Theatre News

Priestley & award winning musical spearhead Salisbury Playhouse’s 2013 season

The Spring/Summer 2013 season at Salisbury Playhouse includes a home-produced musical, a UK premiere about the Moscow theatre siege, a three-week celebration of theatre from the South West and the West End production of Yes, Prime Minister.

Artistic Director Gareth Machin (Epsom Downs, The Spire) is to direct an ensemble cast of actor/musicians in the musical A Man of No Importance (25 April-18 May) with design by Matthew Wright (Stepping Out). Set in 1960s Dublin, and telling the story of bus conductor Alfie Byrne and the amateur dramatic company he leads, this funny and heart-warming musical won the Critics Circle Award for Best Musical when first produced in New York.

Following Anne and Zef in 2012, the Playhouse is once again working with Company of Angels on the UK premiere of Nordost (15 – 27 April). This tense play about the 2002 Moscow theatre siege from the point of view of three women will include members of Stage ’65, the Playhouse’s youth theatre, working alongside the professional cast.

Theatre Fest West returns at Easter (25 March – 13 April), showcasing the wealth of theatre produced in the region. A packed programme of imaginative theatre ranges from the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham’s production of Laurie Lee‘s Cider with Rosie to Kilter Theatre’s The Last Post which will take place in a converted Luton van outside the theatre!

Salisbury Arts Centre will also be presenting a range of events as part of Theatre Fest West.

The Playhouse will stage Alan Ayckbourn‘s comedy Joking Apart in a co-production with Nottingham Playhouse (27 February —23 March). Set in the same garden over a twelve year period, this painfully funny play explores the unrelenting themes of ageing, jealousy and unrequited love, and is directed by Lucy Pitman-Wallace (Way Upstream).

The UK tour of Yes, Prime Minister, comes to Salisbury Playhouse for just one week (2 — 6 April) following three sell out West End seasons. Created by the original writers of the TV series, this new satirical take on Whitehall features the familiar characters of Prime Minster Jim Hacker and his Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby.

The season also includes the Playhouse’s production of J B Priestley’s Dangerous Corner and a wide range of touring productions in the Salberg Studio.

There is a selection of theatre for those aged 8 years and under including adaptations of the popular books Bringing Down the Moon and The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark whilst Stage ’65 youth theatre will be presenting Lynda Radley‘s Futureproof and Laura Wade‘s Alice, in a colourful large-scale production, bringing the Wonderland story right up to date.