Artistic Director Jez Bond today announces Park Theatre’s new Jan - Jun 2018 season. Featuring five world, European, UK and London premiere productions, Park Theatre continues to build its reputation as a home for new writing and celebrated transfers.
Artistic Director Jez Bond says: “I’m thrilled to be announcing our season for the first half of 2018. In PARK200 we are working with some of the best theatres and producers from across the UK and beyond, from Chichester Festival Theatre to Broadway, bringing world class productions to our stages; as well as producing our next show from America, the politically timely Building The Wall. As ever we’re full to the brim with a majority of new writing premieres in both PARK200 and PARK90. PARK90 celebrates our passion for women on stage and off: with women's stories and journeys at the heart, and a prevalence of women writers, producers and directors.”
The UK premiere of the musical Rothschild & Sons opens the new season in PARK200, with Broadway songwriters Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock (Fiddler On The Roof) charting the Rothschild family’s rise from poverty to a global banking dynasty with new, never-before-heard songs. A Passage to India follows, as part of an international adaptation of E. M. Forster’s seminal novel set in Imperial India, re-imagined for a contemporary Britain by simple8. Written by and starring David Haig, Pressure is the incredible true story of two allied meteorologists tasked with predicting the perfect weather conditions for General Eisenhower’s D-Day landings in 1944. For the European premiere of Building The Wall from Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, Jez Bond directs this political thriller that has already taken America by storm, exploring how the inconceivable can become the inevitable. The world premiere of Monogamy closes the PARK200 season, a new comedy by Torben Betts about living a private life in the public eye.
There or Here commences the new PARK90 season, in the UK premiere production of a new American comedy about outsourcing motherhood, from the producer of Yellow Face (Park Theatre/National Theatre transfer). The London premiere of A Princess Undone is a play inspired by actual events around sensational and potentially damaging royal letters acquired by Princess Margaret. A revival of Philip Ridley's modern classic exploring hate crime follows, as Robert Chevara directs Vincent River. Inspired by a real court case in the USA, a Chicago teenager is arrested for terrorist collusions when she converts from Christianity to Islam, and is tried by a practicing Muslim, in the UK premiere of Faceless. Next is a revival of Schism from the lauded playwright and activist Athena Stevens, which charts the unlikely love that forms when Harrison’s suicide plans are dashed by the arrival of a young student with cerebral palsy. Closing the new season in PARK90, Beirut explores a fleeting encounter between two lovers, now divided by a quarantine enforced to protect a future society from a terrifying Sexually Transmitted Disease.
PARK200
24 January – 17 February 2018
Arnold Mittelman in association with Park Theatre presents the UK Premiere of
ROTHSCHILD & SONS
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Sherman Yellen
Based on The Rothschilds by Frederic Morton
Directed by Jeffrey B. Moss Press Night: Mon 29 Jan, 7pm
Times: Evenings Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3pm
Audio Described: Tue 13 Feb 7.30pm (Touch Tour, 6pm)
A Family willing to risk everything
The remarkable story of how a father, mother and their sons changed the world.
This uplifting and universal tale affirming human dignity springs from the hearts and minds of Broadway songwriters Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock (creators of Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me) and Tony-nominated writer Sherman Yellen. Inspired by the book The Rothschilds by Frederic Morton, this re-imagined musical about a family that risks everything includes several never-before-heard songs in its thrilling UK premiere.
20 February – 24 March 2018
A simple8 and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production in association with Park Theatre
A PASSAGE TO INDIA
Based on the novel by E. M. Forster
Adapted by Simon Dormandy
Directed by Sebastian Armesto and Simon Dormandy
Original music by Kuljit Bhamra
Press Night: Thu 22 Feb, 7pm
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3pm
Parents & Babies Wed 21 Mar 1pm
“One cannot be friends with the English!”
Harsh but clear advice, which Aziz chose to ignore. Now he lies in jail, charged with sexual assault. E. M. Forster’s masterpiece poses an urgent question: how can we love one another in a world divided by culture and belief?
