ORANGE TREE THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL CAST FOR THE RETURN OF TERENCE RATTIGAN’S WHILE THE SUN SHINES
Following the success of its sold out run in 2019, the Orange Tree Theatre today announces the return of Terence Rattigan’s While The Sun Shines, directed by OT Artistic Director Paul Miller. Rebecca Collingwood, Conor Glean and Sophie Khan Levy join original cast members John Hudson, Philip Labey, Michael Lumsden and Jordan Mifsúd. The production opens on 24 November, with previews from 20 November, and runs until 8 January 2022, with livestreamed performances via OT on screen on 6 and 7 January. While The Sun Shines continues with socially distanced seating and safety measures.
★★★★
The Stage
A lot of laughs… Miller’s production is one of immense charm.
On the eve of his wedding, the young Earl of Harpenden – Bobby to his friends – has offered his room to Joe, an American soldier he drunkenly met the night before. When Bobby’s fiancée Lady Elizabeth turns up, Joe makes a move, thinking she must be Bobby’s ex, the wonderful Mabel Crum. But a Free French lieutenant also has eyes for her… And to complicate matters, Bobby’s future father-in-law turns up too. London in the Blitz, and identities get confused: time to make hay…
This first major revival of Rattigan’s delectably charming comedy in decades has an acclaimed sold out run in 2019. It was the writer’s greatest hit playing for over 1,000 performances in the West End when it opened in 1943.
Completing the creative team is Simon Daw (Designer), Mark Doubleday (Lighting Designer), Elizabeth Purnell (Sound Designer and Composer), and Vicky Richardson (Casting Consultant CDG).
Rebecca Collingwood returns to the Orange Tree to play Lady Elisabeth Randall – she previously appeared in Precious Little Talent and Widower’s House. Her other theatre credits include Malory Towers (Wise Children), The Hartlepool Monkey (Gyre and Gimble/Fuel), Castle (Finborough), and Much Ado About Nothing and Love’s Labour’s Lost (RSC/Chichester/Theatre Royal Haymarket).
Conor Glean plays Lieutenant Mulvaney. His theatre credits include After Life (National Theatre/ Headlong), One Night in Miami (Nottingham Playhouse), Mother Courage and Her Children, Wuthering Heights, Queens of the Coal Age and Scuttlers (Royal Exchange Theatre), and Boys (Pappyshow).
John Hudson returns to the Orange Tree to play Horton – he previously also appeared The Dark River, Hamlet, Diary of a Scoundrel, A Journey to London, Sauce for the Goose, Flora the Red Menace, The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles, The Maitlands, The Memorandum, What the Heart Feels, Family Circles, The Women of Lockerbie. His other theatre credits include, The Deep Blue Sea (Queen’s Theatre/Hornchurch), The Browning Version (Mercury Theatre), A Man for All Seasons (Chichester Festival/Savoy), Woman in Mind (Stephen Joseph Theatre/Vaudeville), Exchange (Nuffield Theatre/ Vaudeville Theatre), Richard III, The Importance of Being Earnest (New Wolsey Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), and The Secret Rapture (Bristol Old Vic). For television, his credits include The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Miser, Make and Break, Oscar Wilde, and Absolutely Fabulous.
Sophie Khan Levy plays Mabel Crum. Her theatre credits include Measure for Measure, As You Like It, Maydays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Christmas Truce, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Love’s Labour’s Won (RSC), Hanna (Arcola Theatre/Papatango), Fracked (Chichester Festival Theatre), 30 (PLAY) and Cymbeline (Belgrade Theatre). Her television credits include Ride.
Philip Labey returns to the Orange Tree to play The Earl of Harpendon. His theatre credits include Shakespeare in Love (Theatre Royal Bath), Posh (Nottingham Playhouse/Salisbury Playhouse), First Episode (Jermyn Street), Not About Heroes (Theatre by the Lake), The History Boys (Mercury Theatre), The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (Belgrade Theatre), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Rupert Goold 360 Theatre), Peter Pan (New Vic), Hamlet and Henry V (Cambridge Shakespeare Company), and Adam Lives in Theory (Finborough). His television credits include The Power, Vanity Fair, The Royals and Red Dwarf and for film On Chesil Beach and London Wall.
