Jenny Topper and Theatre Royal Bath Productions present
THE NIGHTINGALES
by William Gaminara
- GAVIN AND STACEY’S RUTH JONES TO MAKE RARE STAGE APPEARANCE IN NEW COMEDY THE NIGHTINGALES
- PRODUCTION WILL OPEN IN BATH ON 31 OCTOBER AND TOUR TO CAMBRIDGE, CARDIFF, CHICESTER AND MALVERN PRIOR TO A WEST END TRANSFER
- WRITTEN BY WILLIAM GAMINARA AND DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER LUSCOMBE
One of the UK’s best-loved television stars, Ruth Jones, well known as the co-writer of the award-winning BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey in which she also appeared, will star in the new comedy The Nightingales, presented by Jenny Topper and Theatre Royal Bath Productions. The production, written by William Gaminara and directed by Christopher Luscombe, will run at Theatre Royal Bath from Wednesday 31 October to Saturday 10 November, with opening night for press on Wednesday 7 November before embarking on a tour to Cambridge, Cardiff, Chichester and Malvern prior to a West End transfer, with venue and dates to be announced.
Ruth Jones (Maggie) is well known for playing Nessa Jenkins in the BBC series Gavin and Stacey. Other acting credits include Jimmy McGovern’s The Street, comedy series Little Britain and Fat Friends, Steve Coogan’s Saxondale, BBC adaptations of Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Little Dorrit and as Hattie Jacques in the BBC 4 film, Hattie. Her most recent comedy series, Stella, in which she also starred, ran for six series on Sky 1. She is a winner of the Ultimate Funny Woman award at the annual Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards and her debut novel, Never Greener, recently topped the Sunday Times Bestseller List for several weeks.
When the local acapella group gather in the village hall they have every reason to look forward to their weekly rehearsal. There’s Steven, 60, the Cambridge-educated choirmaster; Diane, his younger wife; Ben, who was once a professional tennis player married to Connie, who was once a model; and Bruno, a young history teacher, who cares for his mother. The two hours of laughter and harmonies fly by. Until one day newcomer Maggie knocks on the door and everything changes.
William Gaminara (Playwright) is an actor and writer, best known for playing Leo Dalton in Silent Witness from 2002 to 2013 and Dr Richard Locke in The Archers. His plays include According to Hoyle and The Three Lions. For TV he has written This Life and The Lakes.
Christopher Luscombe’s (Director) productions include Love’s Labour’s Lost, Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night for The RSC, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Nell Gwynn for Shakespeare’s Globe and in the West End, Enjoy, When We Are Married and The Madness of George III. He is an associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Listings
The Nightingales
by William Gaminara
Directed by Christopher Luscombe
Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose, Bath, BA1 1ET
Dates: Wednesday 31 October – Saturday 10 November
Press night: Wednesday 7 November 7pm
Performance schedule: Evenings 7:30pm, matinee Thursdays and Saturdays 2:30pm
Prices: £23 – £37.50
Box Office: 01225 448844
Website: www.theatreroyal.org.uk
Cambridge Arts Theatre
Dates: Monday 12 – Saturday 17 November
Box Office: 01223 503333
Website: www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
New Theatre Cardiff
Dates: Monday 19 – Saturday 24 November
Box Office: 029 2087 8889
Website: www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk/
Chichester Festival Theatre
Dates: Tuesday 27 November – Saturday 1 December
Box Office: 01243 781312
Website: www.cft.org.uk
Malvern Festival Theatre
Dates: Monday 3 – Saturday 8 December
Box Office: 01684 569256
Website: www.malvern-theatres.co.uk