Theatre News

Sansom announces final season at Northampton, stages To Sir, With Love

| London's West End |

28 November 2012

Laurie Sansom has announced his final season as artistic director of the Royal & Derngate in Northampton, which includes the world premiere of the stage adaptation of To Sir, With Love and revivals of plays by Willy Russell, Alan Ayckbourn and Brian Friel.

To Sir, With Love, which runs from 6 to 28 September 2013, is based on ER Braithwaite’s autobiographical novel about a young black teacher working in
the post-war East End.

Made into a major film in 1967 starring Sidney Poitier, the new stage adaptation is by Ayub Khan-Din, author of East is East. “Peppered with songs and music of the late ’40s”, the production will include local young people in the cast.

The 2013 programme runs under the banner ‘comedy gold’, and features revivals of Willy Russell’s One for the Road (1-23 February, directed by Sansom), Alan Ayckbourn’s Mr Whatnot (16 March-6 April, directed by Cal McCrystal), Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (19 April-11 May, directed by Gary Sefton) and Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa (24 May-15 June, directed by Richard Beecham).

Sansom, who departs the Royal & Derngate to head up the National Theatre of Scotland, said: “After seven years at Royal & Derngate, it is with great pleasure and sadness that I introduce my final Made In Northampton season, which starts with our Comedy Gold programme.

“Featuring hilarious comedies by three of the country’s most celebrated writers, this feels a fitting way to celebrate seven years as custodian of one of the country’s most beautiful theatres.”