The Vortex
By Noël Coward
KATHY BOURNE AND DANIEL EVANS PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAMUS RYAN
Festival 2023 Welcome to the opening production of Festival 2023, Noël Coward’s The Vortex. This year marks the 50th anniversary of ‘The Master’s’ death in 1973. The Vortex was the young playwright’s first major hit; he starred in it himself and went on to repeat the triumph on Broadway. Coward enjoyed a close friendship with Laurence Olivier, CFT’s first Artistic Director, and while there have been regular revivals of his plays here over the decades, this is the first time we’ve produced The Vortex. Do explore the fascinating free exhibition in our foyer celebrating Coward’s life and work, presented in collaboration with the Noël Coward Archive Trust. We’re particularly delighted to welcome back Lia Williams and Joshua James as, respectively, Florence and Nicky Lancaster. Mother and son off-stage as well as on, they are working together for the first time. Lia’s award-winning work includes TV’s The Crown and His Dark
Materials, and on stage Mary Stuart and John Gabriel Borkman. As a director, her scintillating production of Doubt was seen at Chichester last year. Joshua also returns to the Festival Theatre, where he appeared in the Young Chekhov trilogy as Nikolai in Platonov and Konstantin in The Seagull, both of which transferred to the National Theatre. We’re also thrilled to welcome Daniel Raggett, making his CFT directorial debut, hot on the heels of his audacious production of Accidental Death of an Anarchist in Sheffield and London. This season sees seven directors making their CFT debuts including Dominic Cooke, Polly Findlay, Diyan Zora and Adam Penford, and the casts of major actors gracing our stages include Eileen Atkins, Sebastian Croft, Rakie Ayola, Danny Mac, Susan Wokoma, Greg Wise and Gina Beck. We hope to see you again soon, and that you enjoy this performance.
Executive Director Kathy Bourne
Artistic Director Daniel Evans
Assassins A surreal carnival. A group of people who have one thing in common. And the ultimate prize: a place in the history books. This Tony Award-winning, biting musical comedy takes us on a daring, time-bending journey through American history. Polly Findlay directs an all-star cast.
3 – 24 June Tickets from £10 Book at cft.org.uk
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by John Weidman
Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? By Adrienne Kennedy and Adam P. Kennedy
16 June – 8 July Tickets from £10 Book at cft.org.uk
Adrienne Kennedy’s mesmerising account of adapting John Lennon’s book In His Own Write for the National Theatre. Her encounters with Laurence Olivier and a host of Swinging 60s celebrities make for a story that seems like a dream come true. But slowly the stars align in a different way. Diyan Zora directs Rakie Ayola in this UK premiere.
Dementia Friendly Performances After the Crazy for You Dementia Friendly performance last summer, an audience member wrote: ‘It was lovely to share the experience of going to the theatre with my husband who has Alzheimer's. This was a time we could have a normal life for a few hours.’ Minor adjustments to the sound and lighting levels on a performance can make a big difference for people living with dementia, together with plenty of staff on hand to create a welcoming atmosphere. This year, we are delighted that George Ide LLP, the West Sussex solicitors and a Principal Partner of CFT, have chosen to support our Dementia Friendly activities, including the Dementia Friendly performance of The Sound of Music on Thursday 10 August at 2.30pm (all tickets £16). Louise Rigglesford, Senior Community and Outreach Manager, explains: ‘More and more people are living with dementia, and it’s incredibly important that they are able to live well with dementia. We want to enable them – and their families, friends and carers – to enjoy our spectacular summer musical in relaxed and unpressured conditions. ‘Audience members are welcome to come and go during the show; we'll reduce the volume and keep our houselights at a low level so you're never completely in the dark.
And we do a little recap after the interval to bring you up to speed before settling into the second act.’ Ursula Watt, Partner & Head of the Private Client department at George Ide, says: ‘George Ide LLP has deep roots in the local community and we’re committed to making a real difference to the lives of those who live and work around us. Our extensive private client work, which includes Court of Protection, Deputyship and serious personal injury matters, has fuelled our particular interest in dementia and the individuals and families whose lives it affects.
‘That’s why we’re so pleased to sponsor Chichester Festival Theatre’s Dementia Friendly performances and other community outreach initiatives – supporting these projects is a perfect fit for us and we hope CFT’s important work in this area will bring real benefits to those coping with the multiple challenges of the condition.’ To find out more about our Dementia Friendly performances, and the work of our LEAP department, visit cft.org.uk/dementiafriendly.
‘A lovely experience’
Food and Drink From cracking cakes and brilliant barista coffee to delicious dining in The Brasserie, we have plenty of options to keep you, your family and friends feeling full and happy. Our inviting restaurant, The Brasserie, is most certainly the closest to the theatres and prides itself on a locally sourced modern British menu as well as excellent service. And we guarantee to have you in your seat in time for the show.
inside and out, and children of all ages enjoying our family friendly spaces. We’re officially a Warm Space, breastfeeding friendly and offer free Wi-Fi plus quiet spots around our spacious foyer to plug in and power up.
Our Café on the Park is a welcoming space all day long. Our regular visitors include Parkrunners on Saturday mornings, dog walkers (and their well-behaved fourlegged friends) making use of our seating
For the full menu of food and drink here at CFT, visit cft.org.uk/eat, email dining@cft.org.uk or call 01243 782219.
The Vortex
By Noël Coward