Billy Jenkins, Simon Lipkin, Shanay Holmes, and Aaron Sidwell have been cast in Oliver! at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Picture: Matt Crockett
A major new production of Lionel Bart’s timeless Oliver! will feature in Justin Audibert’s first season as artistic director of Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT).
Bart’s much-loved re-imagining of Charles Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist, has been fully re-conceived for the CFT by Olivier Award-winning director and choreographer Matthew Bourne and super-producer Cameron Mackintosh.
Running from 8 July until 7 September 2023 in the Festival Theatre, the production will star Simon Lipkin (Guys and Dolls, Avenue Q) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon, The Bodyguard) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (Henry VI, Wicked) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Les Misérables, BBC’s Dodger) as the Artful Dodger and Philip Franks (The Rocky Horror Show, Witness for the Prosecution) as Mr Brownlow.
Directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, the production’s high-powered creative team also includes co-director Jean-Pierre van der Spuy, designer Lez Brotherston, musical supervisor and conductor Graham Hurman, lighting designers Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs, sound designer Adam Fisher and video designer George Reeve. The original orchestrations by William David Brohn will be adapted by Stephen Metcalfe, the casting directors are Felicity French and Paul Wooller, and the children’s casting director is Verity Naughton.
CFT’s Oliver! will be produced in association with Cameron Mackintosh. There will be a dementia-friendly performance on 31 July, a relaxed performance on 22 August and a Summer Gala on 6 September.
Announcing a season that will include seven world premieres and the launch of a £1.5 million fundraising campaign for a new space for emerging artists and creative development, Audibert and executive director Kathy Bourne said: “The Chichester audience is renowned for their sense of adventure as well as their appreciation of quality and tradition, and that’s what this season aims to honour. As always, there’s a spectacular summer musical, an exciting range of world premieres, and modern masterpieces too.
“We travel through English history – from the Tudors to the present – through unsung heroes and rarely told stories. We’re making maximum use of the Festival Theatre’s epic quality, with bold, rich dramas that tell vivid stories and lend themselves to music and spectacle. The Minerva brings us into intimate close-up, allowing us to eavesdrop on startling and evocative events and characters.
“We’re delighted to be working with stellar directors, writers and co-producers, and already have some wonderful actors lined up to join us. Our commitment to accessibility is paramount: we’re increasing the number and location of our more affordable seats (including 13,000 at £10 across the season), and offering generous discounts for audiences booking multiple productions, alongside our £5 Prologue seats for ages 16-30.
“We’re also excited to launch our plans for The Nest, a new space for emerging and community artists, in 2025; and to have appointed the brilliant Miranda Cromwell and Hannah Joss as associate directors. We are so lucky to have such a loyal and supportive audience and look forward to seeing you this year.”
The season will conclude with the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre’s 2024 Christmas treat, Cinderella. Written by Philip Wilson, with original live music and songs by Jason Carr, the production will be directed by Jon Pashley with set designs by Simon Higlett and costume designs by Abigail Caywood.
Angela Thomas
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