IT Mounts BRIDESHEAD REVISITED

Evelyn Waugh was one of England's greatest satirical writers, with his wicked humour flowing through such gems as Decline and Fall, Vile Bodies, A Handful of Dust, Scoop and The Loved One.

In addition to these acid-witted classics, he wrote a series of War novels, particularly his Sword of Honour Trilogy, and culminating in the most famous and best-loved of all his works - and one of the most adored novels of the 20th century - the immortal Brideshead Revisited.

Romantic and poetic, it traces the memories of World War II Captain Charles Ryder's entrancement by the beautiful Lord Sebastian Flyte, and his aristocratic Catholic family.

Charles' love affair with Sebastian is doomed, as guilt drives Sebastian into alcoholism, and Charles into the arms of Sebastian's sister, Julia.

Less often discussed is the way in which the novel also traces Charles' journey towards a life of faith.

Brideshead achieved world-wide fame in the 1980s, with the acclaimed Granada Television adaptation, starring Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier.

Independent Theatre has an enviable reputation for bringing classic novels to the Adelaide stage - most recently, The Great Gatsby. This adaptation is by English playwright, Roger Parsley.

Brideshead is the most autobiographical of Waugh's novels, being based on his own experiences at Oxford, and his love of the aristocratic son of the Earl of Beauchamp - a former governor of New South Wales - as well as Waugh's being drawn towards conversion to Catholicism, as is his hero, Charles Ryder.

Independent Theatre's cast is headed by WILL COX - last year's Hamlet and Lawrence of Arabia; BEN FRANCIS - Private Peaceful in April this year; and MADELEINE HERD - The Great Gatsby's Daisy Buchanan in 2015.

Directed by Rob Croser

Designed by Rob Croser and David Roach

Starring Will Cox as Charles Ryder, Ben Francis as Sebastian Flyte and Madeleine Herd as Julia Flyte, with David Roach, Lyn Wilson, Paul Reichstein, Emily Stewart and Brodie Watson-Victory

PRODUCTION INFO

Season

November 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 @ 7.30 Matinees Sunday 19 @ 4.00; Saturday 25 @ 2.00 Early Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 @ 6.30

Venue

Goodwood Theatre
166a Goodwood Rd, Goodwood (opposite Capri Cinema)

Tickets $18 - $35

Bookings www.independenttheatre.org.au

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