Seasonal
repertory returns to the Leatherhead Theatre shortly after almost 30 years,
with a series of three professional plays presented by Hordern Ciani, the team
behind the hugely successful Swanage Rep season launched at the Mowlem Theatre,
Swanage in August last year.
Leatherhead
Rep will run from 17 April to 5 May 2018, featuring Yes, Prime Minister by
Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn; The Secret Garden, a new musical
adaptation by Dave Simpson based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett;
and Communicating Doors by Alan Ayckbourn. The company of
nine actors will be resident at the theatre for a month, rehearsing one play
during the day and performing another at night.
Hordern Ciani hope to bring Leatherhead Theatre back
to its former glory. Katherine Mount, producer and co-founder of
Leatherhead Rep said: 'The successful season last summer showed how important
this style of theatre still is for both audiences and the theatres
themselves. Many people came to see all three shows and we have been
overwhelmed by the number of positive responses and requests to return this
year.
'We
are thrilled to extend our programme to the beautiful Leatherhead Theatre. It
has such a rich history of repertory and deserves to be a thriving creative
resource again in the centre of its community. In 1969 people came out in huge
numbers to fund-raise for this theatrical centrepiece to the town. We want the
artistic programme to do those efforts justice once again.'
Sir
Alan Ayckbourn who, early in his career, worked as an assistant stage manager
on weekly rep in Leatherhead, has said that he is 'delighted to hear
that Leatherhead is having new life breathed into it…'
Further
support has come from actor Timothy West who plans to see the shows along with
his wife Prunella Scales. He said: 'Prunella and I are much excited by the new
plans for Leatherhead's theatre. The former Thorndike was responsible
for some fine shows, and I'm sure there's a great future for this new
production team.'
Tickets
for all three shows can be purchased from the theatre box office and the
company websites. Leatherhead Rep Tel:
01372 365141