and everything changes... This new play provides the compelling role of Maggie for Ruth Jones, best known for the award-winning Gavin & Stacey. Other acting credits include Jimmy McGovern’s The Street, Hattie and Stella. William Gaminara is an actor and writer, who recently appeared at Chichester in An Enemy of the People and is perhaps best known for playing Leo Dalton in Silent Witness and Dr Richard Locke in The Archers. His plays include According to Hoyle and The Three Lions, as well as This Life and The Lakes for TV. Christopher Luscombe’s productions include Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (Festival 2016), Nell Gwynn (Shakespeare’s Globe and West End) and The Madness of George III (UK Tour and West End).
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27 November – 1 December
PERFORMANCE TIMES Tue – Sat eves 7.30pm Wed, Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm TICKET PRICES Tue – Thu performances £37 £32 £24 £16 £10 Fri & Sat performances £39 £36 £27 £16 £10 FRIENDS £2 off top 3 prices Tue – Thu performances Drama Saver available CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices Tue – Thu performances
GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Tue – Thu performances SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
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F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
CHRISTMAS CONCERTS With The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and Chichester Cathedral Choir Celebrate the festive season with traditional carols, seasonal sing-alongs and a Christmas cracker joke or two. We are delighted to welcome back the Cathedral Choir directed by Charles Harrison, and The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines directed by Captain Andy Gregory, returning for his second year, to entertain our audiences with a sleighful of Christmas cheer. With their vast selection of much-loved yuletide classics, ranging from Jingle Bells and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride, to Silent Night and Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, the band and choir look set to kick the season off in style once again. And of course the appearance by the band’s extraordinary Corps of Drums is one not to be missed!
4–8 December
PERFORMANCE TIMES Tue – Sat eves 7.30pm TICKET PRICES £29 £24 £20 £15 £10 FRIENDS £2 off top 3 prices on Tue eve FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult. Top 3 prices (excludes Sat eve)
GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Tue – Thu performances
Join us this year and cast your vote for Chichester’s Favourite Christmas Song when booking your tickets. The audience and band coming together to perform a rousing rendition of the winning number is one of the highlights of an evening full of Christmas joy.
‘A sparkling and hugely enjoyable night’ Chichester Observer
‘ I left the theatre feeling I had shared a festive evening with friends’ Portsmouth News
Sponsored by Caper & Berry 13
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YOUR VISIT
The Snail and the Whale © Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler 2003 – Macmillan Children’s Books.
M I N E R VA T H E AT R E
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE Inspired by the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler Join a tiny snail on her trip round the world in Tall Stories’s magical, musical production inspired by the fantastic bestselling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Longing to see the world, a tiny snail hitches a lift on the tail of a humpback whale. Together they go on an amazing adventure – but when the whale gets beached, how will the snail save him? Follow the tiny snail’s exciting journey, as seen through the eyes of an adventurous young girl and her seafaring father... Storytelling, live music and lots of laughs for everyone aged 4 and up, from the Olivier Award-nominated company that brought you The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom live on stage. Ages 4+ 55 minutes, no interval
★★★★★
‘Faultless family fare’ WhatsOnStage
★★★★★
‘ Joyous in every way… a textbook example of how to do theatre for children right’ Broadway Baby
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5–8 December
A TALL STORIES production PERFORMANCE TIMES Wed 4pm Thu – Sat 11am & 2pm TICKETS £14 FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
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Chichester Festival Youth Theatre
SLEEPING BEAUTY By Rufus Norris From The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods by Charles Perrault A princess under a fairy’s curse pricks her finger on a spindle and sleeps for a hundred years, waiting to be woken by a prince’s kiss. But hold on a moment. There’s a distinctly different slant to this story. The princess is beautiful and spirited but there are two princes and a lot of threatening thorns. As for the fairy who caused all the trouble in the first place – well, putting things right isn’t as simple as casting another spell. This splendidly entertaining and mischievous version of the original fairy tale ventures beyond the usual ‘happy ever after’ ending with the prince and princess united. The course of true love never did run smooth – especially if your mother-in-law is an ogress with an unfortunate taste for human flesh...
F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
15 – 30 December
PERFORMANCE TIMES Eves 7pm Mats 2pm & 4pm (see diary pages) TICKET PRICES £29 £24 £19 £14 £10 FRIENDS & CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices* FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult. Top 3 prices only* RELAXED PERFORMANCE 30 Dec, 2pm All tickets £15
Chichester Festival Youth Theatre are renowned for their wonderfully imaginative productions. They follow their five-star versions of Grimm Tales and Beauty and the Beast with a Sleeping Beauty that will keep you wide awake! Rufus Norris’s version of Sleeping Beauty premiered at the Young Vic (2002). He is Director of the National Theatre. Lucy Betts, formerly Head of Performance at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre where her productions included The Wizard of Oz and Oliver!, directs a visually stunning production with set design by Simon Higlett, imaginative costumes by Ryan Dawson Laight and new music by Tom Brady. Ages 7+
GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices* SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50* * Discounts do not apply for performances 26 – 30 December (inclusive)
By arrangement with Nick Hern Books Sponsored by Mercer James Todd & Co
★★★★★
‘ There can be no better way of heading into the festive season’
Supported by Sleeping Beauty Commissioning Circle
Brighton Argus on Beauty and the Beast (2017) 17
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M I N E R VA T H E AT R E
DEAR SANTA
20 – 23 December
PERFORMANCE TIMES Thu – Sun 11am & 2pm TICKETS £15
By the creator of Dear Zoo From the author of the well-loved children’s book Dear Zoo, Rod Campbell, comes a Christmas present children and parents alike will never forget. Santa is determined to deliver the Christmas present to our little hero Sarah. But he doesn’t get it right straight away! With the help of his cheeky Elf, he finally settles on something ‘perfect’, just in time for Christmas Eve. All the ingredients of Rod Campbell’s ingeniously simple and charming style are brought to life on stage, plus a whole lot more, with music, laughter and plenty of audience participation. Plus the opportunity to meet Santa himself after the show! A perfect introduction to theatre for little ones. Ages 2 – 7 50 minutes, plus meet and greet time with Santa!
★★★★
‘Magical family treat and a joy to watch’ Mumsnet
‘Had my 4-year-old captivated from start to finish!’ Time For Tots
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FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult
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F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
MOSCOW CITY BALLET
3–6 January
PERFORMANCE TIMES Thu – Sat eves 7.30pm Fri, Sat & Sun mats 2.30pm TICKET PRICES Thu eve & Fri mat £35 £29 £22 £16 £10 Fri eve – Sun mat £37 £33 £25 £16 £10
THE NUTCRACKER
Moscow City Ballet returns to Chichester Festival Theatre this New Year with their spectacular production of The Nutcracker. Presented in classic Russian style with full orchestra, the ballet is an unmissable climax to the festive season. The timeless story of Clara, who is whisked away on a magical fairytale adventure by her Nutcracker Prince, is set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious score and features stunning costumes and sumptuous sets. An enchanting treat for the whole family, this delightful tale is the perfect introduction to Russian classical ballet.
