New Version Of HALF A SIXPENCE Confirmed To Lead Chichester Festival 2016!

Jonathan Church and Alan Finch announce the Chichester Festival Theatre 2016 season - the last under their leadership as Artistic Director and Executive Director.

Chichester's Festival 2016 includes two musicals, two new plays and four epic dramas:

• Hugh Bonneville returns to the stage in Ibsen's AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, directed by Howard Davies
• Joseph Fiennes plays Lawrence of Arabia in ROSS by Terence Rattigan, directed by Adrian Noble
• Rachel Kavanaugh directs a new stage version of HALF A SIXPENCE with book by Julian Fellowes and new music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, alongside original songs by David Heneker
• Patricia Hodge and Steven Pacey lead the cast in the world premiere of TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT, based on Graham Greene's novel, book by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, music by George Stiles and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, directed by Christopher Luscombe
• FRACKED! Or: Please Don't Use the F-Word by Alistair Beaton, featuring James Bolam and Anne Reid
• FIRST LIGHT by Mark Hayhurst
• Bertie Carvel makes his directorial debut with a revival of John Galsworthy's STRIFE
• The highly acclaimed National Theatre production of THIS HOUSE by James Graham is again directed by Jeremy Herrin
• The Royal Shakespeare Company's 'theatrical tour-de-force' pairing of LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING celebrates Shakespeare's 400th anniversary
• Chichester Festival Youth Theatre presents PETER PAN in the Festival Theatre for Christmas, directed by Dale Rooks

Festival 2016 marks Artistic Director Jonathan Church and Executive Director Alan Finch's final season at Chichester Festival Theatre. Since assuming leadership in 2005, they have produced over 100 productions including 24 new plays, winning over 40 awards and more than doubling audience numbers.

Two highlights of Festival 2015 will be seen in London this year: Jonathan Kent's staging of Young Chekhov transfers to the National Theatre from July, and Michael Morpurgo's Running Wild receives its London premiere at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in May. Guys and Dolls, originally produced in Festival 2014, will extend its West End life by transferring from the Savoy to the Phoenix Theatre in March and will simultaneously tour the UK. Jonathan Church's hit 2011 production of Singin' in the Rain tours South Africa and Australia. The Olivier Award-winning Goodnight Mister Tom completes another London season this week and tours the UK again until May 2016 with the Children's Touring Partnership. David Hare's The Judas Kiss, with Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde, is co-presented by CFT in Toronto and New York.

The Festival 2016 season sees the Chichester Festival debuts of directors Bertie Carvel, Christopher Luscombe, Jonathan Munby and Adrian Noble, while welcoming back Howard Davies, Jeremy Herrin, Rachel Kavanaugh and Richard Wilson. The acting company is led by Edward Bennett, James Bolam, Hugh Bonneville, Bryan Dick, Julian Glover, Patricia Hodge, Steven Pacey and Anne Reid.

Artistic Director Jonathan Church says: 'If our final season has one theme it is the always urgent question of power: who has it, and who wants it. Whether the social dramas of Ibsen and Galsworthy or the dark comedy of Alistair Beaton's new play FRACKED!, the pernicious effects of war in Mark Hayhurst's new drama First Light and Rattigan's classic Ross or the political upheavals of This House, these plays explore a century of power shifts and struggles. The lighter side of the search for fulfilment is explored in our two joyous musicals, Travels with My Aunt and Half A Sixpence.

'Over the past 10 years we have welcomed directors and actors of the finest calibre, many making their Chichester debuts, and this season is no exception. It's fitting to end the year once again with a new production from our brilliant Youth Theatre and the promise of a future generation.'

Executive Director Alan Finch adds: 'Festival 2015 saw us break new records with over £6 million in box office sales. Our commitment to developing new audiences continues with Festival 2016. Once again, over 10,000 tickets will be available at £10 in the Festival Theatre and our £8.50 ticket scheme for 16 to 25 year olds is re-launched with a new name, Prologue.'

BOOKING INFORMATION

Priority booking for Friends of Chichester Festival Theatre opens:

Monday 22 February (online and booking forms only)

Monday 29 February (phone and in person)

Public booking opens:

Wednesday 2 March (online only)

Monday 7 March (phone and in person)

Box Office 01243 781312

Online cft.org.uk

Prologue: £8.50 tickets for 16 - 25s

An allocation of £8.50 tickets is available for 16 to 25 year-olds for all productions throughout Festival 2016. These are released one month before each production opens; sign up free at cft.org.uk/prologue. Members also have access to a range of exclusive events.

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