ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL Opens At Town Hall Theater 10/1

The second broadcast from London's famed National Theater comes to Middlebury's Town Hall Theater on October 1 - and it happens to be the hottest ticket in London these days.

Marianne Elliot's production of All's Well That Ends Well is the hit of the current London season. Beautifully designed and acted, it breathes fresh life into Shakespeare's bittersweet tale.

The play follows the feisty but lowly Helena (Clare Higgins), who falls in love with Bertram (Oliver Ford Davies), a haughty count. To gain his hand she is set a string of impossible tasks. Set against a background of sexism and snobbery, the play is a fairy tale that explores very adult and timely issues.

This production opened last month to rave reviews. The London Evening Standard writes that Marianne Elliot's direction "has a clarity not far short of visionary." The Sunday Times calls the production "a masterpiece of deep feeling and cunning intelligence."

"My wife and I have traveled often to London expressly to see plays at the National Theater, so it's a great thrill to have these magnificent broadcasts here in Middlebury," says THT executive director Douglas Anderson. "I'm especially excited about All's Well, because this production takes one of Shakespeare's more difficult plays and makes it completely accessible and compelling. The Brits have a way of doing that." The play is broadcast live, but due to the difference in time zones Town Hall Theater will delay the showing slightly to make it more convenient for local audiences. Pre-show begins at 6:30 pm, with a 7:00 pm start. Tickets for the Thursday, October 1 broadcast are $17, and may be purchased at 802 382-9222, on-line at www.townhalltheater.org, in person at the THT Box Office (Mon-Sat., noon - 5 pm) and, if available, at the door.

"Our last National Theater broadcast was a complete sell-out," says Anderson, "so I encourage everyone to get their tickets as soon as possible."