FRIENDS & CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices Thu eve & Fri mat FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult. Top 3 prices (excludes Sat eve)
Complete with live orchestra, breathtaking choreography and dazzling performances, The Nutcracker is Moscow City Ballet at its outstanding best.
★★★★
‘ Powerful elegance and breathtaking skill… Their visit to Chichester has become almost as traditional as the works they perform’
GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Thu eve & Fri mat
West Sussex Gazette
Sponsored by Covers Timber & Builders Merchants 21
Flute Theatre presents
M I N E R VA T H E AT R E
15 – 26 January
PERFORMANCE TIMES Mon – Sat eves 7.45pm Wed & Sat mats 2.45pm TICKET PRICES £26 £23 FRIENDS & CONCESSIONS £2 off Mon – Thu performances FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult (excludes Sat eve)
GROUPS 8+ 10% off Mon – Thu performances SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
TWELFTH NIGHT By William Shakespeare Adapted by Kelly Hunter with music by Tom Chapman Flute Theatre’s unique production of one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies has been performed across Europe and makes its UK premiere at the Minerva Theatre. Viola is saved from drowning with a bucket of freezing water and welcomed into Illyria by a mysterious clown who leads us all on a melodious and dreamlike odyssey. With nothing but instruments, costumes and props that may have been washed up on a beach, the cast of seven actors are swung between characters, between actor and musician, and between love and madness by this whirligig of a play. The result is a painfully funny and hopelessly romantic version of this classic, exploring the ecstasy and grief of falling in love for the first time. For anyone who has ever been in love, or is fed by a love of music.
★★★★★
‘Groundbreaking Shakespeare’ Guardian
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M I N E R VA T H E AT R E
16 – 26 January
A FLUTE THEATRE and ORANGE TREE THEATRE co-production PERFORMANCE TIMES 10.30am (see diary pages)
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM By William Shakespeare Adapted by Kelly Hunter with music by Tom Chapman Up to 15 young people on the autism spectrum become the participants for each performance, sitting with seven actors in a circle on our stage. Their families or carers sit just behind. The actors encourage the participants to play sensory games and together they unravel Shakespeare’s story. Afterwards everyone is invited for tea and biscuits with the cast. Originally created in 2017 at the Orange Tree Theatre in a co-production with English Touring Theatre, the production has since toured internationally.
‘ It was breathtaking, the way the actors entered into my son’s world rather than demanding that he enter theirs… I could relax because my son was with people who really “got” him and understood how to work with autism’ Parent of participant, 2017
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TICKET PRICES £10 per participant accompanying carer free. To book call Box Office on 01243 781312 SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50 Ages 10+
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is specifically for young people with autism and their families
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YOUR VISIT
F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
Nigel Denis Stephen Havers Lawson Tompkinson
ART
24 January – 2 February
By Yasmina Reza Translated by Christopher Hampton
PERFORMANCE TIMES Mon – Sat eves 7.30pm Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm
Art is a phenomenon and one of the most successful comedies ever staged. Having opened in 1996, it took both the West End and Broadway by storm, won the Olivier, Tony, Molière and every other major theatre award, and has been packing in audiences worldwide for more than twenty years. When Serge spends an extortionate amount of money on an all-white modernist painting, his close friends Marc and Yvan are baffled. But does their violent reaction to this provocative canvas mirror more dangerous antagonisms towards each other? Yasmina Reza’s dazzling study of friendship, prejudice and tolerance is a masterpiece.
TICKET PRICES Mon – Thu performances £37 £32 £24 £16 £10 Fri & Sat performances £39 £36 £27 £16 £10 FRIENDS & CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances
The all-star cast features BAFTA-nominated Nigel Havers (Downton Abbey, Chariots of Fire ), Olivier Award-winning Denis Lawson (Bleak House, New Tricks) and British Comedy Award-winning Stephen Tompkinson (The Split, Wild at Heart, Ballykissangel).
‘ Stylish, stimulating, beautifully constructed’ Mail on Sunday
‘Art is a phenomenon’ Times
‘You’ll roar with laughter’ New York Post
Sponsored by Covers Timber & Builders Merchants 25
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YOUR VISIT
F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
TRIAL BY LAUGHTER
4–9 February
A TRADEMARK TOURING and WATERMILL THEATRE production
By Ian Hislop and Nick Newman
PERFORMANCE TIMES Mon – Sat eves 7.30pm Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm
I ask you, is laughter treason? Surely not!
TICKET PRICES Mon – Thu performances £37 £32 £24 £16 £10 Fri & Sat performances £39 £36 £27 £16 £10
Following the sold-out run of The Wipers Times at Chichester last year, Ian Hislop and Nick Newman have once again taken inspiration from real life events for their new play Trial by Laughter. William Hone, the forgotten hero of free speech, was a bookseller, publisher and satirist. In 1817, he stood trial for ‘impious blasphemy and seditious libel’. The only crime he had committed was to be funny. Worse than that he was funny by parodying religious texts. And worst of all, he was funny about the despotic government and the libidinous monarchy.
FRIENDS £2 off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances Drama Saver available CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances
Along with his great ally, political cartoonist George Cruikshank, Hone sought vindication for his laughable offences and fought for freedom in one of the most remarkable legal cases of its time. Writer and broadcaster Ian Hislop has been editor of Private Eye since 1986; he has appeared frequently on Question Time and since 1990 has been team captain on BBC’s award-winning Have I Got News For You. Nick Newman is an award-winning cartoonist and writer; he has worked for Private Eye since 1981 and has been pocket cartoonist for The Sunday Times since 1989. Together Ian and Nick’s writing includes five years on Spitting Image, Harry Enfield and Chums, and My Dad’s the Prime Minister, as well as the film and play A Bunch of Amateurs. They have written many comedy series for Radio 4, and their film The Wipers Times was nominated for a BAFTA. In 2016 their play The Wipers Times toured and played in the West End to sell-out audiences.
