CAST AND CREATIVES ANNOUNCED FOR UK TOUR OF NOËL COWARD’S BRIEF ENCOUNTER, ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY EMMA RICE * Fairy Powered Productions

CAST AND CREATIVES ANNOUNCED FOR UK TOUR OF

NOËL COWARD’S BRIEF ENCOUNTER,

ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY EMMA RICE

A CO-PRODUCTION BETWEEN NEW WOLSEY THEATRE AND WILTSHIRE CREATIVE

New Wolsey Theatre and Wiltshire Creative,in association with Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, today announce the full cast and creative team for Noël Coward’s Brief Encounter, adapted for the stage by Emma Rice. Chief Executive/Artistic Director of New Wolsey Theatre Douglas Rintoul directs Nicola Bryan (Myrtle Bagot), Hanora Kamen (Laura Jesson), Jammy Kasongo (Dr Alec Harvey), Samuel Morgan-Grahame (Albert Godby), Tom Self (Fred Jesson/Stephen Lynn), Lucy Elizabeth Thorburn (Beryl), Luke Thornton (Stanley) andChioma Uma (Dolly Messiter).

Brief Encounter opens on 4 April at Salisbury Playhouse, with previews from 31 March, and runs until 22 April, before touring to New Wolsey Theatre, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds and finally Northern Stage. The production features lighting design by Jessie Addinall, sound design by James Cook, set and costume design by Jess Curtis, video design by Daniel Denton, casting by Debbie O’Brien, wardrobe supervision by Margaret Lock and choreography by Alexzandra Sarmiento, with music direction, orchestration and additional music composed by Tom Self.

Douglas Rintoul said today: “I’ve been itching to direct Emma’s adaptation since I saw the original production. It’s a hugely playful and spirited take on the most romantic love story ever told – Emma’s work is thrilling Event Theatre for today’s audiences, so it was a perfect choice for my first big show at the New Wolsey Theatre. I’m thrilled to be working with Wiltshire Creative again and I’m proud that this Ipswich made production will be seen by audiences across the UK with our brilliant partners.”

A New Wolsey Theatre and Wiltshire Creative Production

in association with Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

BRIEF ENCOUNTER

By Noël Coward

Adapted for the stage by Emma Rice

Cast: Nicola Bryan (Myrtle Bagot), Hanora Kamen (Laura Jesson), Jammy Kasongo (Dr Alec Harvey), Samuel Morgan-Grahame (Albert Godby), Tom Self (Fred Jesson/Stephen Lynn), Lucy Elizabeth Thorburn (Beryl), Luke Thornton (Stanley) andChioma Uma (Dolly Messiter)

Lighting Design by Jessie Addinall; Sound Design by James Cook; Set/Costume Design by Jess Curtis; Video Design by Daniel Denton; Wardrobe Supervision by Margaret Lock;

Casting by Debbie O’Brien; Directed by Douglas Rintoul; Choreography by Alexzandra Sarmiento;

with music direction, orchestration and additional music composed by Tom Self.

Salisbury Playhouse: 31 March – 22 April

New Wolsey Theatre: 26 April – 13 May

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre: 16 May – 20 May

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds: 23 May – 27 May

Northern Stage: 31 May – 3 June

A dazzling adaptation of the greatest love story of all time.

When a chance encounter in a train station tearoom kindles a timid, yet passionate, love affair between a married doctor and a suburban housewife, the two are forced to question if it’s worth risking everything for the sake of love. Tender and joyous, this show has all the drama of the original masterpiece with added live music, comedy and spectacle, taking you on a rollercoaster ride through all of love’s beautiful complications.

Brief Encounter is adapted for the stage by award-winning theatre-maker Emma Rice, directed by the New Wolsey Theatre’s new Chief Executive/Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul.

Emma Rice is Artistic Director of Wise Children. She adapted and directed the company’s Bagdad Cafe (The Old Vic), Angela Carter’s Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour) and Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). For the ENO she directed Orpheus in the Underworld. As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe (2016-18), she directed Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). For the previous 20 years, she worked for Kneehigh as an actor, director and Artistic Director. Her productions for Kneehigh include The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan and Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline (in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre), Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions), Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic), Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages), and Steptoe and Son. Other work includes the West End production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Oedipussy (Spymonkey), The Empress (RSC), An Audience with Meow Meow (Berkeley Repertory Theatre) and Wuthering Heights (National Theatre). In 2019 Rice received the UK Theatre Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.

Nicola Bryan plays Myrtle Bagot. Her theatre credits include The Osmonds, Our House, Tom The Musical, Sister Act, David Essex’s All The Fun Of The Fair, The Full Monty, Me and The Girls (UK tours), Who To Follow, Our Blue Heaven, Sweet Charity, Dick Whittington, Beauty and The Beast (New Wolsey), Mamma Mia – Movies In The Park (Abu Dhabi), Cinderella (Arts Depot, London), Sweet Charity (Watermill Theatre), Dreamboats and Petticoats (Playhouse Theatre), Fame (Edinburgh Playhouse and UK tour), Beauty and The Beast (Coventry Belgrade), Venetian Masquerade (Millennium Point), Return To The Forbidden Planet (Theatre Royal, Lincoln), Jack and The Beanstalk, West End Girls (Jersey Opera House) and KOBA – Man of Steel (Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham).

