Felicity Kendal to star in Filumena at Theatre Royal Windsor

Sean Mathias returns to Theatre Royal Windsor for his fourth season of plays.

Under Mathias’s direction, both Emlyn Williams’s Accolade and Eduardo de Filippo’s Filumena, will be staged in Windsor prior to UK tours.

Initial casting for Accolade, a dark look at the price of success and the power of trial-by-media, includes Alasdair Buchan (The Da Vinci Code), Kayleigh Cooper (A Christmas Carol), Sara Crowe (Fallen Angels), Gavin Fowler (Merchant of Venice 1936), Jamie Hogarth (Dom – The Play), David Phelan (Mission Impossible), Narinder Samra (Passenger) and Sarah Twomey (Paddington in Peru), with further casting to be announced.

The piece will have set and costume design by Julie Godfrey, lighting design by Nick Richings, sound design by David Gregory and principal casting by Jill Green CDG.

It will play in Windsor (31 May to 15 June), Cambridge Arts Theatre (18 to 22 June), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (25 to 29 June), Theatre Royal Bath (2 to 6 July) and Richmond Theatre (9 to 13 July).

Following that will be Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall’s English adaptation of classic comedy Filumena starring Felicity Kendal. The piece, set in Naples, questions family ties and whether we can ever escape our past.

Filumena will visit Windsor (4 to 19 October), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (22 to 26 October), Cambridge Arts Theatre (5 to 9 November), Theatre Royal Bath (12 to 16 November) and Richmond Theatre (19 to 25 November).

Director Sean Mathias said today, “These two plays are not what they first appear to be. Accolade is atypical of Emlyn Williams, examining success as approved by the establishment, it quickly deconstructs that success and then looks to smash it.

“The central character, Will Trenting, was written by the author for himself to play in the world premiere – a character lionized by an order he despised, Will contains shades and shadows of the Welshman himself, who refused to fit into any boxes. Williams had a deep fascination with the psychology of the criminal or alternative mind, and Accolade is a riveting theatrical reflection of his interests.

“Filumena poses as a colourful comedy that soon turns into a dark, probing examination of family and the law. A fascinating study of manipulation and the human psyche in extremis. Full of trickery and deceit, it is a wonderful mockery of the flawed constraints of traditional values. I am thrilled and excited to be working with Felicity Kendal; she is an actress I have long admired and her unique brand of comedy and sensuality will be a perfect blend for her portrayal of Filumena.

“Both Williams and De Fillipo were actors and writers as well as great individuals. These two plays are shining examples of their original talents.”