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GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
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M I N E R VA T H E AT R E
Frantic Assembly
THE UNRETURNING
5–9 February
A FRANTIC ASSEMBLY and THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH production
By Anna Jordan
PERFORMANCE TIMES Tue – Sat eves 7.45pm Wed & Sat mats 2.45pm
I want to return to my home. I want a hero’s welcome: fanfares and brass bands and sausage rolls and jägerbombs. I want to lie under the skylight on my mum’s bed and watch clouds. I want to go out in my hometown, drink and dance and shout for no reason! I want to sing in the streets and puke in the gutter and they will never know. None of them will ever know what I…
TICKET PRICES £26 £23 FRIENDS & CONCESSIONS £2 off Tue – Thu performances
A British northern coastal town. Three young men are coming home from war. Their stories, set at different times over the last 100 years, are beautifully interwoven in this compelling new play by Anna Jordan (Yen, Royal Court Theatre, Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2013). Directed by Neil Bettles (Associate Director of Frantic Assembly) and featuring Frantic’s celebrated physicality, The Unreturning explores the profound effect that war has on young lives, and asks – what does coming home really mean? What is home? And when experience has shattered you into a million pieces, will home help to put you together again, or treat you as an ugly truth it does not want to confront? Ages 14+ Contains very strong language
‘Mesmerising to watch’ Chichester Observer on Frantic Assembly’s Things I Know To Be True
‘ Beautifully choreographed, stamped with Frantic Assembly’s signature physical style’ Portsmouth News on Frantic Assembly’s Things I Know To Be True
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GROUPS 8+ 10% off Tue – Thu performances SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
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YOUR VISIT
F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E
ROUGH CROSSING By Tom Stoppard With songs and music by André Previn One of Tom Stoppard’s most hilarious and brilliant plays comes to Chichester. Two famous but desperate playwrights are stuck on an ocean liner headed for New York, feverishly trying to rehearse their latest show before reaching land, and opening night. But they are constantly distracted by their delicate composer’s attempts to end it all, having overheard his lover confess her feelings to the leading man. Add an absurdly unorthodox waiter, a mistimed lifeboat drill and a vanishing glass of brandy, and soon the sharp Atlantic winds turn to world-class gales of laughter as these colourful characters become tangled up in a typically Stoppardian string of absurd events.
11 – 16 February
PERFORMANCE TIMES Mon – Sat eves 7.30pm Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm TICKET PRICES Mon – Thu performances £37 £32 £24 £16 £10 Fri & Sat performances £39 £36 £27 £16 £10 FRIENDS £2 off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances Drama Saver available CONCESSIONS £2 off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances
‘ Few modern playwrights serve a fizzier champagne of verbal wit than Tom Stoppard’ New York Times
GROUPS 8+ 10% off top 3 prices Mon – Thu performances
‘Hysterical’ Broadway World
SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
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Starring
MILES JUPP
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YOUR VISIT
M I N E R VA T H E AT R E
Miles Jupp
THE LIFE I LEAD
11 – 16 February
PERFORMANCE TIMES Mon – Wed, Fri – Sat eves 7.45pm Wed & Sat mats 2.45pm No performance 14 February
A new comedy by James Kettle Directed by Selina Cadell David Tomlinson built a career playing a certain type of Englishman – stiff, formal and a bit of a silly ass. He’s best remembered as Mr Banks in Disney’s classic Mary Poppins, but Tomlinson’s real life was just as fascinating as any of the parts he played.
TICKET PRICES £26 £23 FRIENDS & CONCESSIONS £2 off Mon – Wed performances
His was a life that contained action and adventure – he was a World War II fighter pilot who trained men who fought the Battle of Arnhem. And it featured a certain amount of heartbreak, not least following the tragic death of his first wife, and his later struggles to have his son Willie recognised as one of the first British cases of autism. Above all, the man who portrayed one of cinema’s most famous patriarchs was defined by his relationship with his own father – a remote, eccentric character who was hiding an extraordinary tragicomic secret. Miles Jupp (Neville’s Island, Rev, The Thick of It ) brings David Tomlinson to life, retelling his remarkable story in a richly comic and moving tale of fathers and sons across different generations, filling in the blanks behind a very well-known face.
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GROUPS 8+ 10% off Mon – Wed performances SCHOOLS 10+ £8.50
Comedy
AN EVENING OF ERIC & ERN AT CHRISTMAS A show for all the family from 8 to 80! Join Olivier-nominated Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel in a brilliant homage to Britain’s best-loved comedy duo, crammed full of those famous Morecambe and Wise routines, sketches, songs and of course, a musical guest. You’ll feel you’ve experienced the real thing and been taken back to a world of sunshine and laughter. Bring the kids, they’ll love it as much as you did. ‘ Never thought I’d see Morecambe and Wise live – I think I just have!’ Ben Elton
BRIDGET CHRISTIE: WHAT NOW? Brexit. Trump. Nuclear apocalypse. Environmental catastrophe. Is rolling news affecting your ability to enjoy the simple things? Like baking, gardening and autoerotic asphyxiation? This new show from multi awardwinning member of the Metropolitan Liberal Elite, and star of her own Netflix special, is for you. Ages 16+
‘ A masterclass’ Guardian ‘ Superb’ Telegraph
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Sun 2 Dec, 7pm TICKETS £25 £10
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Sat 8 Dec, 8pm TICKETS £18
SANDI TOKSVIG LIVE! NATIONAL TREVOR Sandi thinks that being called a National Treasure is bit embarrassing and she has decided instead to become a National Trevor – half misprint, half Danish comedian, novelist, actor and broadcaster. Expect tall stories, fascinatingly funny facts, really silly jokes and some terrible baking from the host of Great British Bake Off, QI and 15to1. Don’t expect tap-dancing, needlework or headstands.
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Fri 18 Jan, 7.30pm TICKETS £29 £10
Ages 14+
‘ Laden with laughs’ Guardian ‘ Captivating… excellent’ Times
WIRELESS WISE
COMEDY MUSIC NOSTALGIA Join broadcaster and composer Sir Richard Stilgoe, comedian and scriptwriter Barry Cryer, Saturday Live presenter Reverend Richard Coles, former Radio 4 announcer Charlotte Green and Garry Richardson, who has been presenting on the BBC Today programme for almost 40 years, for an evening of comedy and music. Hilarious anecdotes, songs and sketches are on the running order from our broadcasters who between them have been appearing on the wireless for two centuries!
c f t . o3 5r g . u k
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Sat 19 Jan, 7.30pm TICKETS £29 £10
Performance
STOPGAP DANCE COMPANY PRESENT
THE ENORMOUS ROOM
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In the latest epic production from Stopgap Dance Company, we follow a father and daughter gradually coming to terms with the loss of Jackie – their wife and mother. Combining exquisite detail in movement with evocative text and design, The Enormous Room is a thoughtful, moving and uplifting show about saying goodbye and moving on. ‘ Work that can take dance into a new genre’ Disability Arts Online ‘ A wonderful exploration that comforts and provokes long after the piece has ended’ Exeunt
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ODDLY MOVING PRESENT
Thu 13 – Sat 15 Dec Thu & Fri 7.45pm Sat 2.45pm (relaxed performance) TICKETS £14 £12
HE AIN’T HEAVY
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Performer Grania Pickard tells the story of growing up with her disabled autistic brother Sean using physical theatre, aerial circus, audience interaction and storytelling. Through puppetry, the audience see how Sean walks, talks and interacts with the world and how his unique take on life has shaped and influenced Grania. He Ain’t Heavy is an accessible production, with a relaxed attitude to audience noise and movement. ‘ An incredibly poignant and intimate portrayal of sibling love. Grania is a highly skilled circus performer, storyteller and connector, lighting up the entire stage’ LucyLovesCircus
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Wed 9 Jan, 2.45pm & 7.45pm TICKETS £14 £12
FUEL PRESENT NICK MAKOHA’S
THE DARK
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A night in November 1978; young Nick and his mother flee their home of Kampala. Buying safe passage and silence with all they have, the conductor asks no questions. Their companions are the missing, lost and displaced, those who have suffered under the violent rule of Idi Amin. We share in their stories of allegiance and conflict, echoing out through the darkness. Written by the award-winning poet Nick Makoha, The Dark tells the vivid and moving story of the migration he made with his mother at the age of four, directed by JMK Award-winning director Roy Alexander Weise (The Mountaintop, Young Vic and Nine Night, National Theatre). Ages 14+
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TRUTH This spellbinding fusion of song and choreography, created by Helen Chadwick and directed by Olivier Award-winner Stephen Hoggett, uses testimonies collected from all over the world – some brutal, some hilarious. A beautiful and thought-provoking song theatre show, which explores the once-simple notion of Truth in our messy modern age of fake news.
