Sheffield Theatres Announces New 2011 Season

As Sheffield Theatres prepares to stage its David Hare Season, Artistic Director, Daniel Evans, announces the final plays of his second season. It is a year since the Crucible reopened with Evans as Artistic Director, and this new season of work will complete his second year leading the company.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of its first production, Happy Days by Samuel Beckett takes to the Studio stage in May. This comic masterpiece will feature Pauline McLynn and Peter Gowen as Winnie and Willy and will be directed by Jonathan Humphreys who is working at Sheffield Theatres as part of the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme (supported by the Mackintosh Foundation). In the same month, Hobson's Choice by Harold Brighouse, directed by Christopher Luscombe, takes to the Crucible stage. The season concludes with The Pride in the Studio Theatre. Daniel Evans takes the role of Oliver under the direction of Associate, Richard Wilson. This will be Evans' first stage role since he joined Sheffield Theatres as Artistic Director. As an actor, his previous roles on the Crucible stage include Cloud Nine and The Tempest.

Artistic Director Daniel Evans said today, ‘It's been a wonderful year for Sheffield Theatres. Since the reopening of the Crucible, we have welcomed over half a million people through our doors. As we begin our most ambitious project to date, The David Hare Season - where we'll produce three of David's plays across all three of our venues, I'm also delighted to announce the remaining plays of our spring/summer season.

We'll celebrate the 50th anniversary of Beckett's Happy Days, we'll enjoy a revival of Brighouse's most famous play, Hobson's Choice, and I am thrilled to be on stage in Alexi Kaye Campbell's The Pride. Undoubtedly, one of the best new plays of the last decade, this regional premiere will be directed by Sheffield Theatres' Associate Director, Richard Wilson.
We're also looking forward to celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Crucible in November 2011. During this time of uncertainty in the arts sector, this landmark birthday will not only celebrate our iconic building but also the essential role we play in the city and the region's cultural, economic and spiritual life.'

sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Studio Theatre

Happy Days
By Samuel Beckett

Friday 20 May - Saturday 4 June
Press night: Wednesday 25 May

Cast Pauline McLynn, Peter Gowen

Director Jonathan Humphreys Designer Lizzie Clachan Lighting Designer Natasha Chivers
Sound Designer Fergus O'Hare

‘Oh you are going to talk to me today, this is going to be a happy day!'

‘Go back into your hole, Willie, you've exposed yourself long enough'

Talkative housewife Winnie, and her husband Willie, spend their days together under the blazing sun. Winnie talks, prays and sings her way through life with nothing but a bell for walking and a bell for sleep.

Happy Days is a tour de force: the story of one woman's determination to carry on against all odds. This bold new production celebrates the 50th anniversary of Samuel Beckett's funniest play.

Pauline McLynn plays Winnie. Her theatre credits include The Taming of the Shrew (Rough Magic) and Dandelions (Olympia Theatre). Her extensive credits for television include Shameless, Jam and Jerusalem, Bremner Bird and Fortune and, as series regular, Mrs Doyle in Father Ted. For film her credits include, Angela's Ashes and Heidi.

Samuel Beckett (1906 - 1989) was an Irish writer, dramatist and poet. He wrote in both English and French, and his principal works include Krapp's Last Tape, Endgame and Waiting for Godot. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.

Jonathan Humphreys directs. Humphreys is currently Resident Director at Sheffield Theatres having been awarded a Regional Theatre Young Director bursary. His directing credits include Moscow Live (HighTide Festival), Father's Son (National Theatre Studio), Mojo Mickybo (Trafalgar Studios), Maratona de Nova Iorque (Teatro Oficina, Portugal), Even Rats Can Tapdance (Royal Court International), Observations (Theatre 503 at Latitude) and The Freelancers (Old Vic New Voices 24 Hour Plays). He was staff director on The Pitmen Painters, Gethsemane and All's Well That Ends Well at the National Theatre, and has worked as assistant director to Peter Gill, William Gaskill, Ramin Gray and Sheffield Theatres' Associate Director, Paul Miller. Most recently he assisted Anna Mackmin on Me and My Girl at the Crucible Theatre.

Designs are by Lizzie Clachan, with lighting by Natasha Chivers and sound is by Fergus O'Hare

CRUCIBLE THEATRE

Hobson's Choice
By Harold Brighouse

Thursday 26 May - Saturday 25 June
Press night: Wednesday 1 June

Director Christopher Luscombe Designer Janet Bird Lighting Designer Paul Pyant
Composer/Sound Designer Alex Baranowski

‘At present, I'm addressing a few remarks to the rebellious females of this house'

Henry Horatio Hobson, widower, lives above his boot shop with his three independent daughters. When his eldest girl Maggie, decides to set up a business to rival his own, stealing his best bootmaker in the process Hobson's life is set to change forever.

One of the most popular plays of the last century Harold Brighouse's brilliantly observed northern comedy is about growing up, moving on and getting out.

