Nicholas Farrell, Belinda Lang and David Robb to Lead SINGLE SPIES UK Tour, Feb. 2016

A new production of Alan Bennett's hit comedy will embark on a UK tour in February 2016. Following the success of The King's Speech, Chichester Festival Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre collaborate once again on this award-winning comedy masterpiece, Single Spies.

Olivier Award-nominated Rachel Kavanaugh will direct Nicholas Farrell (as Guy Burgess), Belinda Lang (Coral Browne and Her Majesty the Queen) and David Robb (Anthony Blunt) in an extensive UK tour opening in February 2016. Further casting to follow.

Bennett's award-winning espionage double bill is a pointedly satirical snapshot of two members of the infamous 'Cambridge Five', Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt, both recruited as spies by the Soviet Union during World War II.

In 1950s Moscow, Coral Browne receives an invitation to lunch with shunned Soviet spy, Guy Burgess, with the sole instruction to 'bring a tape measure'. An Englishman Abroad is a wry and touching play which chronicles the pair's fleeting friendship and Burgess' attempts to cling to his way of life as a Soviet citizen.

A Question of Attribution gives us a glimpse into Anthony Blunt's life of espionage within the very walls of Buckingham Palace. Following his double-life as an art historian to royalty and a Soviet spy, this witty tale of forgery and deceit culminates in a sharp and candid interrogation from Her Majesty the Queen herself.

Single Spies premiered at the National Theatre in 1988, opening to critical acclaim and receiving an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 1990.

Nicholas Farrell's previous credits with Chichester Festival Theatre include The Browning Version/South Downs (and West End) and Damsels in Distress he also starred as Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van (Queen's Theatre). Farrell's extensive film career includes The Iron Lady, Legend and Chariots of Fire.

Belinda Lang is best known for playing Bill Porter in hit TV show 2 Point 4 Children (BBC), further screen credits include Second Thoughts (LWT), Doctors (BBC) and Midsomer Murders (ITV). She has recently appeared on stage in Oklahmona!(Northampton/Tour), Ladies in Lavendar (National Tour), Hay Fever (Royal Exchange and Haymarket Theatre) and East is East (Birmingham Rep).

David Robb is currently on screen as Dr. Clarkson in the multi-award winning drama Downton Abbey (ITV), his extensive television credits also include Wolf Hall, Roman Mysteries and Garrow's Law (all BBC). On stage he has recently appeared in The Audience (Apollo Theatre) and Hamlet (Tour & West End).

Rachel Kavanaugh was Artistic Director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre and has directed multiple celebrated productions at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre including The Sound of Music (nominated for Best Musical Revival, Oliver Awards; winner of Best Musical Revival, WhatsOnStage Awards), Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. For Chichester Festival Theatre, Kavanaugh's Love Story was Olivier Award-nominated for Best New Musical and received a West End transfer.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact Philippa Redfern at The Corner Shop PR on 020 7831 7657 or emailphilippa@thecornershoppr.com

LISTINGS:

Chichester Festival Theatre
4-13 February
Oaklands Parks, Chichester, PO19 6AP
01243 781312
Online bookings: www.cft.org.uk

Birmingham Repertory Theatre
17- 27 February
Centenary Square, Broad Street, B1 2EP
0121 236 4455
Online bookings: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Richmond Theatre
1-5 March
The Green, Surrey, TW9 1QJ
0844 871 7651
Online bookings: www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre

The Marlowe Theatre
8- 12 March
The Friars, Canterbury, CT1 2AS
01227 787787
Online bookings: www.marlowetheatre.com

Theatre Royal Newcastle Upon Tyne
15-19 March
100 Grey Street, NE1 6BR
08448 11 21 21
Online bookings: www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Oxford Playhouse
21-26 March
Beaumont Street, OX1 2LW
01865 305305
Online bookings: www.oxfordplayhouse.com

The Everyman Theatre
29 March - 02 April
Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ
01242 572573
Online bookings: www.everymantheatre.org.uk

Theatre Royal Bath
04 - 09 April
Sawclose, BA1 1ET
01225 448844
Online bookings: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Leeds Grand Theatre
12 - 16 April
46 New Briggate, LS1, 6NZ
0844 848 2700
Online bookings: www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

Salisbury Playhouse
18- 23 April
Malthouse Lane, Wiltshire, SP2 7RA
01722 320 117
Online bookings: www.salisburyplayhouse.com

Sheffield Theatres
26-30 April
55 Norfolk Street, S1 1DA
0114 249 6000
Online bookings: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE
Chichester Festival Theatre is one of the UK's flagship theatres with an international reputation for producing work of the highest quality, ranging from large-scale musicals to distinguished dramas.

The newly refurbished Festival Theatre reopened in 2014, following the completion of a major project to restore and upgrade its Grade II* listed building. With a transformed auditorium, increased seating capacity, more spacious foyer areas with new cafés, bars and outdoor terraces, as well as improved and expanded artist facilities, Chichester Festival Theatre has proudly matched its world-class artistic reputation with world-class spaces.

Recent Chichester Festival Theatre productions that have transferred to London include Taken at Midnight, Stevie andGypsy, while Guys and Dolls will preview in the West End from December 2015.

A number of other Chichester Festival Theatre productions have been seen by the widest possible audience beyond West Sussex during the last two years. Following its run as part of Festival 2015, Mack & Mabel is now touring throughout the UK and Ireland. Barnum and Pitcairn have both undertaken UK tours, while Singin' in the Rain has toured throughout the UK and internationally. The Pajama Game and Another Country played limited seasons in the West End and The Last Confession toured America, Canada and Australia.

Alongside its productions, the Theatre has a much-valued programme of learning and participation work. It has built and strengthened connections within the community through Youth Theatre groups, classes in writing, dance, and drama for a variety of ages, and Heritage activities to document its rich history.

For more information, visit cft.org.uk

Chairman Sir William Castell
Artistic Director Jonathan Church
Executive Director Alan Finch

BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE
Birmingham Repertory Theatre is one of Britain's leading producing theatres. Founded in 1913 by Sir Barry Jackson, Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company rapidly became one of the most famous and exciting theatre companies in the country launching the careers of an array of many great British actors including Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Edith Evans, Paul Scofield, Derek Jacobi, Elizabeth Spriggs, Albert Finney and many more. In 2013 the company celebrated its centenary.

The REP's aim is to inspire a lifelong love of theatre in the diverse communities of Birmingham and beyond. As well as presenting over 60 productions on its three stages every year, the theatre tours its productions nationally and internationally, showcasing theatre made in Birmingham. The commissioning and production of new work lies at the core of The REP's programme and over the last 15 years the company has produced more than 130 new plays. The theatre's outreach programme is the best of any cultural organisation in the city and engages over 25,000 young people every year. The REP is also committed to nurturing new talent through its youth theatre groups (The Young REP) and training for up and coming writers, directors and artists (REP Foundry).

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