Following the acclaimed Don’t Sleep There Are Snakes (Park Theatre), the award-winning simple8 transport us to imperial India, conjuring up the elephants and caves, courthouses and temples by the simplest and boldest means – with original music played live by legendary composer Kuljit Bhamra.
Full of humour and rich humanity, but with vast philosophical and political scope, A Passage to India is one of the great novels of the 20th century. simple8’s thrilling new adaptation re-imagines it for contemporary Britain.
28 March – 28 April 2018
Jonathan Church productions & Oliver Mackwood in association with Cambridge Arts Theatre and Park Theatre presents the London Premiere of the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and Chichester Festival Theatre production of
PRESSURE
By David Haig
Directed by John Dove
Cast includes David Haig and Laura Rogers
Press Night: Tue 3 Apr, 7pm
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3pm, Mon 2 Apr 7.30pm
Captioned: Tue 17 Apr 7.30pm
D-Day, June 1944. The Allied forces led by General Eisenhower are poised to launch. 350,000 lives at stake and the decision of whether or not to attack comes down to the most important weather forecast of all time.
Olivier Award-winner David Haig plays Scottish meteorologist, Group Captain James Stagg, in this true story and critical smash hit, from Chichester Festival Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh.
2 May – 2 June 2018
Park Theatre presents the UK Premiere of
BUILDING THE WALL
Written by Robert Schenkkan
Directed by Jez Bond
Press Night: Fri 4 May, 7pm
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3pm
5th Birthday Gala: Tue 15 May, 6pm
Captioned: Tue 22 May 7.30pm
Audio Described: Fri 1 Jun 7.30pm (Touch Tour, 6pm)
"Shit rolls downhill and the little guy takes the fall while the people who really set things in motion, they always walk. Always."
2019, America. Rick is incarcerated awaiting sentencing for the crime of the century. He grants just one interview – to Gloria, an African American historian. In a world where history is written by the winners, Gloria wants a full account. Unfiltered. Direct from source.
Building the Wall examines what happens when an ordinary person becomes a cog in a regime and how the inconceivable becomes the inevitable.
Don’t miss the UK Premiere of this gripping political thriller from Robert Schenkkan, a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright and Academy award nominee.
The story has already begun. Is this how it ends?
6 June – 7 July 2018
The Original Theatre Company in association with Park Theatre presents the World Premiere of
MONOGAMY
Written by Torben Betts
Directed by Alastair Whatley
Press Night: Mon 11 Jun, 7pm
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3pm
Parents and Babies: Tue 3 Jul 1pm (£15, babes in arms under 1 year go free)
Monogamy means sharing your life with one person, but what if you shared your kitchen with 5.6 million?
Caroline Mortimer, the nation’s favourite TV cook, has it all - a sparkling career, a big house in Highgate, a (golf) loving husband, smart kids and the best kitchen money can buy.
But beneath the immaculate furnishings, studio lighting and away from the glare of the ever-present cameras - Caroline must face the looming collision of living a private life in the public eye. What happens when the cameras turn off and the truth comes out?
A searing, sharp, state of the nation comedy from one of the UK’s most exciting playwrights, Torben Betts (Muswell Hill, Park Theatre).
PARK90
23 January – 17 February 2018
Special Relationship Productions in association with Anita Creed Productions and Park Theatre presents the UK Premiere of
THERE OR HERE
Written by Jennifer Maisel
Directed by Vik Sivalingam
Press Night: Thu 25 Jan, 7pm
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.45pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3.15pm
Parents and Babies: Wed 31 Jan 1pm (£15, babes in arms under 1 go free)
Captioned: Wed 7 Feb 7.45pm
2006. When illness prevents Robyn and Ajay from having a child of their own, they outsource their pregnancy to a woman in India. As they embark on this journey of a lifetime, their increasing inability to be each other’s comfort drives them to seek solace from strangers on the other end of their phones.
The producer of Yellow Face, the 2013 sell-out hit (and National Theatre transfer) returns to Park Theatre with new American comedy There or Here, a PEN West Literary Award Finalist play about outsourcing, motherhood and identity.