Harold Brighouse (1882 - 1958) was an English playwright and author. His other plays include Lonesome-Like, Graft, The Game, The Northerners, Zack and Once a Hero.

Christopher Luscombe makes his directorial debut for Sheffield Theatres. His recent credits include Spamalot (UK Tour), The History Boys (West Yorkshire Playhouse/Tour), The Rocky Horror Show (West End and UK Tour). His other credits include The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare's Globe), Tell Me On A Sunday (UK Tour), Little Shop of Horrors (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Masterpieces (Birmingham Rep), The Importance of Being Earnest (Theatre Royal Bath) and The Shakespeare Review (RSC).

Designs are by Janet Bird, with lighting by Paul Pyant and music and sound is by Alex Baranoski

Studio Theatre

English Regional Première
The Pride
By Alexi Kaye Campbell

Thursday 23 June - Saturday 16 July
Press night: Tuesday 28 June

Cast includes: Daniel Evans

Director Richard Wilson Designer James Cotterill Lighting Designer Johanna Town
Composer Olly Fox

1958: Philip is married to Sylvia but he's in love with Oliver.
2008: A different love story is unfolding with a strangely familiar trio.

Alexi Kaye Campbell's astonishing debut play, with its candid and heartbreaking exploration of what happens between men and women, exploded onto the stage in 2008. Passionate, heartfelt and gripping. The Pride is about loyalty, loss and having the courage to stand up for who you really are. The production makes its English Regional Première in Sheffield. The Pride was produced for The Royal Court Theatre Upstairs for which it was awarded The Critics' Circle Prize for Most Promising Playwright, the John Whiting Award for Best New Play and an Olivier Award for outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre.

Artistic Director Daniel Evans plays Oliver. He previously directed An Enemy of the People - the opening production of his inaugural season. Evans is currently directing Racing Demon as part of The David Hare Season. As an actor he previously performed at Sheffield Theatres in Cloud Nine and The Tempest (both on the Crucible stage). An award-winning actor and director, Evans' work includes Sunday in the Park with George (Menier Chocolate Factory, Wyndham's Theatre and Broadway) - a role for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (his second Olivier Award, the first being for Merrily We Roll Along in 2001) and a Tony Award nomination. His extensive credits include work with the Donmar Warehouse, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre.

Alexi Kaye Campbell is an award-winning playwright and actor. His most recent play Apologia was produced at The Bush Theatre and was short-listed for The John Whiting Award and nominated for Best Theatre Play at the Writers Guild Awards 2009. He also was nominated for an Evening Standard award for Most Promising Playwright.

Associate Director of Sheffield Theatres, Richard Wilson returns to direct. Last season Wilson directed Frances Barber in That Face. Also a multi award-winning actor his many directing credits include extensive work for the Royal Court: Rainbow Kiss, The Woman Before, Under the Whaleback, A Day in the Dull Armour/Graffiti, Where Do We Live, Nightingale and Chase, I Just Stopped By to See the Man and Mr Kolpert. His other credits include East Coast Chicken Supper (Traverse Theatre), Primo (National Theatre/South Africa/Hampstead and Broadway), Playing the Victim (Sheffield Theatres/Traverse/Royal Court/tour), as well as work for the West End, Chichester, Manchester Royal Exchange, Lyric Hammersmith and the Bush Theatre.

Designs are by James Cotterill, with lighting by Johanna Town and music is by Olly Fox

Sheffield Theatres Listings information
Crucible Lyceum Studio
55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA

Box Office 0114 249 6000
Mon - Sat 9.30am to 8.00pm (for telephone bookings)
All telephone bookings are subject to a £1.50 booking fee and online bookings £1.00
Mon - Sat 10am to 8.00pm (in person)
On non-performance days the Box Office closes at 6.00pm.

Priority booking: 5 February
Public Booking Opens: 12 February

www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

CRUCIBLE THEATRE
Hobson's Choice
Public Dress Rehearsal (PDR) £1.00
Preview Performances (PRE) £10.00
Matinees £15.00
Tue - Fri eve £19.00
Sat eve £23.00

Studio Theatre
Happy Days, The Pride
Public Dress Rehearsal (PDR) £1.00
Preview Performances (PRE) £10.00
Matinees £12.00
Tue - Fri eve £14.00
Sat eve £18.00

Concessions
Senior citizens, registered unemployed, disabled, full time students, under 16s - £2.50 off
(excludes matinees and Fri & Sat eves)

Groups 10+ £3.00 off top 2 prices (excludes matinees and Fri & Sat eves)

Groups 25+ £4.00 off top 2 prices (excludes matinees and Fri & Sat eves)

Schools 10+ £10.00 plus one free supervisor ticket with every ten seats purchased (excludes Fri & Sat eves)

Square Circle Members 25% off Tue - Sat eves (Family and Senior members can also claim this
discount on matinees)

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