Theatre Royal - News

THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON SPRINGS INTO 2005

The Theatre Royal Brighton’s spring season went on sale last week with record numbers of tickets being sold, but with a season that caters for everyone, it’s hardly surprising!

Theatre Royal Brighton programmers have once again managed to put together a season of incredible drama, fantastic musicals, world class dance and hilarious comedy as well as putting something for the kids  and a mind reading genius on the menu!

Drama comes to the Theatre Royal Brighton spearheaded by two Olivier Award winning plays. Best New Play went to the National Theatre’s gripping drama The Pillowman (15 – 19 February). Described by the press as “the best that British Theatre has to offer” this one of the most powerful and rewarding dramas you will ever see. Set in the headquarters of a police state, a writer and his brother are being questioned by a couple of interrogators; in a shocking and thrilling battle of wills, we are led along twists and turns of the brothers' harrowing but intriguing revelations. Best Play was awarded to Joe Penhall’s electrifying drama Blue/Orange (8 – 12 March). Directed by Katy Burke and set in a London hospital, this play takes us to the heart of a crumbling NHS where an enigmatic young male patient claims to be the sun of an exiled African dictator. Is he deluded, is he lying or could his claims be true? The cast includes Roger Lloyd Pack, famed for his Only Fools and Horses role of Trigger but most recently seen at the Theatre Royal Brighton in Deep Blue Sea alongside Harriet Walter.

Tony Britton makes a welcome return to Brighton in February starring in the winter treat The Holly and the Ivy (8 – 12 February); a play set on Christmas Eve in 1947in a Norfolk vicarage where a family gathers together for the festive season. Family members have to stomach more than the Christmas pudding as skeletons tumble from the closets and stones are turned over!

Brighton favourite Nigel Havers visits TRB in the must see stage adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s classic masterpiece Rebecca (14 – 19 March) prior to its Broadway run late in the year. Set in Cornwall, Maxim De Winter and his new wife return to Manderley, the place of his first wife Rebecca’s death and a past sinisterly guarded by the housekeeper, Mrs Danvers. Havers leads a large cast in this breathtaking production.

With all this top class drama it is only right that there should be some top class comedy to follow and TRB is not letting anyone down on that front. Two of the best comedy acts of all time are paid homage to this coming Spring in Brighton and both are bound to be sell out shows.

Tommy Cooper truly deserved the title ‘comic genius’ with his unique, eccentric and deceptively simple humour and Jerome Flynn captures everything that was Cooper in the smash hit show Jus’ Like That (4 – 9 April). This magically funny and moving celebration of one of the greatest entertainers we have seen will have you laughing in the aisles.

Back by popular demand comes The Play What I Wrote (28 March – 2 April). A complete sell-out last time it visited the Theatre Royal Brighton back in 2003, tickets are already flying out the door for this spring’s visit. Celebrating the work of Morcambe and Wise, this comedy masterpiece returns with its brilliant blend of myth and mayhem. Last visit saw Neil Morrisey surprising in Brighton audiences as the Mystery Star Guest – but who will it be this time?

More comedy comes from top class producer Bill Kenwright as he brings two fabulous new productions to Brighton boasting top class casts. Best known for her role as the feisty Bianca Jackson in EastEnders, Patsy Palmer was last seen at the Theatre Royal Brighton making her musical debut in Tell Me on a Sunday. She fell in love with the City and moved to Brighton shortly afterwards, and now makes a welcome return to the famous stage in Richard Harris’ hilarious comedy musical Stepping Out.

Also from the Kenwright camp comes Oscar Wilde’s explosively funny comedy Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime ( 11 – 14 April) with an all-star cast including Sara Crowe, Henry McGee, Josephine Tewson and headed by the revered comedy actor Russ Abbot. When Lord Savile is told by an unscrupulous palm-reader that he will one day commit a murder, undoubtedly souring his forthcoming marriage to the gorgeous Cybil, he decides to do the chivalrous thing and get it over with before the forthcoming nuptials. But his poorly designed attempts at homicide fail to kill any of his 49 eccentric relatives – forcing him to postpone the wedding again!

To complete the comedy line up, TV funny man Harry Hill visits the Theatre for one night only with his one man show on Sunday 27 February.

If music be the food of love then the visit the Theatre Royal Brighton this spring and you’re sure not to leave hungry! Straight after Christmas the groundbreaking rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar visits the coast (18 – 22 January) with Glenn Carter (Whistle Down the Wind) and Fame Academy’s James Fox. Telling of the final days in the life of Christ, this lavish production of the Lloyd Webber and Rice classic contains hit song after hit song including I Don’t Know How to Love Him, Everything’s Alright and of course Superstar.

