4000 Miles By Amy Herzog
KATHY BOURNE AND DANIEL EVANS PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAMUS RYAN
Festival 2023 A warm welcome to the first production of the Minerva 2023 season, Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles. It is an absolute joy to welcome Dame Eileen Atkins back to Chichester. One of the UK’s most distinguished actors, Eileen first worked here in 1968 in Eliot’s The Cocktail Party, before playing Elizabeth I in Vivat! Vivat! Regina and then Virginia Woolf in both A Room of One’s Own and in Vita and Virginia. Her many screen roles include her BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning role in Cranford, Doc Martin and The Crown. We’re also delighted to welcome back director Richard Eyre, returning after The Stepmother (2017) and 8 Hotels (2019). Alongside Eileen, with whom he has worked over many years, Richard has assembled three wonderfully talented actors in their ‘salad days’, including Sebastian Croft, who has won a worldwide following for Heartstopper and
Horrible Histories: The Movie but is already the veteran of many stage performances. 4000 Miles was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, won the 2012 Obie Award for Best New American Play and was named Time magazine’s best play of 2012; we’re happy to introduce Amy Herzog’s compassionate, cross-generational story to Chichester audiences. Next up in the Minerva is another American play, here receiving its UK premiere. Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? is a rare outing of a play by US writer Adrienne Kennedy and is her mesmerising true account of adapting John Lennon’s book ‘In His Own Write’ for the National Theatre in the 1960s. We cannot wait to share Diyan Zora’s production with you and look forward to welcoming the BAFTA award-winning Rakie Ayola who plays Adrienne. We hope to see you again then, and that you enjoy today’s performance.
Executive Director Kathy Bourne
Artistic Director Daniel Evans
Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? By Adrienne Kennedy and Adam P. Kennedy
16 June – 8 July Tickets from £10 Book at cft.org.uk
Adrienne Kennedy’s mesmerising account of adapting John Lennon’s book In His Own Write for the National Theatre. Her encounters with Laurence Olivier and a host of Swinging 60s celebrities make for a story that seems like a dream come true. But slowly the stars align in a different way. Diyan Zora directs Rakie Ayola in this UK premiere.
The Sound of Music 10 Jul – 3 Sep For a special experience, join us for the charity Summer Gala performance on 28 July Tickets from £10 Book at cft.org.uk
Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse Suggested by The Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp
This summer, join us for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s beloved musical, produced at Chichester for the first time. Gina Beck (South Pacific 2021) returns to play Maria, directed by Adam Penford. The Sound of Music is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization concordtheatricals.co.uk
Dementia Friendly Performances After the Crazy for You Dementia Friendly performance last summer, an audience member wrote: ‘It was lovely to share the experience of going to the theatre with my husband who has Alzheimer's. This was a time we could have a normal life for a few hours.’ Minor adjustments to the sound and lighting levels on a performance can make a big difference for people living with dementia, together with plenty of staff on hand to create a welcoming atmosphere. This year, we are delighted that George Ide LLP, the West Sussex solicitors and a Principal Partner of CFT, have chosen to support our Dementia Friendly activities, including the Dementia Friendly performance of The Sound of Music on Thursday 10 August at 2.30pm (all tickets £16). Louise Rigglesford, Senior Community and Outreach Manager, explains: ‘More and more people are living with dementia, and it’s incredibly important that they are able to live well with dementia. We want to enable them – and their families, friends and carers – to enjoy our spectacular summer musical in relaxed and unpressured conditions. ‘Audience members are welcome to come and go during the show; we'll reduce the volume and keep our houselights at a low level so you're never completely in the dark.
And we do a little recap after the interval to bring you up to speed before settling into the second act.’ Ursula Watt, Partner & Head of the Private Client department at George Ide, says: ‘George Ide LLP has deep roots in the local community and we’re committed to making a real difference to the lives of those who live and work around us. Our extensive private client work, which includes Court of Protection, Deputyship and serious personal injury matters, has fuelled our particular interest in dementia and the individuals and families whose lives it affects.
‘That’s why we’re so pleased to sponsor Chichester Festival Theatre’s Dementia Friendly performances and other community outreach initiatives – supporting these projects is a perfect fit for us and we hope CFT’s important work in this area will bring real benefits to those coping with the multiple challenges of the condition.’ To find out more about our Dementia Friendly performances, and the work of our LEAP department, visit cft.org.uk/dementiafriendly.
‘A lovely experience’
Food and Drink From cracking cakes and brilliant barista coffee to delicious dining in The Brasserie, we have plenty of options to keep you, your family and friends feeling full and happy. Our inviting restaurant, The Brasserie, is most certainly the closest to the theatres and prides itself on a locally sourced modern British menu as well as excellent service. And we guarantee to have you in your seat in time for the show.
inside and out, and children of all ages enjoying our family friendly spaces. We’re officially a Warm Space, breastfeeding friendly and offer free Wi-Fi plus quiet spots around our spacious foyer to plug in and power up.
Our Café on the Park is a welcoming space all day long. Our regular visitors include Parkrunners on Saturday mornings, dog walkers (and their well-behaved fourlegged friends) making use of our seating
For the full menu of food and drink here at CFT, visit cft.org.uk/eat, email dining@cft.org.uk or call 01243 782219.
4000 Miles By Amy Herzog