Blue/Orange - Richmond Theatre
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
JOE PENHALL’S multi award-winning play, Blue/Orange, the second show in Theatre Royal Brighton Productions’ debut season, will visit Richmond Theatre (November 13 to November 17, 2012) as part of a national tour.
Blue/Orange will be directed by Christopher Luscombe, with Robert Bathurst in the role of Robert.
A young patient is convinced that a notorious military dictator is his father. Bruce, a junior psychiatric doctor wants to do further tests and plan longer care. Robert, a senior consultant, wants to thrust him back into the community. A riveting, compelling and witty battle of freedom and ambition unfolds.
Robert Bathurst’s stage credits include Blithe Spirit (Apollo Theatre/national tour), Present Laughter (national tour), Whipping it Up (The Bush/New Ambassadors Theatre), Alex (Arts Theatre), The Three Sisters (Playhouse Theatre), Hedda Gabler (national tour) and Alarms and Excursions (Gielgud Theatre).
Recognised for his roles in Downton Abbey (Sir Anthony Strallan), Hattie (John le Mesurier), Emma (Mr Weston), Joking Apart (Mark Taylor) and Cold Feet (David Marsden), he has also appeared on television in Roman’s Empire, My Dad’s The Prime Minister, Get Well Soon, The Stepfather, A Breed of Heroes, Pillars of the Earth, My Family, Kingdom, Poirot, White Teeth, Hornblower and Wild at Heart.
Bathurst’s film credits include Heidi, The Thief Lord and The Wind in the Willows.
Christopher Luscombe began his career as an actor, his work including seven years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as appearances at the National Theatre and in the West End. His recent credits as director include The Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare’s Globe), When We Are Married (West End), which received an Olivier nomination for Best Revival, and the UK Tour of Spamalot for ATG. His acclaimed production of The Madness of George III opened at the Apollo Theatre in January after a hugely successful UK tour.
Joe Penhall’s other plays include Haunted Child, Dumb Show, Pale Horse (winner of the Thames Television Best Play Award) and Some Voices (winner of the John Whiting Award) all at the Royal Court Theatre; Landscape with Weapon, National Theatre; The Bullet, Donmar Warehouse and Love and Understanding, Bush Theatre. His most recent play, Birthday, has just opened at the Royal Court Theatre.
Blue/Orange premiered at the Cottesloe Theatre in April 2000, starring Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln and Chiwetel Ejiofor and the following year transferred to the Duchess Theatre. It won an Olivier Award, a Critics’ Circle Award and the Evening Standard Award for Best Play.
Penhall’s film and television work include his adaptation of The Road from Cormac, McCarthy’s award-winning novel which premiered at the Venice Film Festival 2009; the screenplay Enduring Love based on the novel by Ian McEwan; the feature adaptation of his play Some Voices for Film Four; Moses Jones a three part detective drama for BBC2, winner of Best Screenplay at the Roma Fiction Festival 2009; and the BAFTA nominated The Long Firm for BBC2.
Theatre Royal Brighton Productions, a partnership between Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and Theatre Royal Brighton, was launched in 2011 under the Artistic Direction of Christopher Luscombe, with Maria Aitken and Philip Franks as inaugural associates. Each production presented by the company will open at the Theatre Royal Brighton, before going on a nationwide tour, followed by a West End transfer. Dandy Dick launched their inaugural season and is currently playing in Brighton.
All Theatre Royal Brighton Productions will be produced by Howard Panter, Adam Speers and Evanna White for Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG).
Blue/Orange will run from September 13 – 22 at the Theatre Royal Brighton, and then tour to the following venues: The Waterside, Aylesbury (September 25 – 29), The Princess Theatre, Torquay (October 2 – 6), The Grand Opera House, York (October 9 – 13), The New Victoria, Woking October 16 – 20), The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham (October 23 – 27), The Churchill, Bromley from (October 30 – November 3), The Theatre Royal, Glasgow from November 6 – 10), Richmond Theatre (November 13 – 17), The Opera House, Manchester from November 20 – 24) and The Regent Theatre, Stoke-On-Trent November 27 – December 1, 2012).