★★★★★
‘ All delivered by the deeply affecting vocals of the cast. It’s hard not to be swept up by the beauty of Truth’ The Daily Spectacle
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Mon 28 & Tue 29 Jan, 7.45pm TICKETS £14 £12
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Thu 31 Jan & Fri 1 Feb, 7.45pm TICKETS £14 £12 £17 £15 when booked with Truth Workshop
Music
10cc Among the most inventive and influential bands in the history of popular music, 10cc are one of the few acts to have achieved commercial, critical and creative success in equal measure. Join Graham Gouldman, Rick Fenn, Paul Burgess, Iain Hornal and Keith Hayman for an unmissable night fuelled on 70s rock, featuring their hits Rubber Bullets, I’m Not In Love and Dreadlock Holiday.
HEJIRA Meet the latest band to spring from London’s vibrant young music scene. Beautiful arrangement and stunning delicate vocals from lead singer Rahel Debebe-Dessalegne make up the deep trademark sound of this unmissable East London music outfit. Hejira consists of five stellar multi-instrumentalists that switch between two guitars, two bass, three sets of keys, drums and electronics as well as vocals from three of the members of the group.
CLARE TEAL AND HER BIG MINI BIG BAND Clare Teal and her Big Mini Big Band, conducted by Guy Barker, celebrate music from the golden age of song. This brand new show sees the award-winning vocalist and her stellar group of musicians effortlessly traverse a rich landscape of timeless and sparkling material including classics from Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh and Dave Brubeck – plus a nod to more contemporary writers too.
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Thu 8 Nov, 7.30pm TICKETS £38 £33
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Sat 5 Jan, 7.45pm TICKETS £18 £16
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Wed 9 Jan, 7.30pm TICKETS £28 £24 £10
BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT The world’s longest running orchestral music show visits Chichester for an evening of musical magic featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra and special guests. This performance will be recorded for broadcast at a later date.
JUDY CARMICHAEL: SWING TIME!
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Sat 12 Jan, 7.30pm TICKETS £36 £25 £10
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Grammy-nominated American pianist, vocalist and songwriter Judy Carmichael will celebrate the music of Fats Waller, Gershwin and other swing piano greats with an evening of gems from the Great American Songbook, as well as her own witty compositions. Widely considered one of the leading interpreters of classic swing music and stride piano, she has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows internationally, including Entertainment Tonight in the States and the BBC’s Loose Ends, In Tune and Woman’s Hour.
SOUTH AFRICAN CULTURAL CHOIR Following their role in Festival 2018’s random / generations, the South African Cultural Choir return to the Minerva. Featuring some of the most talented African musicians based in the UK, the choir has toured nationally and internationally, singing in different African languages, acapella, classical and traditional gospel songs as well as performing energetic Zulu dance that brings excitement and tells a story.
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Sun 13 Jan, 7pm TICKETS £22 £20
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Sat 2 Feb, 2.45pm & 7.45pm TICKETS £14 £12
For Families
HURLY BURLY CO. PRESENT
OVER THE MOON: A FIRST OPERA FOR LITTLE PEOPLE Over the Moon weaves together gentle classical music with familiar nursery rhymes and games in an interactive musical adventure for babies. Join us for musical tickling, stretching, chomping and stamping as we journey together through the day: waking, eating, playing and sleeping. With music by Debussy and Ravel alongside folk songs and original tunes. Ages 0 – 2
THE MOZART QUESTION The Mozart Question tells the story of Paolo Levi, a world-famous performer who developed his passion for music as a young child, and of his parents who were both musicians too. This powerful story of friendship and family, narrated by Michael Morpurgo, is interwoven with musical extracts from Beethoven, Vivaldi and Bach, performed by Daniel Pioro (violin) and The Storyteller’s Ensemble. Ages 8+
OVATION ROCK SHOW Talented young musicians return to the Minerva Theatre for the Ovation Rock Show, two evenings and one afternoon of live music featuring children and young people (ages 9 – 19) from local schools, Chichester Music Academy and Ovation Music. Ovation Music is a Chichester-based charity providing Music Sessions and Live Performance opportunities to children and young people, encouraging creativity, teamwork and a positive outlook. 40
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Fri 4 Jan 11am, 2pm & 3.30pm TICKETS £15 (one child and one accompanying adult. £5 per additional adult)
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Fri 11 Jan, 7.30pm TICKETS £25 £15 £10 FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult (top price only)
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Main Show: Fri 11 & Sat 12 Jan, 7pm Junior Show: Sat 12 Jan, 2pm TICKETS 2pm £10 7pm £15
BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA FAMILY CONCERT Join the BBC Concert Orchestra on a journey into classical music with a new family concert. Discover the incredible sounds of the orchestra through favourites from TV, cinema and the classics. Guaranteed to have your family enthralled and entertained – an ideal concert for all ages! Conducted by Natalie Murray Beale and CBBC’s Naomi Wilkinson presents. Ages 7+
CHILDREN’S CONCERT Southern Pro Musica returns with this perfect introduction to live music played by a full professional orchestra. The concerts include musical classics and lots of audience participation packed into one hour of exciting musical mayhem, compèred by magician extraordinaire Neil Henry and conducted by Jonathan Willcocks. Ages 5 – 11 Financial assistance is available for coach hire from admin@childrensconcerts.org.uk
CHICHESTER SINGS LIVE! Schools from across the area unite as a massed choir accompanied by a live band to present an evening of uplifting songs, bringing children from secondary and primary school together in harmony. Led by Emily Barden this is a West Sussex Music Hub event.
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Sun 13 Jan, 4pm TICKETS £25 £15 £10 FAMILY TICKET Half price for up to four Under 16s with every full price paying adult (top price only)
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Tue 15 Jan, 10.45am & 1.30pm TICKETS £4 on sale to schools from 6 September via Box Office 01243 781312
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Thu 17 Jan, 7.15pm TICKETS £7.50
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LEARNING, EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION
EVENTS COMMUNITY PROJECTS
We work with people of all ages and abilities, families, local community groups and schools, offering so much more than the work you see on our stages. Each season we offer a wide range of practical workshops, talks, tours, and performances devised by our Learning, Education and Participation (LEAP) department. Find everything we have to offer at cft.org.uk/LEAP
There is something for everyone in our weekly programme of activities for adults, and we invite you to Get Into It! GET SINGING – GET ACTING GET PLAYWRITING – GET DESIGNING GET DANCING – GET DEVISING Find out more about each one at cft.org.uk/getintoit Autumn term starts week commencing 24 September and sessions run for 10 weeks in the Steven Pimlott Building. £80 for full term, bursaries available.
