FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR WILTSHIRE CREATIVE’S
WORLD PREMIÈRE OF ONE LAST PUSH BY CHRIS CHIBNALL AT SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE
Wiltshire Creative today announces the cast for their upcoming world première of Chris Chibnall’s new comedy One Last Push, as part of their spring 2024 season. Gareth Machin directs Sam Alexander, Valerie Antwi, Sherry Baines, James Gaddas, David Partridge and BBC Call the Midwife’sLaura Main.
Chris Chibnall is best known for creating and writing the award-winning crime drama Broadchurch and also worked as showrunner on Doctor Who between 2018 and 2022. Chris returns to Salisbury Playhouse having previously debuted The Worst Wedding Ever in 2014 which was revived in 2017 at Salisbury Playhouse before its subsequent national tour. Also returning areSam Alexander and Sherry Baines having previously performed in How the Other Half Loves and David Partridge who performed in The Tempest for Salisbury International Arts Festival in summer 2023. The production opens on 20 February 2024 at Salisbury Playhouse, with previews from 15 February, and runs until 9 March.
Gareth Machin, Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative, said: “What a fabulous cast we’ve managed to bring together for this world première of Chris Chibnall’s brilliant comedy One Last Push. I am delighted to welcome back Sam Alexander, Sherry Baines, and David Partridge to Salisbury Playhouse. With Valerie Antwi, James Gaddas and Laura Main completing the company – I’m very much looking forward to working with them here in Salisbury and know that our audience are in for a treat.”
SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE
A Wiltshire Creative Production
ONE LAST PUSH
By Chris Chibnall
15 February 2024 – 9 March 2024
Cast: Sam Alexander (Mark), Valerie Antwi (Alize), Sherry Baines (Eileen), James Gaddas (David), Laura Main (Jen) and David Partridge (Paul).
Director: Gareth Machin; In-House Producer: Alice Bezant; Designer: Simon Kenny; Lighting Designer: Johanna Town; Sound Designer: Andrea Cox; Video Designer: Dan Light; Costume Supervisor: Teri Buxton; Casting Director: Gabrielle Dawes CDG
One Last Push is the world premiere of a new original comedy about the unexpected and often hilarious dramas of childbirth written by Chris Chibnall, creator of Broadchurch and the showrunner of Doctor Who. Chibnall’s new play hilariously depicts what happens when one of life’s most magical events gets hijacked… by life itself.
Jen and Mark have done the NCT classes.
They’ve written the birth plan, in precise detail.
They’ve even got the birth pool ready in the living room of their new flat. Almost.
Everything is set for the perfect, calm, idyllic home birth.
Except they’ve reckoned without intrusive family, nosy neighbours, uninvited guests and a new flat full of unwelcome surprises.
Chris Chibnall is aBAFTA, Royal Television Society, Broadcasting Press Guild and Peabody award-winning screenwriter, executive producer, and playwright whose work has been seen, translated and remade all around the world. He is the recipient of the prestigious FIPA Prix D’Honneur, and honorary doctorates from Edge Hill University and Sheffield Hallam University. His theatre work includes Worst Wedding Ever (Salisbury Playhouse, 2014 & 2017 and national tour), Gaffer! (Southwark Playhouse, York Theatre Royal, 2005), Kiss Me Like You Mean It (Soho Theatre 2002, Théâtre de L’Oeuvre 2004). His television work includes Broadchurch (Imaginary Friends/ITV) — remade as Gracepoint in the US and Malaterra in France; The Great Train Robbery: A Robber’s Tale and A Copper’s Tale (BBC One/World Productions)’ United (BBC Two/World Productions); Law & Order UK (Kudos/ITV); Doctor Who, Torchwood, Life on Mars and Born and Bred (BBC).
Sam Alexander returns to Salisbury Playhouse to play Mark – he previously appeared in How the Other Half Loves. His other theatre work includes The Machinal (Ustinov Bath), The Ghost Train (Royal Exchange Theatre), Lawrence After Arabia (Hamstead Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Royal Shakespeare Company/West End), Racing Demon, The Lady in the Van (Theatre Royal Bath), The Outsider (The Print Room), The Watsons (Chichester Festival Theatre), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (ETT), and The Homecoming (UK tour).For television, his credits include Say Nothing, Trail by Jury, Doc Martin, Call the Midwife, Wolf Hall, and Quick Cuts; and for film, The English, Misbehaviour, 45 Years, Hamlet, A Perfect Life and An American Haunting.
