Why theatre matters even more in troubled times - Chichester Festival Theatre 2022 season

CFT artistic director Daniel Evans said: “Obviously we are living in grim times again. So what do you do?

Season announced: click here

“I think the answer is that you have got to keep making work that is going to bring joy and thought and challenge to people. There is a feeling that when the news is as bad as it is now, then what does the theatre really matter but actually in the past couple of years we have seen just how much the theatre really does matter and that's why we carry on, why we bring so much to people especially when times are difficult.”

And that's very much part of the context for this year’s summer season, a summer season that will reflect two things: the theatre's 60th anniversary and our collective emergence from Covid.

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“We want to celebrate our Diamond Jubilee but we also feel a sense of making sure that we can honour as much work as we can, particularly the newer plays, particularly younger directors and the younger artists, all the people that have been through this difficult journey and we also want to honour our audiences.

“There are people that have held onto their tickets The Taxidermist’s Daughter for two years now and if that is not an example of incredible loyalty, then I don't know what is!”

It's about rewarding everyone, Daniel says, and the big summer musical certainly falls into that category – Crazy For You, music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman on the main-house stage from July 11-September 4.

“It has got an amazing score with some wonderful songs and we have got Broadway royalty coming to direct and choreograph it for us in Chichester. We asked Susan Stroman and she said yes! And it is just extraordinary to think of it. She is bringing a top Broadway team with her, and the great news is that we have also got Charlie Stemp who is going to play the lead.”

Charlie impressed everyone with his breakout role in Half A Sixpence at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2016, since when his career has soared including performing on Broadway with Bette Midler. Currently he is in the West End with Mary Poppins but, as Daniel says Charlie is delighted to be coming “home” to Chichester this summer.

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The 2022 season:

The Taxidermist’s Daughter, adapted for the stage by Kate Mosse, a new play based on her novel, directed by Róisín McBrinn, April 8-30, Festival Theatre.