TECHNICAL YOUTH THEATRE
Want to explore what life is like behind the scenes? In weekly sessions, Technical Youth Theatre members spend their time learning all about the practical and creative elements that go into putting on a production. Open to young people in Year 10+ with spaces available for our September 2018 intake. £60 per term with bursaries available. Contact cfyt@cft.org.uk for more information.
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THEATRE TOURS
Saturdays 10 Nov, 1 Dec, 26 Jan, 9 Feb, 9 Mar 10.30am Explore our Grade II* listed building in these 60-minute backstage tours. Tickets £5
PRE-SHOW TALKS
FREE, but booking is essential The Midnight Gang Tue 16 Oct, 5.15pm The Nightingales Wed 28 Nov, 5.45pm
POST SHOW TALKS
FREE The Messiah Wed 14 Nov Truth Thu 31 Jan Trial By Laughter with Ian Hislop and Nick Newman Tue 5 Feb The Unreturning Thu 7 Feb
PLAY CAFÉS
We pride ourselves on being a family friendly venue and would love to welcome you to our pop-up Play Café in the Minerva Bar & Grill before family shows. Enjoy free crafts, colouring in and a reading zone from 10am on the following dates: The Snail and the Whale Thu 6, Fri 7, Sat 8 Dec Dear Santa Thu 20, Fri 21, Sat 22, Sun 23 Dec
SHORT AND TALL STORIES
Thu 6 Dec, 10am (for nurseries) and Sat 8 Dec, 10am (for families) Foyle Terrace Join us in this 60-minute workshop, inspired by The Snail and the Whale and other Julia Donaldson stories, and learn how to turn ideas in your head into a brilliant story! For children ages 3 – 7 and their grown ups. £5 per child, accompanying adult free.
STOPGAP DANCE WORKSHOP
Fri 14 Dec, 10.30am Steven Pimlott Building Working with the team of artists behind The Enormous Room, explore the practical and inclusive tasks and exercises used by Stopgap Dance to create their unique style of dance in this two-hour masterclass. No prior experience required, fully accessible. Ages 18+. Tickets £5.
LULLABY LOUNGE
Fri 4 Jan, 10am Minerva Bar & Grill Join Little Notes artist Mark Bradbury for a pop-up musical moment in our sensory café for babies and parents. FREE.
SCRAP BAND
Sun 13 Jan, 1pm Steven Pimlott Building Before our Family Concert with the BBC Concert Orchestra, join us to make instruments out of everyday objects and make a big noise of your own in our Junk Orchestra. FREE.
TRUTH WORKSHOP
Thu 31 Jan, 4pm Steven Pimlott Building Join performer and creator of Truth, Helen Chadwick for a 90-minute singing workshop that gives insight into the creative process, the background to the piece and the music. Tickets £5 or £3 when booked with a ticket for the performance.
TELLING TALES
Sat 16 Feb, 10.30am Steven Pimlott Building Grandchildren, pack up your grandparents and an assortment of unusual objects. Join in the fun and mischief in tale-telling out of school! For children ages 5 – 10 and their grown ups. £5 per child, accompanying adult free.
‘ CFT runs some of the finest and most far reaching youth theatre and participation provision in the country’ Ink Pellet
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EVENTS
FUN PALACES
Sat 6 and Sun 7 October Following a hugely successful weekend last year for our first Fun Palaces event, we’re pleased to be joining in once again with this national campaign for culture at the heart of every community. Join us and other local organisations for a weekend of FREE activities at CFT for all ages. Fun Palaces are created by, for and with the local community so get involved! Try your hand at something new, see the building in a different light, or meet others doing exciting practical activities, all for free. Join our mailing list for more news and how to book. cft.org.uk/funpalaces
festivALL
FESTIVALL
Sat 16 and Sun 17 March Riverside Theatre, Chichester College Join us for two days of high-quality performances celebrating the creative talents of local people with additional needs. Performers will include Theatre Inc, Delta Seven and CFT’s own Friday Lates. In addition to the evening performances, there will a programme of FREE bookable workshops and activities open to all. Tickets £5 cft.org.uk/festivALL
E D U C AT I O N
FOR SCHOOLS We work closely with schools to provide opportunities for students and teachers to experience live theatre, alongside workshops, bespoke projects and digital resources to support the curriculum. See p50 for details of discounts for schools, colleges and young people aged 16 – 25.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
THE MIDNIGHT GANG
16 – 26 Jan, see diary pages Minerva Theatre Join professional actors from Flute Theatre Company to unravel Shakespeare’s story and words. Specifically for those with additional needs.
Tue 18 Sep Pupils can hear direct from the rehearsal room through an exclusive livestream led by director Dale Rooks and put their own questions to the creative team. Digital resources and lesson plans also available. Register your interest by emailing leap@cft.org.uk
SHAKESPEARE: PLAY IN A DAY
STORYMAKERS
Mon 4 – Fri 8 Mar Workshops in schools Year 5 and 6 pupils come together to explore one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, develop performance skills, learn about staging and share their work – all in one day. £8 per pupil.
Dates throughout the year, see diary pages 11am – 1pm Steven Pimlott Building Inspired by characters and themes from the season, KS2 students can re-imagine stories and characters, and perform their own version in a practical workshop. £5 per pupil.
cft.org.uk/schools
Throughout the academic year, we also run termly projects in partnership with many of our local schools, from anti-bullying workshops to playwriting and literacy sessions. Contact leap@cft.org.uk to find out how we can work to bring the Theatre to your school.
PROLOGUE
SIGN UP To sign up to the scheme for free, visit cft.org.uk/prologue and fill out the short membership form, including a valid date of birth.
AGED 16 – 25? Get your hands on great seats for many shows in our Winter season, now for just £5 with our FREE membership scheme. Register online with a valid date of birth, and just remember to bring your ID when you collect your tickets on the day! PROLOGUE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTIONS: The Midnight Gang The Messiah Shakespeare in Love
The Nightingales Christmas Concerts Sleeping Beauty
The Nutcracker The Unreturning Twelfth Night Rough Crossing Trial By Laughter The Life I Lead
Prologue tickets for all of these productions will go on sale at the same time as general booking (8 Sep) so members can plan their whole season in advance.