Valerie Antwi plays Alize. Her theatre credits include Quiz: The Coughing Major Scandal (UK tour), The Comedy of Errors – More of Less (A Musical Farce) (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Shakespeare North Playhouse), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre London), Rebel (Estuary Festival), The Rebellious Women of Wimbledon (Attic Theatre Company), The Merchant of Venice (Orange Tree Theatre), Mary Stuart (Duke of York’s Theatre), Coriolanus, Julius Ceasar, King Lear (RSC), Our Country’s Good, The Recruiting Officer (Theatre by the Lake), Romeo and Juliet (National Theatre), Jenufa (Arcola Theatre), Blood Wedding (Lion and Unicorn Theatre), Clybourne Park (Bridgewell Theatre), The Toad in the Hole (Tristan Bates Theatre), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Barons Court Theatre), Nell Gwynn (Bridewell Theatre), Anna Karenina (Putney Arts Theatre), The Government Inspector (Edinburgh Festival), Macbeth (Cheef Productions), The Winter’s Tale, The Blacks: A Clown Show, Blue Room (Capitol Theatre), and Sweet Charity (Cockpit Theatre). For television, her credits include Di Ray; and for film, Kapital, Sofia’s Diary, and The Joy of Text.
Sherry Baines as Eileen. She has previously performed in How the Other Half Loves and Before the Party at Salisbury Playhouse. Her other theatre credits include Henceforward (Derby Playhouse), Absurd Person Singular (Bolton Octagon Singular), I Want That Hair (Theatre Royal York), Honeymoon Suite (New Victoria Theatre), A Small Family Business (Theatr Clwyd), I am a Camera (Southwark Playhouse) Much Ado About Nothing (Stafford Festival Shakespeare), Other People (St James Theatre), and The Mousetrap (St Martins Theatre). For television, her credits include Breathless, Call the Midwife, The A Word, and Ralph & Katie; and for film, Jungle Cry and Testimony.
James Gaddas plays David. His theatre credits include Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical, Spamalot (UK tour), Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia!, The Girls, Art (West End), Jackie (Queen’s Theatre), This House (National Theatre), Peter Pan (Leicester Curve), Hedda Gabler (Octagon, Bolton), and The Messiah (West Yorkshire Playhouse). For television, his credits include Coronation Street as Vinny Sorrell, Hollyoaks as Cormac Ranger, Medics, Backup, Tracy Beaker, Jonathan Creek, Outlander, Waterloo Road, Dogtown, Vincent, Grafters, Peak Practice and The Camomile Lawn; and for film Starter for Ten, Girl’s Night, The Human Bomb, The Pied Piper, and A Hazard of Hearts.
Laura Main plays Jen. Her theatre credits include Steel Magnolias, Shrek (UK tour), Cinderella (Her Majesty’s Aberdeen), Robin Hood (Queen’s Theatre), Company (Southwark Playhouse), Romeo and Juliet (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), As You Like It (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and Alice In Wonderland (Royal Shakespeare Company). For television, her credits include Call the Midwife as Shelagh Turner, The Mill, Murder City and Father Brown; and for film Dead Cat.
David Partridge returns to the venue to play Paul. He has previously performed in The Tempest (Salisbury International Arts Festival), The Recruiting Officer and Bedroom Farce at Salisbury Playhouse. His other theatre credits include The Secret Theatre (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare’s Globe), All My Sons (Rose Theatre, Kingston), Barefoot in the Park (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford), The Mummy (Coventry Belgrade), Charley’s Aunt (Theatre Royal Bath), The Comedy of Errors (Northcott Theatre, Exeter), The Taming of the Shrew (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), You Can Still Make a Killing, Superior Donuts (Southwark Playhouse), Round and Round the Garden (Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne), The Safari Party (Library Theatre, Manchester), The Taming of the Shrew (Nottingham Playhouse), Measure for Measure (Riverside Studios), Stone Cold Murder (Vienna’s English Theatre), and The Gentlemen (Jermyn Street Theatre). UK tours include The Mirror Crack’d, See How They Run, Twelfth Night, Travels with my Aunt and Murder on Air. For television, his credits include Colosseum, There She Goes, Always and Everyone; and for film, The Lost and Young and High and Dead.
Gareth Machin directs. Machin is the Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative. Previously, he was studio associate at the National Theatre, Artistic Director of Southwark Playhouse and associate director at Bristol Old Vic.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
WILTSHIRE CREATIVE
Box office: 01722 320 333 / [email protected]
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House,Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
DICK WHITTINGTON
Salisbury Playhouse
Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Until 7 January
ONE LAST PUSH
15 February – 9 March
Tickets from £13
Backstage Tour Saturday 9 March 11am
BSL/ Captioned Tuesday 5 March 7:30pm
Audio Described and Touch Tours Thursday 7 March at 2:15pm and 7:30pm
A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL
Salisbury Playhouse
Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
25 April – 18 May
Tickets from £13
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Salisbury Playhouse
Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
30 November – 12 January 2025
Tickets from £17