20 February – 17 March 2018
Entico Ltd in association with Park Theatre presents the London premiere of
A PRINCESS UNDONE
Written and directed by Richard Stirling
Press Night: Mon 26 Feb, 7pm
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.45pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3.15pm
Captioned: Tue 13 Mar 7.45pm
Kensington Palace, 1993. She was the Diana of her day. That day has gone, but HRH The Princess Margaret seeks one final chance to be of service.
Acquiring potentially sensational letters from Charles and Diana, she means to burn the evidence. But there are other papers, relating to Margaret herself. And when an ex-gangster admirer returns from her past, the Queen’s sister has the choice to make or break her family yet again.
As dynamic as The Crown (Netflix) and inspired by actual events.
20 March – 14 April 2018
Celia Dugua in association with Park Theatre presents
VINCENT RIVER
Written by Philip Ridley
Directed by Robert Chevara
Press Night: Fri 23 Mar, 7pm
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.45pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3.15pm
Dementia Friendly: Wed 11 Apr 3.15pm
Davey has seen something he can never forget. Anita has been forced to flee her home. Tonight, they meet for the first time... and their lives will change forever.
Philip Ridley's modern classic was a huge success when it premiered at the Hampstead Theatre in 2001, and became a West End smash in 2007. Thrilling, heartbreaking and darkly humorous by turns, it is now seen as one of the most powerful explorations of hate crime - and society's need to crush 'difference' - ever written.
17 April – 12 May 2018
PMJ Productions in association with Park Theatre presents the UK Premiere of
FACELESS
Written by Selina Fillinger
Directed by Prav MJ
Press Night: Thu 19 Apr 2018
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.45pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3.15pm
Relaxed Performance: Tue 8 May 3.15pm (£10)
“So I’ve been thinking a lot lately and I think I’m ready to convert
- I know I need two witnesses for it to count so I Googled it”
Susie, a suburban Chicago teenager lives her life on the internet. However, when she meets someone online who convinces her to convert from Christianity to Islam and leave home for Syria, Susie finds herself arrested for conspiring to commit acts of terrorism.
Recent Harvard Law graduate and practising Muslim, Claire Fathi, will be prosecuting for the US government to the full extent of the law…
Inspired by a real court case in the USA.
16 May – 9 June 2018
Aegis Productions in association with Park Theatre presents
SCHISM
Written by Athena Stevens
Directed by Lily McLeish
Cast includes Athena Stevens
Press Night: Thu 17 May 2018
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.45pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3.15pm. Mon 21 May 19.45
Relaxed: Wed 6 Jun 3.15pm
“I never wanted to change, in case you didn’t like it”
Failed architect Harrison had plans to end his life. The last thing he needed was Katherine, a young student with cerebral palsy, breaking into his house begging for his help...
As their chaotic first encounter turns into the beginning of a twenty year relationship, the unlikely couple grow to realise that they are capable of either building something great together – or absolutely destroying each other.
Following the journey of Harrison and Katherine, Schism is a stunning new play about two people finding each other, and questions at what point does a dream become unrealistic and out of date.
12 June – 7 July 2018
Elphin Productions in association with Park Theatre presents
BEIRUT
Written by Alan Bowne
Directed by Robin Lefevre
Press Night: Mon 18 Jun 2018
Times: Evenings Tue – Sat 7.45pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3.15pm
Captioned: Wed 27 Jun 7.45pm
“I can live without sex and feel dead or risk death and feel alive.”
Torch has been quarantined in a dark, squalid room on the Lower East Side of New York City, which the locals refer to as “Beirut” after testing positive for a nameless disease. Torch passes the time alone, forbidden from contact with the outside world.
His girlfriend, Blue, makes the dangerous journey across the quarantine line to be with him. Torch tries to keep her at arm's length and they argue lovingly, jokingly, fearfully, bravely, and desperately about sex and death. All the while, Torch pleads with Blue to leave before his resistance fails….
Robin Lefevre has previously won the New York Drama Desk Award for Best Director and is a Tony Award nominee.
