Bath's Ustinov Studio and Theatre Royal announce 2016 season
© Dan Wooller
The Ustinov Studio and Theatre Royal, Bath have announced their 2016 season which will feature two French Canadian plays, two classic comedies and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Kicking off the Ustinov season will be the UK premiere of Right Now, directed by former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Michael Boyd. Written by Catherine-Anne Toupin and translated by Chris Campbell, Right Now is a disquieting exploration of one woman’s crisis and darkest desires.
The production will run at the Ustinov from 18 February to 19 March before opening at the Bush Theatre in late March. It will then transfer to the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh in April.
Laurence Boswell, artistic director of the Theatre Royal Bath Ustinov Studio said: "The Ustinov is devoted to the discovery of international writers of special talent, and so we are delighted to be working with our partners at the Traverse and the Bush on the presentation of this fresh, imaginative and provocative new play."
Forever Yours, Marie-Lou will play next. Directed by Boswell, Michael Tremblay's play exploring a chronically dysfunctional family is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Canadian drama. The production runs from 24 March to 30 April and is translated by Michael West.
Leading into the summer season at the Theatre Royal, Noel Coward's 'semi-autobiographical' comedy Present Laughter plays from 22 June to 9 July. Starring Samuel West – currently appearing in the Young Chekhov season at Chcichester – the production is directed by Stephen Unwin, former artistic director of the English Touring Theatre and the Rose Theatre, Kingston.
Terence Rattigan's 1943 farce While the Sun Shines will then run from 13 to 30 July. Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the play is a series of crossed-wires, confusion and mistaken identities.
The season concludes with Boswell's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. The production will run from 3 to 20 August. Casting is yet to be announced.