Michael Lumsden returns to the Orange Tree to play The Duke of Ayr and Stirling – he previously also appeared in The Philanderer, Middlemarch, Mary Broome, The Years Between and Mary Goes First. His other theatre credits For Services Rendered (Jermyn Street Theatre), Eastern Star (Tara Arts), The Fitzrovia Hour’s A Christmas Carol (Spiegeltent/The Vaults), Killjoy and Last Confessions of a Scallywag (Mill at Sonning), Our Brother David (Watford Palace), Star Quality (Ian Fricker Productions), Entertaining Angels (Chichester Festival Theatre/UK tour), The Real Thing, How the Other Half Loves, The Secret Rapture and Tom Jones (UK tours), All Things Considered (Stephen Joseph Theatre/Hampstead Theatre), Pravda, Funny Peculiar (Leeds Playhouse), Bedroom Farce (Plymouth Theatre Royal), Who Killed Hilda Murrell? (New Vic, Newcastle under Lyme), Othello (Lyric Hammersmith), Macbeth (Nuffield Theatre), You Never Can Tell and The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Derby Playhouse), Twelfth Night (Redgrave Theatre, Farnham), Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay!, A Man for All Seasons, Twelfth Night (Victoria Theatre), and The School for Scandal (Northcott, Exeter). His television credits include Birds of a Feather, Jonathan Creek, William and Catherine: A Royal Romance, House of Anubis, Wire in the Blood, Crisis Command, Barbara, Pig Heart Boy, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Letters to Alice.
Jordan Mifsúd returns to the Orange Tree to play Lieutenant Colbert – he also previously appeared in Shaw Shorts, Misalliance and The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd. His other theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe), Pride and Prejudice (Regent’s Park Open Air/UK tour), The Silver Tassie (National Theatre), Our Ajax (Southwark Playhouse), In Your Image (Soho Theatre), Moth (Bush Theatre/HighTide), Thatcherwrite (Theatre503), 55 Days (Hampstead Theatre), The Two Worlds of Charlie F (Theatre Royal Haymarket). His television credits include Whitstable Pearl, The Bay, and The Looming Tower, and for film; Alone Together, RISK, Kingsman: The Golden Circle and The Siege of Jadotville.
Paul Miller directs. As Artistic Director of the Orange Tree, he has directed French Without Tears (also UK tour with ETT), Losing Venice, Humble Boy, Misalliance, The Philanderer, Widower’s Houses, Poison, The Lottery of Love, Sheppey, Each His Own Wilderness and The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd. He was previously Associate Director at Sheffield Theatres and has directed major productions at the National Theatre, Royal Court, The Old Vic and in the West End.
Orange Tree Theatre
Listings
1 Clarence Street, Richmond, TW9 2SA
Box Office: 020 8940 3633
20 November – 8 January
OT On Screen: 6 – 7 January, 7.30pm
Audio Described: 18 December 2.30pm
Captioned: 14 December 7.30pm
Tickets: From £15
Under 30s: £15
ABOUT THE ORANGE TREE THEATRE
The Orange Tree (OT) is an award-winning, independent theatre. Recognised as a powerhouse that creates high-quality productions of new and rediscovered plays, it entertains 70,000 people across the UK every year. In May 2021 the OT reopened with its Recovery Season. As an independent theatre and registered charity that relies on ticket income, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to post significant risk to the OT. To support the theatre’s return to a producing powerhouse at this time, it is raising funds through its Recovery Fund.
The OT’s home in Richmond, South West London, is an intimate theatre with the audience seated all around the stage: watching a performance here is truly a unique experience. We believe in the power of dramatic stories to entertain, thrill and challenge us; plays that enrich our lives by enhancing our understanding of ourselves and each other.
As a registered charity (266128) sitting at the heart of its community, we work with 10,000 people in Richmond and beyond through participatory theatre projects for people of all ages and abilities. The Orange Tree Theatre’s mission is to enable audiences to experience the next generation of theatre talent, experiment with ground-breaking new drama and explore the plays from the past that inspire the theatre-makers of the present.
Artistic Director Paul Miller
Executive Director Hanna Streeter
Website orangetreetheatre.co.uk | Email [email protected]
Twitter @OrangeTreeThtr | Facebook/Instagram OrangeTreeTheatre
SEE IT SAFELY
We have been granted the use of Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre’s See It Safely mark. The mark certifies that we are complying with the latest Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, to ensure the safety of our staff and audiences. You can find out more here https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/covid-19-safety about the measures put in place ready for your visit, and what you will need to know beforehand.
SEASON AT A GLANCE
RICE
Until 13 November 2021
Mon – Sat 7.30pm (except 13 Oct at 7pm)
Thu & Sat 2.30pm (from 16 Oct)
Audio Described performance: Sat 13 Nov 2.30pm
Captioned performance: Tue 9 Nov 7.30pm
Tickets from £15, £25, £32
WHILE THE SUN SHINES
20 November 2021 – 8 January 2022
Mon – Sat 7.30pm (except 24 Nov at 7pm)
Thu & Sat 2.30pm (from 27 Nov)
Additional matinees 24 & 31 Dec at 2.30pm
No performances 25, 27 Dec & 3 Jan
Audio Described performance: Sat 18 Dec 2.30pm
Captioned performance: Tue 14 Dec 7.30pm
Tickets from £15, £25, £32