Rock Follies
Book by Chloë Moss Songs by Howard Schuman and Andy Mackay
Justin Audibert and Kathy Bourne Photograph by Peter Flude
Festival 2023 Welcome to our third – and first new – musical of Festival 2023. We’re so excited to be bringing the world premiere of Rock Follies to the Minerva stage. Based on Howard Schuman’s iconic 1970s television series, with a book by playwright and screenwriter Chloë Moss, and songs from the original series by Howard Schuman and Andy Mackay, it’s one of this season’s most eagerly awaited productions for those who adored the ground-breaking screen drama. As the articles in this programme by Matthew Sweet and Jude Rogers relate, the original Rock Follies proved enduringly influential for some of our leading writers and musicians. No doubt this new incarnation of the ‘Little Ladies’ and their adventures in the rock industry will strike an equal chord with contemporary audiences. Dominic Cooke, a former Artistic Director of the Royal Court, whose highly praised recent productions range from Good and Medea in the
West End to Sondheim’s Follies at the National Theatre, makes a long-overdue Chichester debut with this production. He has assembled an outstanding cast, led by Carly Bawden, Angela Marie Hurst and Zizi Strallen. We’re delighted to welcome them all. Rock Follies is followed into the Minerva by Deborah Frances-White’s explosively funny new play Never Have I Ever, featuring an all-star quartet of actors; and another world premiere, Harry Davies’ The Inquiry. Over in the Festival Theatre, after The Sound of Music comes another chance to see James Graham’s celebrated comedy Quiz, and Arthur Miller’s powerful 20th century classic A View from the Bridge. Enjoy today’s performance, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Justin Audibert Artistic Director
Kathy Bourne Executive Director
Never Have I Ever By Deborah Frances-White
Minerva Theatre 1 – 30 September Tickets from £10 Book at cft.org.uk
Alexandra Roach, Amit Shah, Greg Wise and Susan Wokoma in an explosive, savagely funny first play by comedian, screenwriter and host of the global hit podcast The Guilty Feminist Deborah Frances-White, directed by Emma Butler.
Quiz By James Graham
Rory Bremner, Britain’s top satirical impressionist, stars as Chris Tarrant in James Graham’s thrilling, entertaining and provocative drama, directed by Daniel Evans and Seán Linnen. Get ready to answer the ultimate 50:50: guilty or not guilty?
Festival Theatre 22 – 30 September Tickets from £10 Book at cft.org.uk
A little bit different
‘Expect the unexpected’ could be the motto for Chichester Festival Theatre’s CFT Lates and Summer Sessions: two recently introduced strands of programming designed to offer something a little bit different to the shows in the main theatres. CFT Lates was born out of the success of the 2019 Chichester Spiegeltent, ‘which proved there was an audience looking for entertainment they might not normally associate with CFT’, says Georgina Rae, CFT’s Director of Planning and Projects. ‘And we wanted to look at opportunities to programme artists on a lighter scale than an entire play.’ Happening in the Minerva Bar on the last Friday of the month (usually), CFT Lates encompass comedy, drag nights, music and improv. ‘It will look different each time you come,’ Keshira Aarabi, Projects & Events Co-ordinator adds. ‘In April we held a Noël Coward cabaret which was the first time we’d done a CFT Lates connected to a production. ‘The Minerva Bar has a relaxed, informal atmosphere and attracts a really varied audience of all ages. Tickets are £10, or £5 if you’re a Prologue member aged 16 - 30. We keep it flexible; you can book ahead but tickets are available on the door too, so if you feel like an impromptu night out at the last minute – perhaps after seeing a show – you can. Start times range between 8 – 10pm to ensure we don’t clash with the show in the Minerva.’ Coming up are Fest to Fest (27 July), with comedians en route to Edinburgh, and Musicals Bingo (15 September) which promises drag queens, show tunes, shade and shenanigans! Even more informal are the Summer Sessions, which offer free outdoor music on the park. ‘Since the pandemic we’ve embraced our position on the edge of Oaklands Park much more – moving the main Café and introducing deck chairs on the grass, encouraging the building to be a real community space,’ Georgina says. Initially trialled in 2022, this year another seven sessions will take place over central summer Fridays. ‘We invite local musicians to perform outside the Theatre on a Friday night in the run-up to the start of the show. The bar is open and we hope it’s an opportunity for the audience coming to the Festival Theatre to have a very pleasant pre-show experience – but also something that local people can enjoy, whether or not they’re coming to a show.’ Keshira’s open call-out for local musicians interested in a paid opportunity to perform at CFT resulted in ‘over 90 applications for seven slots!’ she exclaims. ‘There were some amazing people: it was so hard to narrow it down. They have a 35-minute set and styles will range from jazz to acoustic to keyboards, original music and covers, with musicians of different ages and backgrounds.’ For more info, visit cft.org.uk/cft-lates and cft.org.uk/events/summer-sessions
Discover new foodie experiences Street Food at CFT
Like some more?
Satisfy your on-the-go cravings with the new menu in our Street Food truck! Pre-order on arrival, click and collect from our sunny al fresco terrace.
Pop in for pizza, cracking cakes and barista coffee from the Café on the Park or de-stress with a drink in a deckchair when the sun shines. Bliss!
Dine with friends If you’re looking for a great spot to dine with your theatre pals, look no further than The Brasserie. Fantastic food featuring local, seasonal ingredients plus à la carte options, top notch service and excellent wine. It also happens to be the closest restaurant to the Theatre so there’s no need to rush to catch the overture.
For the full menu of food and drink, visit cft.org.uk/eat, email dining@cft.org.uk or call 01243 782219.
Rock Follies
Book by Chloë Moss Songs by Howard Schuman and Andy Mackay