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS
Prologue members receive a 10% discount off food and drink at the Theatre. Make the most of our free Wi-Fi and the fantastic coffee in The Café or come along for the atmosphere and a drink in our Minerva Bar & Grill. For more information on the benefits of being a member plus T&Cs visit
cft.org.uk/prologue
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COME CLOSER Did you know that Chichester Festival Theatre is a registered charity? And that you can play an essential role and get more involved in what we do? The generosity and commitment of our supporters, whether their donation is large or small, has helped us achieve our reputation as ‘the jewel in the crown of regional theatres’ (Daily Telegraph). There are many ways to support us. Whether you are an individual, a company or a charitable trust, you can get closer to the work we do both on and off the stage and we would love to hear from you. We are currently raising funds for our Ageless campaign, which will ensure that theatre and live art remain at the heart of people’s lives, particularly for older people at risk of isolation in our local communities. By donating, you will help us to raise the £100,000 we need to continue providing life-changing experiences for vulnerable older people who might otherwise miss out, including our dementia friendly workshops, our Get Into It! series, which offers the chance to learn new creative skills, and our CFT Buddies scheme. To find out more about Ageless and other ways of supporting Chichester Festival Theatre, including membership of the Friends and Festival Players schemes, Corporate Sponsorship, and leaving a legacy gift in your Will, please visit our website or call the Development Team on 01243 812908.
cft.org.uk/supportus
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SUPPORT US
We’d love to tell you more about the ways you can support us. Please contact the Development Team on development.team@ cft.org.uk or call 01243 812908.
Food and Drink
With our light and comfortable spaces overlooking Oaklands Park, the Festival Theatre is a lovely environment to relax in, whether you’re seeing a show, having lunch with friends, or grabbing a coffee while browsing with our free Wi-Fi. We look forward to welcoming you.
THE CAFÉ
The Café in the Festival Theatre is a great spot for a light lunch or a good coffee. Open Monday to Saturday from 10am, The Café serves freshly made sandwiches, salads, delicious cakes, and a range of hot and cold drinks.
PRE-SHOW DINING
stonebaked pizzas, delicious quiches, tasty jacket potatoes, chunky sausage rolls or a light salad. Opens 90 minutes before the performance. The Brasserie on the ground floor of the Minerva Theatre is open for pre-show dining in stylish and elegant surroundings. The restaurant serves a contemporary British menu using local and seasonal ingredients as well as an excellent choice of wines. Join us upstairs in the Minerva Bar & Grill for a more relaxed atmosphere and a selection of main meals, sharing platters and lighter food options. For menus and to reserve your table visit cft.org.uk/dining
POST-SHOW DRINKS
We have three tempting offers for you: Overlooking Oaklands Park, The Foyle Terrace offers a glorious vantage point to enjoy lighter bites and drinks with friends. Choose from freshly made
Your visit doesn’t have to end at the final bows. Join us after the evening show upstairs in the Minerva Bar & Grill for a drink with friends. Our range of local ales, lagers, wines and spirits, including our extensive gin menu, offers plenty to choose from.
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Visit Us
Access List Membership If you have access requirements or want to book tickets with an access discount, please join the Access List. For more information and to register, visit cft.org.uk/access, call the Box Office on 01243 781312 or email access@cft.org.uk
ACCESS
RELAXED PERFORMANCES
Wheelchair users Level access into foyers. 16 wheelchair spaces over two levels in the Festival Theatre via accessible lifts on both sides of the auditorium. Two wheelchair spaces in the Minerva Theatre.
Sleeping Beauty Sun 30 Dec, 2pm. Ages 7+ The Enormous Room Sat 15 Dec, 2.45pm These performances welcome individuals, groups and families with children on the autism spectrum, with sensory and communication disorders, a learning disability or anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed theatre environment. For more information email access@cft.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01243 781312. cft.org.uk/relaxed-performances
Hearing impaired Free Sennheiser listening units available for all performances or switch your hearing aid to ‘T’ to use the induction loop. Dementia-Friendly All of our Box Office and Front of House staff have attended a Dementia Friends Information Session, and can be identified by the blue pin they wear on their uniform.
GETTING HERE
For detailed maps and more information visit CFT Buddies offers a friendly companion to those who may not feel comfortable or able to attend a performance cft.org.uk/gettinghere alone. Visit cft.org.uk/buddies for more information. Rail Chichester Station is a 20-minute walk from the Theatre with regular direct links to Victoria, Brighton, Assistance dogs are welcome; please let us Portsmouth and Southampton. Trains to London know when booking as space is limited. Waterloo connect at nearby Havant. nationalrail.co.uk Signed performances are British Sign Bus stagecoachbus.com Language interpreted for people who are Deaf/deaf or hearing impaired. Coach The coach drop-off point is outside the Festival Theatre with a coach park in Via Ravenna. Stagetext captioned performances display English text captions on a screen, Bicycle Our bike park accommodates 26 bicycles, for deaf or hearing impaired patrons. located just off the Theatre’s access road, off Broyle Road. chichester.gov.uk/cycling Audio described performances offer live narration over discreet headphones for people Car Park Northgate Car Park is an 836-space pay and who are blind or visually impaired. display car park next to the Theatre (free after 8pm). Touch Tours enable blind or visually impaired On matinee days the car park is very busy, so please allow plenty of time. chichester.gov.uk/parking people to explore the set and costumes 90 minutes before audio described performances. Please note that the car park will close at 6pm on Free but booking is essential. Wed 18 Oct in preparation for Sloe Fair and will be closed on Thu 19 and Fri 20 Oct, reopening at midday Large-print and audio CD versions on Sat 21 Oct.
of this brochure are available on request from access@cft.org.uk For more access information, call 01243 781312 or visit cft.org.uk/access
Parking for disabled patrons Blue Badge holders can park anywhere in Northgate Car Park free of charge. There are 9 non-reservable spaces close to the Theatre entrance. The ‘drop off’ area in front of the Festival Theatre is accessed from the Broyle Road entrance.
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Booking
DISCOUNTS
BOX OFFICE
Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 8pm (6pm when no performance), and on Sundays from two hours before the performance. The Minerva Theatre Box Office opens one hour before each Minerva performance.
Concessions are available on most week-long shows for Full-time Students, Families, Over 60s, Jobseeker Allowance and Income Support Claimants. See individual show pages for full details.
PAYMENT
Single show discounts are available on many shows in the Winter season. See show pages for more information. Friends Drama Saver Book the same number of tickets for four or more of the following productions and save 10% off the top three prices on the first performance only: The Messiah, Shakespeare in Love, The Nightingales, Trial By Laughter and Rough Crossing.
FRIENDS
Cards: MasterCard, Visa and Maestro. Cheques: payable to Chichester Festival Theatre.
TICKET DELIVERY
Book online and select the free Print at Home option to receive your tickets by email, or pay £1.50 to receive tickets by post.
TICKET EXCHANGES
Tickets must be booked and paid for in a single transaction. Friends receive up to four discounted tickets per production.
Tickets are non-refundable but you can change the date for the same production if you return your tickets to the Box Office at least 48 hours before the original performance. £1 fee per ticket (free for Friends), subject to availability.
GROUPS 8+
See show pages for full details. groups@cft.org.uk or 01243 812909
SCHOOLS & STUDENT GROUPS 10+
BOOKING DATES
Where applicable, available Mon – Thu eves and weekday mats. £8.50 per ticket; one free teacher ticket with every nine paid.
