Quality Street at Richmond Theatre

The cast has been announced for the delicious Regency farce Quality Street, touring the UK this year. The lead, Phoebe Throssel, this time will be played by Calderdale’s very own Paula Lane, who will be familiar to audiences for her 6 years in Coronation Street as Kylie Platt, as well as her work in Call The Midwife, Father Brown and Kinky Boots.

Two of the cast are returning from the original run: Alicia McKenzie (Small Island, National Theatre; Bleak Expectations, The Watermill Theatre) as Mary Willoughby / Lotte and Louisa-May Parker (Coronation Street, ITV; Sitcom Stories, Edinburgh Fringe) as Susan Throssel.

They are joined by Paula Lane (Coronation Street, ITV; Road, Oldham Coliseum), as heroine Phoebe Throssel, Jelani D’Aguilar (My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored, Red Ladder Theatre Company; Planet Caravan, People Zoo) as Fanny Willoughby / Isabella / Sandra, Alice Imelda (Stick Man, Freckle Productions; I Spie, The Telling)as Charlotte Parratt / Jo, Aron Julius (As You Like It, Northern Broadsides; A Christmas Carol and Love, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse) will be Captain Valentine Brown and Alex Moran (War Horse, National Theatre; A Clockwork Orange, Volcano) as Ensign Blades / Arthur / Brenda.

Jamie Smelt (Macca & Beth, Royal Court Liverpool; Ackley Bridge, Channel 4) is Recruiting Sergeant / Georgy / Lieutenant Spicer and Gilly Tompkins (Murder, Margaret & Me, Tilted Wig Productions; Gangsta Granny, National Tour and Garrick, West End) completes the cast as Patty / Barbara.

In a co-production with New Vic Theatre, Northern Broadsides is reviving their delectable production, stirring in a good helping of Yorkshire wit in a new version for 2023. This sweet and sumptuous show was created with a team of retired workers from the Halifax factory where Quality Street™ chocolates have been proudly made since 1936, wrapping the action in their witty and outrageous observations.

Authors

• James M. Barrie