What’s On At Chichester Festival Theatre in 2018?

A UK flagship regional theatre boasting an international reputation for producing some of the finest shows, Chichester Festival Theatre is a must-visit when staying at Quay Quarters luxury holiday cottages or at our luxury bed and breakfast farmhouse accommodation.

Whether it’s Singing In The Rain down on our farm or kicking our ankles up to Flash, Bang, Wallop from Half A Sixpence, the Quay Quarters family loves a good theatre experience. ~Here’s our round-up of what’s in store at our local theatre this season. Just as the desirable location of our holiday cottages are close to the Sussex/Hampshire border, some of this year’s Chichester Festival Theatre plays have connections with our two neighbouring counties…

Main House:

APRIL 20 – MAY 2 – Present Laughter, by Noel Coward, directed by Sean Foley.

Actor Garry Essendine (Rufus Hound) is at the height of his fame – and in the middle of a raging mid-life crisis. A glittering comedy about fame and the theatre itself is considered Coward’s most autobiographical play.

MAY 25 – JUNE 16 – The Chalk Garden, by Enid Bagnold, directed by Alan Strachan.

Nothing will grow for the high-born and eccentric Mrs St Maugham (Penelope Keith) in the dry earth of her formerly luscious Sussex garden. The situation is worse indoors where her wild granddaughter throws tantrums and sets things on fire. This is a haunting mystery that’s blessed with comedy.

JULY 2 – AUGUST 25 – Me And My Girl, directed by Daniel Evans.

Suspense is in the air at Hampshire’s Harefold Hall. The long-lost heir to the Hareford title and riches has been found but he’s a cockney barrow boy called Bill Snibson (Matt Lucas)! Will the Duchess of Dene (Caroline Quentin) be able to transform him into a true gentleman?

SEPTEMBER 8 – 29 – Flowers For Mrs Harris, based on the novel by Paul Gallico, directed by Daniel Evans

Though Ada Harris (Clare Burt) spends her days dusting, darning, polishing and scrubbing, her first glimpse of a Christian Dior dress sets her off on a journey from post-ward London to glitzy Paris that will change her life forever…

OCTOBER 13 – NOVEMBER 3 – The Midnight Gang by David Walliams, adapted by Brrony Lavery, music and lyrics by Joe Stilgoe, directed by Dale Rooks.

One for all the family, this inventive tale of fun and friendship is adapted from David Walliams’s biggest selling children’s book of 2016. A bang on the head during a school cricket match puts 12- year old Tom in the children’s ward of a spooky hospital.

Minerva:

MAY 4 – JUNE 2 – Random / Generations by Debbie Tucker Green, directed by Tinuke Craig.

A double bill of plays – fierce yet funny – explore love, life and loss through two families on two continents, random features one actress while generations includes a South African choir among its company.

JUNE 8 – JULY 7 – The Country Wife, by William Wycherley, directed by Jonathon Munby.

Set in the City of London during the “randy 17th century”, in this filthily funny play Harry Horner aims to seduce as many women as possible while convincing theirs husbands he’s physically incapable of such a thing..

JULY 13 – AUGUST 11 – The Meeting, by Charlotte Jones, directed by Natalie Abrahami.

The voice for her deaf monther since she was born, Rachel is restless to be heard for herself. Together, they have found sanctuary in a Quaker community that reveres silence but the world is at war and their fragile peace could be shattered. This new play is a spellbinding exploration of the timeless challenges of bringing the truth to light.

AUGUST 17 – SEPTEMBER 22 – Copenhagen, by ~Michael Frayn, directed by Michael Blakemore.

In the middle of the Second World War, the great German physicist Werner Heisenberg (Charles Edwards) made a mysterious trip to Copenhagen to see his old Danish friend and colleague Neils Bohr (Paul Jesson) with whom he had began to understand the internal functioning of the atom…What went on?

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 27 – Cock by Mike Bartlett, directed by Kate Hewitt.

After years glued to his boyfriend, John’s attached to someone else- someone who is different in every single way. Funny, fresh and frank, Cock battles with tricky twenty – first century questions: can we – and should we be allowed to – change if we want to?

NOVEMBER 3 – DECEMBER 1 – The Watsons, by Laura Wade, directed by Samuel West.

What happens when the writer loses the plot? Based on her unfinished novel, this witty new play looks under Jane Austen’s bonnet and asks: what can characters do when their author abandons them?

DECEMBER 15 – 30 – Sleeping Beauty, by Rufus Norris, directed by Lucy Betts.

From The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods by Charles Perrault, this mischievous version of the charming classic fairy tale is performed by the wonderfully talented and imaginative Chichester Festival Youth Theatre.

For more information about any of the performances or to check ticket availability please visit the Chichester Festival Theatre’s website or call their box office on 01243 781312.

Stay at Quay Quarters and Experience the Magic of Chichester Festival Theatre.

Our luxury holiday cottages and farmhouse bed and breakfast are the perfect base from which to venture out and see some stage action. Chichester Festival Theatre is located to the north of Chichester City centre, only 10 minutes’ drive Quay Quarters in Apuldram.

If staying in our luxury bed and breakfast accommodation, you might fancy a bite to eat at one of Chichester Festival Theatre’s restaurants. choose from The Cafe for light lunches and afternoon tea; The Foyle Terrace, which overlooks Oaklands Park and offers delicious freshly made pizzas; The Brasserie that uses local seasonal ingredients and promises an elegant dining experience next to the Minerva Theatre; or its more formal sister, The Minerva Bar & Grill.

When you come back to Quay Quarters, why not continue the evening’s theatre fun by settling in to watch your favoourite musical or play on screen? Stream and watch via your Netflix account and smart device using our wireless internet connection or bring some DVDs (check out our extensive library too) to watch on our digital flat screen television.

Contact us to book your Chichester Festival Theatre break at Quay Quarters today.