Arnaud Theatre 50th anniversary season

Published: 25 July 2015
Reporter: Sheila Connor

Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre has announced its programme for its 50th anniversary season.

Children ages 4 to 8 years can follow CBeebies' Tom, Twigs, Ariela and Friends on an action-packed adventure in Tree Fu Tom Live from 24 to 25 August.

Cole, from 2 to 5 September, is a musical revue of songs from Cole Porter, which enjoyed a successful run at the Arnaud in 1977. Stephanie Cole, Karl Theobald and Siobhan Redmond star in three of Alan Bennett's original Talking Heads (8 to 12 September). The stage adaptation had its world première at the Yvonne Arnaud before a West End run. Susie Blake stars as the Queen in Moira Buffini's Olivier Award-winning Handbagged (21 to 26 September).

There will be six performances from the Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season, including Romeo and Juliet (27 September) Carmen, Viscera, Afternoon of a Faun and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux (15 November) and The Nutcracker (16 December).

Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper Murders (28 September to 3 October) explores one of the darkest plots ever to shake the foundations of England. Alex Parker returns to the Yvonne Arnaud with a new production of the Tony Award-winning musical Sunset Boulevard (7 to 10 October). Brian Blessed will loudly fill the Yvonne Arnaud with the story of his life in Brian Blessed: Absolute Pandemonium (11 October) in association with the Guildford Book Festival.

Kneehigh Theatre Company, will present its adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca (12 to 17 October). An Evening with Sir Roger Moore (18 October) opens a UK tour as Sir Roger brings the Guildford Book Festival's 2015 programme to a close. Making its touring debut, Pitlochry Festival Theatre presents its production of Somerset Maugham's Home and Beauty (20 to 24 October).

Winner of the UK Theatre award for Best New Play and the John Whiting Award, The Rubenstein Kiss (27 to 31 October) comes to Guildford direct from Nottingham Playhouse. The Russian State Ballet and Opera House returns with two ballets: The Nutcracker (3 November) and Don Quixote (4 November). Apollo Theatre Company celebrates another landmark anniversary of the popular radio show in Round the Horne: The 50th Anniversary Tour (5th to 7th November.)

Winner of both the Olivier Award and the Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play 2015, Mike Bartlett's new future history play King Charles III (9 to 14 November) stars Robert Powell. A lavish new production of a classic Miss Marple mystery, Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced (16 to 21 November) stars Judy Cornwell, Dianne Fletcher, Tom Butcher, Sarah Thomas, Rachel Bright and Dean Smith.

Leon Ockenden, Olivia Halliman and Philip Franks lead the cast in Terence Rattigan's epic wartime romance Flare Path (23 to 28 November). Dillie Keane will star as the Fairy in this year's family pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk (4 December to 3 January 2016).

The new season goes on sale on Tuesday 28 July.

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