Benefactors, Commissioning Circle and Festival Players priority booking opens Thursday 30 August (online and by phone) Friends priority booking opens Saturday 1 September (online and by booking form only) and Tuesday 4 September (by phone and in person) Groups and Schools booking opens Thursday 6 September General booking opens Saturday 8 September (online only) and Tuesday 11 September (by phone and in person)
AGED 16 – 25?
CUSTOMERS WITH DISABILITIES
We want your visit to be as enjoyable as possible. If you have any specific access requirements, please join the Access List so that we can tailor your booking to meet your needs. You may be entitled to a discount on tickets, subject to certain conditions. For more information and the sign-up form visit cft.org.uk/access, or call the Box Office on 01243 781312 or email access@cft.org.uk.
01243 781312 cft.org.uk Chichester Festival Theatre Oaklands Park Chichester PO19 6AP box.office@cft.org.uk
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Ticket Prices
STAGE
STAGE
STAGE
STAGE
Festival Theatre Seating Plan
Minerva Theatre Seating Plan
FESTIVAL THEATRE The Midnight Gang 10cc
MINERVA THEATRE From £10 £38
£38
£33
£33
£33
The Messiah / Shakespeare in Love / The Nightingales Art / Trial By Laughter / Rough Crossing Mon – Thu performances
£37
£32
£24
£16
£10
Fri & Sat performances
£39
£36
£27
£16
£10
An Evening of Eric & Ern at Christmas
£25
£25
£25
£25
£10
Christmas Concerts
£29
£24
£20
£15
£10
Sleeping Beauty
£29
£24
£19
£14
£10
Moscow City Ballet: The Nutcracker Thu eve & Fri mat
£35
£29
£22
£16
£10
Fri eve – Sun mat
£37
£33
£25
£16
£10
Clare Teal
£28
£28
£24
£24
£10
The Mozart Question / BBC CO: Family Concert
£25 £25 £15 £15 £10
BBC CO: FNIMN
£36
£36
£25
£25
£10
Children’s Concert
£4
£4
£4
£4
£4
Chichester Sings Live!
The Snail and the Whale
£14
£14
Bridget Christie
£18
£18
The Enormous Room / He Ain’t Heavy / The Dark / Truth / South African Cultural Choir
£14
£12
Dear Santa / Over The Moon
£15
£15
Hejira
£18
£16
Eves
£15
£15
Mat
£10
£10
Judy Carmichael
£22
£20
Twelfth Night / The Unreturning / The Life I Lead
£26
£23
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
£10
£10
Ovation Rock Show
£7.50 £7.50 £7.50 £7.50 £7.50
Sandi Toksvig / Wireless Wise £29
£29
£29
£29
£10
Please note Only one reduction applies per ticket, and all discounts are subject to availability and at the discretion of the Box Office. CFT reserves the right to limit or vary advertised pricing and discounts. ID must be shown where relevant. CFT reserves the right to make any alteration to the advertised programme which may be rendered necessary by unavoidable cause. Latecomers cannot be guaranteed access to the auditoria until a convenient break in the performance. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of four, including babes in arms, will not be admitted to the auditorium, unless a production is advertised as a family show suitable for young children of that age. Tickets cannot be refunded once purchased. For full terms and conditions of sales, visit cft.org.uk/terms and for detailed seating plans visit cft.org.uk/seatingplans.
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Diary DIARY OCT
FESTIVAL THEATRE
MINERVA THEATRE
Mon 1 Tue 2 Wed 3 Thu 4 Fri 5 Sat 6 Sun 7 Mon 8 Tue 9 Wed 10
P 7.45pm P 7.45pm 7.45pm PN 7.00pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm 7.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm 7.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
The Midnight Gang
P 7pm
Sun 14 Mon 15
The Midnight Gang
P 7pm
Cock
7.45pm
Tue 16
The Midnight Gang
P 2pm
The Midnight Gang
P 7pm
Cock
7.45pm
The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang
2pm 7pm 2pm
Cock Cock Cock
Wed 17 Thu 18 Fri 19 Sat 20 Sun 21 Mon 22 Tue 23 Wed 24 Thu 25 Fri 26 Sat 27 Sun 28 Mon 29 Tue 30 Wed 31 Thu 1 Fri 2 Sat 3 Sun 4 Mon 5 Tue 6 Wed 7 Thu 8 Fri 9 Sat 10 Sun 11 Mon 12 Tue 13
Pre-Show: Cock, 6pm, MT
Fun Palaces Fun Palaces
Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock
Thu 11 Fri 12 Sat 13
NOV
EVENTS
Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock
C
2.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm
Schools: The Midnight Gang Storymakers, 11am, PB Pre-Show: The Midnight Gang, 5.15pm, FT Late with Kate & Mike Bartlett, Post-Show, MT Schools: The Midnight Gang Storymakers, 11am, PB Schools: The Midnight Gang Storymakers, 11am, PB SLOE FAIR - CAR PARK CLOSES 6PM SLOE FAIR - CAR PARK CLOSED SLOE FAIR - CAR PARK CLOSED SLOE FAIR - CAR PARK REOPENS 12NOON
The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang
PN 7pm 7pm 2pm 7pm 2pm 7pm 7pm 2pm 7pm
The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang The Midnight Gang
7pm 2pm 2pm 7pm 2pm AD 7pm AD C 2pm LP 7pm
10cc
The Messiah The Messiah
7.30pm
7.30pm 7.30pm
Cock Cock
7.45pm 7.45pm
Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock Cock
7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm AD 7.45pm AD 2.45pm LP 7.45pm
Post-Show: Cock, MT
Theatre Tour, 10.30am, FT Play Power: Cock, 12pm, PB
Post-Show: The Midnight Gang, FT Schools Theatre Day: The Midnight Gang, 11am, FT Joe Stilgoe & Friends, 7pm, FT Friends Annual Meeting, 11am, FT Midnight Adventure, 3pm, PB The Watsons
P 7.45pm
The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons
P 7.45pm P 7.45pm P 7.45pm PN 7.00pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
The Watsons The Watsons
7.45pm 7.45pm
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Pre-Show: The Watsons, 6pm, MT
Theatre Tour, 10.30am, FT
DIARY
FESTIVAL THEATRE
MINERVA THEATRE
Wed 14 Thu 15 Fri 16 Sat 17 Sun 18 Mon 19 Tue 20 Wed 21 Thu 22 Fri 23 Sat 24 Sun 25 Mon 26 Tue 27 Wed 28 Thu 29
DEC
Fri 30 Sat 1 Sun 2 Mon 3 Tue 4 Wed 5 Thu 6
The Messiah The Messiah The Messiah The Messiah The Messiah The Messiah
7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm AD 7.30pm AD 2.30pm 7.30pm
Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare in Love
7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm AD 7.30pm AD 2.30pm 7.30pm
The Nightingales The Nightingales The Nightingales The Nightingales The Nightingales The Nightingales The Nightingales The Nightingales An Evening of Eric & Ern
