TAKEN AT MIDNIGHT Has World Premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre

A season of new plays exploring little-known true stories continues at Chichester with a drama featuring acclaimed actress Penelope Wilton. She plays Irmgard, the mother of celebrated lawyer Hans Litten who puts Hitler on the witness stand in 1930s Germany with devastating consequences.

Irmgard's relationship with her son and her courageous efforts to help him are at the heart of Taken At Midnight, a world premiere by Mark Hayhurst. Hans is famed for the brilliance with which he defends opponents of the Nazi movement. When he calls Hitler as star witness in the trial of a band of murderous Nazi paramilitaries, the politician feels the full force of Litten's intellect, wit and courage. Two years later, Hans is arrested, held without trial and tortured, leaving his indomitable mother to confront his captors at enormous personal risk.

This compelling new play is the final production to be staged as part of Chichester Festival Theatre's Hidden Histories season which has also included Pressure and Pitcairn.

Penelope Wilton plays Irmgard, Litten's mother. She makes a long-awaited return to Chichester following Vita and Virginia (also West End). Other recent credits include A Delicate Balance (Almeida Theatre), a West End production of Hamlet and screen roles in Downton Abbey and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Martin Hutson plays Hans Litten. Chichester credits include If Only, Taking Sides and Collaboration (also West End). Other credits include the highly praised recent TV drama series The Honourable Woman.

Allan Corduner plays Fritz Litten. Credits include Serious Money (Royal Court Theatre, West End and Broadway), the West End production of A View from the Bridge and the Mike Leigh film Topsy Turvy in which he played Arthur Sullivan.

Pip Donaghy plays Erich Mühsam. Chichester credits include Rattigan's Nijinsky and The Deep Blue Sea, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Parts I and II (also West End) and Taking Sides and Collaboration (also West End).

Mike Grady plays Carl von Ossietzky. Credits include Festival 2014's Black Comedy and screen roles in Last of the Summer Wine and Citizen Smith.

John Light plays Dr Conrad. Credits include Luis Miller (Donmar Warehouse), The Master Builder (Almeida Theatre), Julius Caesar and The Tempest (both for the RSC).

David Yelland plays Lord Clifford Allen. Chichester credits include A Marvellous Year for Plums, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Parts I and II (also West End). Other credits include his role in the iconic British film Chariots of Fire.

The cast also includes Marc Antolin who plays Gustav Hammerman, Christopher Hogben as Hotelier and Dermot McLaughlin as SA Officer.

Taken At Midnight is written by Mark Hayhurst. He wrote the BBC film The Man Who Crossed Hitler and 37 Days, a major factual drama series for the BBC's WW1 Centenary in 2014. Hayhurst has also written and produced numerous other drama documentaries which explore key historical moments.

The production is directed by Jonathan Church, Chichester's Artistic Director. Chichester credits include Festival 2014's Amadeus, The Last Confession (Toronto, Los Angeles and Australia tour), Singin' in the Rain (also West End and tour), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (also West End) and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (also West End). Other credits include Of Mice and Men (West End and tour) and The Witches (West End and tour).

Design is by Robert Jones whose Chichester credits include Kiss Me, Kate (also Old Vic) and Calendar Girls (also UK tour, Australia and Canada). Other credits include West End productions of A Chorus of Disapproval and Much Ado About Nothing.

Lighting Design is by Tim Mitchell, Chichester's Associate Lighting Designer. Chichester credits include Festival 2014's Amadeus, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (also West End), Kiss Me, Kate (also West End), Singin' in the Rain (also West End and UK tour), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (also West End) Bingo (also Young Vic) and Yes, Prime Minister (also West End and UK tour).

Sound Design is by Mike Walker whose Chichester credits The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (and West End). Other credits include Crazy for You,The Glass Menagerie, Caroline or Change (National Theatre), and Jerry Springer - The Opera (Battersea Arts Centre, Edinburgh Festival, National Theatre and UK tour) for which he won the first Olivier Award for Best Sound Design.

The composer is Matthew Scott, Chichester's Associate Composer. Chichester credits include Festival 2014's Amadeus, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (also West End), Private Lives (also West End), A Marvellous Year for Plums, The Deep Blue Sea and Rattigan's Nijinsky, The Critic and The Real Inspector Hound, Taking Sides and Collaboration (which transferred to the West End), The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Parts I and II (also West End), Entertaining Angels and Pravda.

Taken At Midnight is sponsored by Hentys Corporate.

Events

Writer Mark Hayhurst will be in conversation with author and broadcaster Kate Mosse on Wednesday 1 October at 6.00pm. Tickets free, but advance booking is essential.

Mark Hayhurst will also take part in a panel discussion It's All In The Telling which brings together participants from the worlds of theatre, heritage and oral history to explore why some stories fall out of history and what makes them so fascinating to theatre makers and audiences. The panel will also include Kate Wheeler, Archiving The Arts, and Rib Davis, oral historian and playwright, and the discussion will be chaired by Kate Mosse. This event takes place on Tuesday 7 October, 5.15pm, Minerva Theatre. Tickets are free, booking essential.

There will be the chance to meet some of the Taken At Midnight company at a post-show discussion on Thursday 9 October.

Penelope Wilton will be in conversation with author and broadcaster Kate Mosse for a short post-show interview on Thursday 16 October.

Booking information

Taken At Midnight is at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, from 26 September - 25 October. Evenings 7.45pm (except for Press Night, Thursday 2 October, 7.00pm), matinees 2.45pm. Tickets: Previews/Press Night: £18, £22, Monday evening and weekday matinee £24, £33, Tuesday - Saturday evening and Saturday matinee £24, £38. To book, go to cft.org.uk or contact the Box Office on 01243 781312.

Special Prices for 16 - 25s

An allocation of tickets for 16 - 25 year olds priced at just £8.50 for all performances of Taken At Midnight are now on sale. These may be booked on 01243 781312, online at cft.org.uk/850 or in person.

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