The Rose to make Hay for the rest of 2010 (From Wandsworth Guardian)

The Rose to make Hay for the rest of 2010

10:50am Friday 9th July 2010

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Last month the Rose Theatre announced a revival of Hay Fever and a musical version of The Three Musketeers as the showpiece shows in its Autumn and Winter season, and the rest of the programme has now been unveiled with a bold new Shakespeare, a George Orwell adaptation and a Kingston community project all waiting in the wings.

Hay Fever, Noel Coward’s riotous comedy, will run at The Rose from September 23 to October 23 and the production will star Celia Imrie of Dinnerladies and Acorn Antiques fame.

The theatre’s artistic director Stephen Unwin, who will also direct the revival, says: “It is a perfect three act comedy that is just so funny and outrageous. There is a dead cliche about Noel Coward that it is all about people standing around with cigarettes but this play is really alive and spirited.

“We will do it in period and it will be stylish so it won’t be radical madness, but the audience will see the freshness of the play.”

The Three Musketeers has been picked as this year’s Christmas production and it will be a musical version of Alexandre Dumas’ famous story, directed by Francis Matthews and with a score written by Mary Poppins composer George Stiles.

“It’s going to be a sexy, funny, all-singing, all-dancing show,” says Unwin.

“This is a big step forward for us because it will be the most spectacular Christmas show we have done so far. The theatres in Richmond and Wimbledon do big commercial pantomimes and with the perculiarity of the Rose stage I would like to keeps us doing Christmas shows that are slightly more leftfield.”

This swashbuckling musical will be suitable for children aged 10 and over but younger theatregoers will catered for as renowned children’s theatre director and writer David Wood brings his Storytime show to the theatre for a December run.

Earlier in the season, The Rose will be staging a community play entitled Our Town: A Kingston Story (September 9-12). Getting the Kingston public involved will be a vital part of this project which will aim to bring to life the stories and characters that have contributed to the rich history of the Royal Borough.

Other shows that are coming to the theatre include Northern Broadsides adaptation of the George Orwell classic 1984 (October 26-30), a bold new version of Twelfth Night (November 15-20), produced by the innovative theatre company Filter in conjunction with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the returning children’s show Room on the Broom (September 1-5).

One-off performances include comedy from Dave Spikey (September 16) and a gig from Andy Sheppard as part of the London Jazz Festival (November 13). For a full programme and to book tickets, visit rosetheatrekingston.org

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