7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm AD 7.30pm AD 2.30pm 7.30pm 7pm
Christmas Concerts Christmas Concerts
7.30pm 7.30pm
Christmas Concerts
7.30pm
Christmas Concerts
7.30pm
Fri 7 Sat 8 Christmas Concerts Sun 9 Mon 10 Tue 11 Wed 12 Thu 13 Fri 14 Sat 15 Sun 16 Mon 17 Tue 18 Wed 19
7.30pm
Sleeping Beauty
7pm
Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty
7pm 2pm 7pm 2pm 7pm
Thu 20 Sleeping Beauty
S
7pm
Fri 21 Sat 22
Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty
2pm 7pm
EVENTS
The Watsons The Watsons
2.45pm 7.45pm
The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons
7.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
The Watsons The Watsons
7.45pm 7.45pm
The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons
7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
Post-Show: The Messiah, FT
Unfinished Manuscripts, 11am, MT
Post-Show: The Watsons, MT
C
The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons
7.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons The Watsons
7.45pm 7.45pm AD 2.45pm LP 7.45pm AD
The Snail and the Whale The Snail and the Whale The Snail and the Whale The Snail and the Whale The Snail and the Whale The Snail and the Whale The Snail and the Whale Bridget Christie
The Enormous Room The Enormous Room The Enormous Room
Pre-Show: The Nightingales, 5.45pm, FT
4pm 11am 2pm 11am 2pm 11am 2pm 8pm
7.45pm 7.45pm RP 2.45pm
Theatre Tour, 10.30am, FT
Play café, 10am, MB Short and Tall Stories, 10am, FOY Play café, 10am, MB Play café, 10am, MB Short and Tall Stories, 10am, FOY
Stopgap Dance Workshop, 10.30am, PB
Schools: Sleeping Beauty Storymakers, 11am, PB
Dear Santa Dear Santa Dear Santa Dear Santa Dear Santa Dear Santa
c f t . o5 3r g . u k
11am 2pm 11am 2pm 11am 2pm
Play café, 10am, MB Play café, 10am, MB Play café, 10am, MB
Diary
DIARY
FESTIVAL THEATRE
Sun 23 Mon 24 BH Tue 25 BH Wed 26 Thu 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30
JAN
Mon 31 Tue 1 Wed 2 Thu 3 Fri 4
Sat 5 Sun 6 Mon 7 Tue 8 Wed 9 Thu 10 Fri 11 Sat 12
Sun 13 Mon 14 Tue 15
MINERVA THEATRE 2pm 7pm 2pm
Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty
4pm 2pm 7pm 2pm AD 2pm 7pm RP 2pm LP 7pm
The Nutcracker
7.30pm
The Nutcracker The Nutcracker The Nutcracker The Nutcracker The Nutcracker
2.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm
Clare Teal and her Big Mini Big Band
7.30pm
The Mozart Question
7.30pm
Ovation Rock Show Ovation Rock Show
7pm 2pm
BBC Concert Orchestra Friday Night is Music Night
7.30pm
Ovation Rock Show
7pm
Judy Carmichael
7pm
BBC Concert Orchestra Family Concert Children’s Concert Children’s Concert
4pm 10.45am 1.30pm
Wed 16
Thu 17 Chichester Sings Live!
Sun 20 Mon 21 Tue 22
Over the Moon Over the Moon Over the Moon
11am 2pm 3.30pm
Hejira
7.45pm
He Ain’t Heavy He Ain’t Heavy
2.45pm 7.45pm
Twelfth Night
7.45pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
10.30am
Twelfth Night
7.45pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
10.30am
Twelfth Night
7.45pm 10.30am
7.30pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Twelfth Night
10.30am
7.30pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Twelfth Night Twelfth Night
Sat 19
Wireless Wise
11am 2pm
7.15pm
Fri 18 Sandi Toksvig
Dear Santa Dear Santa
EVENTS
Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty
7.45pm
2.45pm 7.45pm
Twelfth Night
7.45pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
10.30am
Twelfth Night
7.45pm
54
Play café, 10am, MB
Lullaby Lounge, 10am, MB
Scrap Band, 1pm, PB
DIARY
FESTIVAL THEATRE
MINERVA THEATRE
Wed 23 Thu 24 Art Art
2.30pm 7.30pm
Fri 25 Art
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
10.30am
Twelfth Night
7.45pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
10.30am
Twelfth Night
Art Art
2.30pm 7.30pm
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Twelfth Night Twelfth Night
Fri 1
Art Art Art Art Art Art
7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm AD 7.30pm
Sat 2
Art
AD
Sun 27 Mon 28 Tue 29 Wed 30 Thu 31 FEB
2.45pm 7.45pm
7.30pm
Sat 26
Sun 3 Mon 4 Tue 5 Wed 6 Thu 7 Fri 8 Sat 9 Sun 10 Mon 11 Tue 12 Wed 13 Thu 14 Fri 15 Sat 16
EVENTS
Twelfth Night Twelfth Night
AD
7.45pm
10.30am AD
Schools: Twelfth Night Storymakers, 11am, PB
Theatre Tour, 10.30am, FT
2.45pm 7.45pm
The Dark The Dark
7.45pm 7.45pm
Truth Truth
7.45pm 7.45pm
2.30pm
South African Cultural Choir
2.45pm
Art
7.30pm
South African Cultural Choir
7.45pm
Trial By Laughter Trial By Laughter
7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm AD 7.30pm AD 2.30pm 7.30pm
7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
Post-Show: Trial By Laughter, FT
Trial By Laughter Trial By Laughter Trial By Laughter Trial By Laughter Trial By Laughter Trial By Laughter
The Unreturning The Unreturning The Unreturning
7.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
Post-Show: The Unreturning, FT
Rough Crossing Rough Crossing
7.30pm 7.30pm
Rough Crossing Rough Crossing Rough Crossing Rough Crossing Rough Crossing Rough Crossing
7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm AD 7.30pm AD 2.30pm 7.30pm
The Unreturning The Unreturning The Unreturning The Unreturning
AD AD
The Life I Lead The Life I Lead The Life I Lead The Life I Lead
The Life I Lead The Life I Lead The Life I Lead
Truth Workshop, 4pm, PB Post-Show: Truth, MT
Theatre Tour, 10.30am, FT
7.45pm 7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
AD AD
7.45pm 2.45pm 7.45pm
Telling Tales, 10.30am, PB
KEY S Signed performance C Captioned performance AD Audio-described performance P Preview PN Press Night RP Relaxed Performance LP Last Performance BH Bank Holiday FT Festival Theatre MT Minerva Theatre PB Pimlott Building FF Festival Theatre Foyer MB Minerva Bar & Grill FOY Foyle Terrace
IMAGE CREDITS Photography P42, P45 Richard Gibbons, P43 Paul Inskip, P44 Carl Pendle and Pete Jones, P46, P48 Philip Vile, P47 Johan Persson DESIGN Bob King Creative bobkingcreative.com PRINT Bishops Printers bishops.co.uk
c f t . o5 5r g . u k
01243 781312 cft.org.uk Oaklands Park, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 6AP Theatre Manager & Licensee Janet Bakose A Company Limited by Guarantee Reg No 4210225 Registered Charity No 1088552