Boogie Nights 2 (24 – 29 January) comes hot on its heals and will transport you back to the 1980’s. Sophie Lawrence (EastEnders), Scott Robinson (boy band 5ive) and 80’s legend David Essex relive the decade that fashion forgot in a funny, sentimental and fast-paced tale that includes songs by Wham!, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Madonna, Human League, Kylie and many more!

Still with the 80’s the smash hit dance explosion and West End smash Fame (28 February – 5 March) returns to the Theatre Royal Brighton by popular demand. Always playing to sell-out audiences, this sensational musical follows the star struck pupils on their roller coaster ride through triumph, heartache and romance at New York’s High School of the Performing Arts. Determined to live forever, these kids rocket through the breathtaking dance routines and unforgettable songs of this feel good sensation.

Fans of The Who will be thrilled to hear that Tommy is playing for a week from Monday 25 April starring Jonathan Wilkes, most recently appearing at the Theatre Royal Brighton in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Godspell. Jonathan shows no depths to his talents as he takes on some of the most challenging roles available to him but always pulls them off – and this time he’ll prove that the Pinball Wizard is most definitely back!

Spring sees one of the strongest dance seasons to grace the Theatre Royal stage with three sensational shows visiting the theatre. Rambert Dance Company (23 – 26 February) have been visiting the Theatre for over 50 years and this year they are bringing a stunning programme of four pieces to Brighton, including work by the award-winning choreographer Rafael Bonachela.

If you’re looking for a wild night in downtown Brighton then Lady Salsa is definitely for you. The smash hit of the Edinburgh Festival that immediately transferred to the West End, this scorching show has all the hot Cuban beats and unbelievably sexy dance routines that will leave you well and truly under its spell – get transported to Havana and the world of Salsa for an evening!

Finally, the highlight for any dance fans calendar must be the visit of Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling to Brighton (19 – 23 April). Matthew founded Adventures in Motion Pictures and choreographed the sensational all male Swan Lake and The Car Man. Since then his time has been taken up with the hottest musical in London at the moment, Mary Poppins, but he still found time to create this fairytale ballet which follows a young Glaswegian who is captured and ensnared by an unearthly siren. Gritty and romantic, this beautifully crafted work is full of exquisite surprises, trademark wit, sparkle and humour. Book now to avoid disappointment.

To book for any of the above shows call the Theatre Royal Brighton Ticket Centre on

08700 606 650

PARK FOR LESS WITH THE THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON

A recent survey carried out for the Theatre Royal Brighton highlighted parking as one of the major issues that affected people’s decision to come to Sussex’s famous theatre… so, always keen to listen to customers, Theatre Royal Brighton Chief Executive, Julien Boast approached NCP bosses and the two companies are now pioneering a new scheme that, if successful, will be rolled out to other venues in Brighton.

Visitors to the Theatre Royal Brighton can now take advantage of a special discounted rate when parking in the newly named Theatre Car Park in Church Road. Once at the Theatre, customers can validate their tickets using any of the validating machines in the venue and when they return to the car park they will be charged a flat fee of £4. This is valid for Theatre Royal customers who park in the Theatre’s Car Park after 6pm or after 12pm on a matinee day.

This marks the first phase in overall improvements that the Theatre Royal Brighton and NCP are working on at the moment and has had an extremely positive response from customers. It is hoped that in future, patrons will be able to purchase their pre paid parking ticket when booking their seats resulting in not having to queue at the payment machine after the show has finished.

Julien Boast, Chief Executive, Theatre Royal Brighton said:

“We are constantly trying to find ways to improve our customers theatre going experience and we are aware that this often starts way before they arrive at our doors. Customer feedback is essential for us to improve this experience and parking was a huge issue with many of our patrons. NCP have been very cooperative in this process and have brightened up the Car Park with the aim of making it safer for individuals late at night. A new control centre monitors the car parks and we are now in the process of piloting this new scheme whereby our customers can park for less using the Theatre Car Park. Great customer service often comes from companies working together to achieve a positive result, and this new relationship between us and NCP is a great example of just that.”

NCP Chief Executive Bob Macnaughton added: 

 "We have been delighted to work on this scheme with the Theatre Royal Brighton - it is a tangible example of our commitment to put customers first. Anything which makes parking less of an issue and more part of a great night out has to be a good thing."

Revised: January 17, 2005