Hanora Kamen plays Laura Jesson. Her theatre credits include A Gig for Ghosts (Soho Theatre with 45 North), The Ballad of Maria Marten (Eastern Angles), Five Children and It (Theatre Royal Bath), Winners, Riot, 1972: The Future of Sex, Education, Education, Education, The Wind in the Willows, Eloise and the Curse of the Golden Whisk, Edgar and the Land of the Lost (The Wardrobe Ensemble), Pippi Longstocking (Royal and Derngate), Rebellion Playground, The Snow Beast, Great Train Robbery, Nel, A Fool’s Proof (Scratchworks Theatre Company), and Chloe and the Colour Catcher (Theatre Ad Infinitum/Bristol Old Vic). Her television credits include The Undeclared War and Breadline.

Jammy Kasongo plays Dr Alec Harvey. His theatre credits include Cassette (Parkhouse Pictures), Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), Hair (The Vaults), Grand Hotel (Southwark Playhouse) and Superior Donuts (Capitol Stage Sacramento CA).

Samuel Morgan-Grahame plays Albert Godby. His theatre credits include 101 Dalmatians (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Amelie (West End/UK tour/The Watermill Theatre), Sweet Charity (The Watermill Theatre), Sister Act (UK tour), Titus Andronicus, The Taming of the Shrew (New Wimbledon Theatre), Grim (Charing Cross Theatre), Just So (Bridewell Theatre), Cool Rider Live (Lyric Theatre), and Island Song (St James Theatre).

Tom Self plays Fred Jesson/Stephen Lynn. He is an actor and Musical Director. His acting theatre credits include The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾, Robin Hood, Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch), Ordinary People (Parkwood Theatres), Camelot, Sweet Charity (The Watermill Theatre), Barefoot in the Park (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Noël Coward’s: Me and The Girls (UK tour), Salad Days (Theatre Royal Bath/Union Theatre). As Musical Director, his credits include The Hired Man (Hull Truck, Oldham Coliseum and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Murder for Two (The Watermill Theatre/UK tour/The Other Palace), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch), Salad Days (Theatre Royal Bath/Union Theatre), and Aladdin, Peter Pan, Beauty and The Beast (Malvern Theatre).

Lucy Elizabeth Thorburn plays Beryl. Her theatre credits include Jack and the Beanstalk (Corn Exchange Newbury), Kinky Boots (New Wolsey Theatre/Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), SMOOSH! (Paraorchestra) and Jekyll and Hyde (National Theatre).

Luke Thornton plays Stanley. His theatre credits include Goldilocks and the Three Bears (New Wolsey Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scoot Theatre/UK tour), The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾: The Musical, Love Letters (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch), Weapons of the Weak (The Other Palace), The Crucible (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Midnight (Union Theatre), Summer Holiday (Octagon Theatre Bolton/Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Beauty and the Beast, The Panto That Nearly Never Was, Jack and the Beanstalk, Dick Whittington, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin (Theatr Clwyd), A Night at the Musicals (Congress Theatre), Footloose (UK tour), Dusty (Charing Cross Theatre), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium/Sunderland Empire) and The Cunning Little Vixen (Queen Elizabeth Hall).

Chioma Uma plays Dolly Messiter. Her Theatre credits include Cinderella the Rockin’ Panto! (New Wolsey Theatre/ArtsDepot), Kiss Me Kate, Camelot, Othello (The Watermill Theatre), Doctor Who: Time Fracture (Davies Mewes), Dirty Dancing (Secret Cinema), Robin Hood and The Panto That Nearly Never Was (Theatr Clwyd).

Douglas Rintoul directs. He is an award-winning theatre-maker and cultural leader. He was born in Suffolk, grew up in Essex, read Drama and Theatre Arts at The University of Birmingham and was awarded a bursary on the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme to Salisbury Playhouse where he trained as a director. He is the Chief Executive/Artistic Director of the New Wolsey Theatre, was the Artistic Director of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch (2015 – 2022), founder of the national touring theatre company Transport (2010 – 2017), and an associate of Complicité (2004 – 2010).

LISTINGS

BRIEF ENCOUNTER

Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury, SP2 7RA

31 March – 22 April

Box office: 01722 320 333 / https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/whats-on/main-house/brief-encounter/

New Wolsey Theatre, Civic Drive, Ipswich IP1 2AS

26 April – 13 May

Box Office: 01473 295900 / https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/shows/brief-encounter/

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX

16 May – 20 May

Box office: 01483 440000 / https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on/brief-encounter/

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Westgate Street, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1QR