New season announced at the Finborough Theatre
Blue Print by Julia Pascal
The Finborough Theatre’s summer season features two world premieres from female playwrights – a new play written and directed by the first woman ever to direct at the National Theatre, and a debut play from a brand new American dramatist – alongside another classic Finborough rediscovery from one of the greatest theatrical figures of the 19th century, unseen in London for over 120 years. We also bring you the eleventh consecutive year of our annual celebration of new writing, Vibrant 2019 – A Festival of Finborough Playwrights, giving us a chance to share with you just a few of the exceptional writers we have developed, nurtured and championed over the last year.
The season opens with the world premiere of playwright and director Julia Pascal’s award-winning Blueprint Medea, a gripping new drama loosely inspired by Euripides’ Medea, which connects the classical to the contemporary to explore eternal questions of passion, war, cultural identity, women’s freedom, sex, family and love. Blueprint Medea plays 21 May-8 June 2019.
In its first London production in over 120 years, our season continues with After Dark; or, A Drama of London Life by Dion Boucicault, based on Les Oiseaux de Proie by Eugène Grangé and Adolphe d’Ennery. Written in 1868, the year that the Finborough Theatre’s building was constructed, After Dark; or, A Drama of London Life is a classic Victorian melodrama, but is also startlingly contemporary with a thrilling climax on the London Underground, and its sympathetic portrayal of London’s homeless community. It plays 12 June-6 July 2019.
Playing alongside After Dark; or, A Drama of London Life, our annual celebration of new writing Vibrant 2019 – A Festival of Finborough Playwrights returns for its the eleventh consecutive year, playing on Sunday and Monday evenings and Thursday matinees between 16 June-4 July 2019. This year’s Vibrant includes the winner of this year’s ETPEP Award in association with the Finborough Theatre which has awarded £8000 to a new playwright who works in another job in theatre, alongside stunning new plays from many Finborough Theatre favourites.
Rounding off our summer season is another world premiere, Lunatic 19’s – A Deportational Road Trip, by a new American playwright, Tegan McLeod, playing 9 July-3 August 2019. With coruscating humour and caustic observation, Lunatic 19’s captures the human stories at the heart of the current debate about migration and refugees.
Finborough Theatre Artistic Director Neil McPherson says: “Our new season features two world premieres alongside another of my rediscoveries from Victorian drama – with a play written in 1868, the very year that the Finborough Theatre building was constructed. And Vibrant 2019 – A Festival of Finborough Playwrights, our annual festival of new writing, returns for its eleventh consecutive year.
The Finborough Arms, our pub home, was taken over by an entirely new management and extensively refurbished at the end of last year, and now offers a wide menu of traditional pub favourites, all cooked on the premises. We both look forward to welcoming you.”
For full information, please visit www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk – Neil McPherson, Artistic Director
May to August 2019 | Press Nights and Photocalls
Tuesday, 4 May – Saturday 8 June 2019
The world premiere
BLUEPRINT MEDEA
Written and Directed by Julia Pascal.
Press Nights: Thursday, 23 May 2019 and Friday, 24 May 2019 at 7.30pm.
Photocall: Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 1.00pm-1.30pm.
Wednesday, 12 June – Saturday, 6 July 2019
The first London production in over 120 years
AFTER DARK; OR, A DRAMA OF LONDON LIFE
by Don Boucicault. Based on Les Oiseaux de Proie by by Eugène Grangé and Adolphe d’Ennery. Directed by Phil Wilmott
Press Nights: Wednesday, 19 June 2019 and Thursday, 20 June 2019 at 7.30pm
Photocall: Tuesday, 9 July 2019 at 1.00pm-1.30pm.
Tuesday, 9 July – Saturday, 3 August 2019
The world premiere
LUNATIC 19’S – A DEPORTATIONAL ROAD TRIP
by Tegan McLeod. Directed by Jonathan Martin.
Press Nights: Thursday, 11 July 2019 and Friday, 12 July 2019 at 7.30pm
Photocall: Tuesday, 9 July 2019 at 1.00pm-1.30pm
Prices for Blueprint Medea
Prices for Week One – Tickets £18, £16 concessions, except Tuesday evenings £16 all seats, and Friday and Saturday evenings £18 all seats. Previews £14 all seats.
£10 tickets for Under 30s for performances from Tuesday to Sunday of the first week when booked online only.
£14 tickets for residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on the first Saturday evening, when booked online only.
Prices for Weeks Two and Three – Tickets £20, £18 concessions, except Tuesday evenings £18 all seats, and Friday and Saturday evenings £20 all seats.
Prices for After Dark; or, A Drama of London Life and Lunatic 19’s – A Deportational Road Trip
Prices for Weeks One and Two – Tickets £18, £16 concessions, except Tuesday evenings £16 all seats, and Friday and Saturday evenings £18 all seats. Previews for After Dark (11-18 June) £15 all seats. Previews for Lunatic 19’s (9 and 10 July £14 all seats.
£10 tickets for Under 30s for performances from Tuesday to Sunday of the first week when booked online only.
£14 tickets for residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on the first Saturday evening, when booked online only.
Prices for Weeks Three and Four – Tickets £20, £18 concessions, except Tuesday evenings £18 all seats, and Friday and Saturday evenings £20 all seats.
Prices for Vibrant 2019 – A Festival of Finborough Playwrights
Sunday and Monday evenings at 7.30pm. Thursday matinees at 3.00pm.
All tickets £5.
