RSC ANNOUNCES LONDON SEASON
- The Alchemist and Doctor Faustus - two shows transfer direct from the Swan Theatre to the Barbican (2 September – 1 October 2016)
- Cymbeline and King Lear - two shows from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre transfer to the Barbican (31 October – 23 December 2016)
- Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (or Love’s Labour’s Won) transfer from Chichester Festival Theatre to the Theatre Royal Haymarket (9 December 2016 – 18 March 2017)
Following the four Shakespeare history plays, King & Country: Shakespeare’s Great Cycle of Kings, which kicked off 2016 at the Barbican Theatre, the touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation visits the Barbican for a week of performances in May, with London amateurs from the Tower Theatre joining the cast as the Rude Mechanicals, and pupils from Eastbury Community school and Beam Primary school in Barking and Dagenham playing Titania’s fairy train.
Six other RSC productions will play in London during the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare’s death, including two shows from the Company’s current Swan Theatre repertoire, alongside the RSC’s long-running production of Matilda The Musical in the West End.
The Alchemist and Doctor Faustus will transfer from the Swan Theatre into the Barbican from late August and play in repertoire from the beginning of September for a four week run, with the same cast directed by Polly Findlay and Maria Aberg respectively.
They will be followed by Cymbeline and King Lear transferring direct from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at the end of October for an eight week run in repertoire, directed by Melly Still and Gregory Doran respectively.
We are also pleased to announce jointly with Chichester Festival Theatre that, following their run in Chichester, the RSC productions of Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado about Nothing (or Love’s Labour’s Won) will be staged at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London’s West End from 9 December.
Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director said today; “I am thrilled that we are able to share so much of our work with audiences in London this year, with a total of twelve productions playing at the Barbican and the West End.
“Our work in the wonderful Swan Theatre has often missed out in transfers, so I am glad that Maria Aberg’s Faustus and Polly Findlay’s Alchemist will play at the Barbican, along with our two epic Shakespeare plays Cymbeline and King Lear.
“I am also delighted about our revival of Christopher Luscombe’s heart-warming Lost and Won double bill, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing, at the Haymarket – with Edward Bennett reprising his roles as Berowne and Benedick.”
Toni Racklin, the Barbican’s Head of Theatre said: “Continuing our ongoing collaboration with the RSC we are thrilled that Polly Findlay, Melly Still and Maria Aberg make their Barbican debuts and we look forward to welcoming back Gregory Doran and Antony Sher with their highly anticipated new production of King Lear. This bumper autumn season sees two clever pairings of work by Shakespeare and his contemporaries from two of the RSC’s Stratford-Upon-Avon stages.”
Jonathan Church, Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre said: “We are delighted to be welcoming the Royal Shakespeare Company to our stage this autumn with the ingenious pairing of Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing, and to be collaborating with the RSC and the Haymarket to transfer the productions to London – particularly in this 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare’s death.”
Talks
King Lear’s Subjects: The Fool, Cordelia and Kent
Saturday 19 November, Saturday 3 December and Saturday 10 December
10.30-11.30am
Onstage, £8
Each discussion will explore the actions of King Lear through the eyes of one of his most loyal subjects. Actors in the roles in current and past productions discuss the relationship of The Fool, Cordelia and Kent with the eponymous king, all three remaining devoted to him as his kingdom falls apart.
Post Show Talkback: The Alchemist
Tuesday 20 September
Onstage after the show, FREE
Post Show Talkback: Doctor Faustus
Tuesday 27 September
Onstage after the show, FREE
Post Show Talkback: King Lear
Tuesday 22 November
Onstage after the show, FREE
Post Show Talkback: Cymbeline
Monday 28 November
London RSC press nights:
Barbican
Tuesday 13 September, 7pm Doctor Faustus
Wednesday 14 September, 7pm The Alchemist
Thursday 3 November, 7pm Cymbeline
Tuesday 15 November, 7pm King Lear
Theatre Royal Haymarket
Saturday 17 December, 2pm Love’s Labour’s Lost
Saturday 17 December, 7pm Much Ado About Nothing
The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION and THE KOVNER FOUNDATION
Ends
BOOKING
Wednesday 20th April 2016 RSC Supporters
Thursday 21st April 2016 RSC Full Members
Friday 22nd April 2016 RSC Associate Members
PUBLIC BOOKING OPENS: MONDAY 25 APRIL 2016
RSC Box Office - 01789 403493
Barbican Box Office – 020 7638 8891
Theatre Royal Haymarket Box Office - 020 7930 8800
For further information on the RSC at the Barbican, please contact Philippa.harland@rsc.org.uk and for press tickets contact Olivia.farrant@rsc.org.uk
For further information on Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing at the Haymarket, please contact Ben Chamberlain ben@thecornershoppr.com or Emma Draper emma@thecornershoppr.com
Production images are available free of charge via http://www.rsc.org.uk/press/press-resources/press-images/
The Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world. We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context, alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers.
Everyone at the RSC - from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians - plays a part in creating the world you see on stage. All our productions begin life at our Stratford workshops and theatres and we bring them to the widest possible audience through our touring, residencies, live broadcasts and online activity. So wherever you experience the RSC, you experience work made in Shakespeare’s home town.
We have trained generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future. We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre. We reach 530,000 children and young people annually through our education work, transforming their experiences in the classroom, in performance and online.
Registered charity no. 212481 www.rsc.org.uk
BP 16-25 Tickets
The BP £5 ticket scheme and BP Shakespeare Pass for 16 – 25 year olds gives access to £5 tickets for all RSC productions in Stratford-upon-Avon. BP £5 tickets are also available for RSC productions in London or on tour. Tickets can be booked in advance on the phone, online or in person for performances in Stratford-upon-Avon and in London at the Barbican Theatre. For performances of Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre or Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, a limited number of BP £5 tickets are available to 16-25 year olds on the day and in person at the theatre Box Office.
Chichester Festival Theatre
Chichester Festival Theatre is one of the UK’s flagship theatres with an international reputation for producing work of the highest quality, ranging from large-scale musicals to distinguished dramas. With its bold thrust stage design, the Festival Theatre is one of the UK’s most striking playhouses; the smaller Minerva Theatre sits nearby.
Two highlights of Festival 2015 will be seen in London this year: Jonathan Kent’s staging of Young Chekhov transfers to the National Theatre from July, and Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild receives its London premiere at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in May. Guys and Dolls, originally produced in Festival 2014, is playing at the West End’s Phoenix Theatre and simultaneously touring the UK.
Alongside its productions, the Theatre has a much-valued programme of learning and participation work. It has built and strengthened connections within the community through Youth Theatre groups, classes in writing, dance, and drama for a variety of ages, and Heritage activities to document its rich history.
For more information, visit cft.org.uk
