James Bryce & Christopher Page Star as CHAPLIN in Finnish Production at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Jul 30-Aug 25

Ace Production has just announced the UK cast for Christoffer Mellgren and Johan Storgård's Chaplin, which will get its English language premiere in a new translation by Fringe First winning playwright Julian Garner (Silent Engine) at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sharing the titular role of Charles Chaplin will be James Bryce (Old Chaplin) and Christopher Page (Young Chaplin), they will be joined by Ross Dunsmore, Michelle Edwards, Sarah McCardie (returning to Ace Production at the Fringe for the forth year) and John Scougall.

Say "Charlie Chaplin" and the world thinks of his unforgettable character - the little tramp with the big shoes, hat, cane and moustache. But who was the man behind the distinguishable attributes? The story of Charles Chaplin is as great as the stories he gave life to upon the silver screen. He grew up in poor circumstances in the London slums at the turn of the 1900s, with hard work and considerable talent he took the world into the palm of his hands and became one of the most cherished screen stars ever.

His life is the classic story of someone who has nothing but wins everything. But it is also the story of someone who is forced to put it all on the line. This is a story of what fame and fortune cannot buy... The longing and desire for a love and home of his own. Almost a hundred years after his breakthrough and thirty-five years after his death.

Ace Production brings his life story to the stage directed by Sven Sid who also directed the critically acclaimed Finnish production. Chaplin will be designed by Hanne Horte (Father Nandru and the Wolves at Wilton's Music Hall), with lighting design by Mia Erlin and sound design by Denis Lindén. Chaplin is produced by Hongjia Qi for Ace Production.

Chaplin is a show consisting of equal parts of joy and sorrow, of hilarious humour, beautifully melancholic and full of passionate politics. Chaplin is produced by Ace Production who set up the From Start to Finnish initiative in 2011. Since the inauguration of this international exchange initiative the company has produced over ten productions for The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and having won prestigious awards: Continuous Growth (2012) won the prestigious Fringe First Award and The Overcoat (2011) Billy Mack won Best Actor at The Stage Awards - the first time the award has been one twice by one individual actor.

Building on the phenomenal interest in Scandinavian film and television From Start to Finnish taps into Finland's astonishing theatrical tradition by taking successful Finnish plays, translating them into English and re-imagining them with entirely British casts in British settings. Finland is home to more theatres per-capita than almost anywhere else in the world.

From Start to Finnish has been developed by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland and the Pleasance Theatre with the assistance of and ACE Production, Finland.

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