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Picture
FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR FIRST REVIVAL OF
ALAN BENNETT’S
THE HABIT OF ART

STARRING MATTHEW KELLY AND DAVID YELLAND
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
19th - 24th ​November 2018

The Original Theatre Company, York Theatre Royal, and Ghost Light Productions are delighted to announce the full cast for the first ever revival of Alan Bennett’s THE HABIT OF ART directed by Philip Franks and starring Matthew Kelly as Fitz (W. H. Auden) and David Yelland as Henry (Benjamin Britten).  
 
Veronica Roberts will be joining the cast in the role of Kay, the Stage Manager.  She is perhaps best known for playing Dorothy Bennett in the BBC drama Tenko and Laura Elliot in ITV’s Peak Practice.
 
Robert Mountford plays the Author, Neil. His one man show Vagabonds – My Phil Lynott Odyssey has recently played in Edinburgh, London and Dublin.  Robert has also toured extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
 
John Wark will play Donald (Humphrey Carpenter).  Alexandra Guelff plays the role of George, the Assistant Stage Manager and Benjamin Chandler has been cast as Tim (Stuart). 
 
THE HABIT OF ART explores friendship, rivalry and heartache, the joy, pain and emotional cost of creativity.  It is centred on a fictional meeting between poet W. H. Auden and composer Benjamin Britten. Bennett wrote it as a play-within-a-play – actors Fitz, Henry, Tim and Donald are rehearsing a play called Caliban's Day under the direction of stage manager, Kay, and in the presence of the playwright, Neil. In Caliban's Day, a fictitious meeting occurs in 1973 in Auden's (Fitz) rooms at Oxford not long before he dies.  Britten (Henry) has been auditioning boys nearby for his opera Death in Venice, and arrives unexpectedly – their first meeting in 25 years after falling out over the failure of their opera Paul Bunyan.
 
Alan Bennett’s THE HABIT OF ART premiered at the National Theatre in November 2009, directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Richard Griffiths, Alex Jennings and Frances de la Tour. The National then toured the production in Autumn 2010 with a new cast led by Desmond Barrit, Malcolm Sinclair and Selina Cadell.

The 2018 tour of THE HABIT OF ART begins on 30 August 2018 at York Theatre Royal, and will be directed by Philip Franks, designed by Adrian Linford, with lighting by Johanna Town, and sound design by Max Pappenheim.
 
Website:    www.originaltheatre.com
Facebook:     @OriginalTheatre
Twitter:          @OriginalTheatre #HabitOfArt
Instagram:    @OriginalTheatreCompany
 
Running Time:  2 hours, 20 minutes (including interval)
Suitable for 12+

For tickets go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
​2018 TOUR SCHEDULE
 
30 August - 8 September    Theatre Royal York    01904 623568
    www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk    
11-15 September    Theatre Royal Brighton    0844 871 7650
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton     
17-22 September    Salisbury Playhouse    01722 320 333
    www.salisburyplayhouse.com     
24-29 September    Oxford Playhouse    01865 305 300
    www.oxfordplayhouse.com    On sale soon
3-6 October    Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford    01483 44 00 00
    www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk     On sale soon    
8-13 October    New Wolsey, Ipswich    01473 295900
    www.wolseytheatre.co.uk     
15-20 October    Richmond Theatre    0844 871 7651
    www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre     
23-27 October    Liverpool Playhouse    0151 709 4776
    www.everymanplayhouse.com    
29 October – 3 November    Cambridge Arts Theatre    01223 503333
    www.cambridgeartstheatre.com    On sale soon
6-10 November    Belgrade Theatre, Coventry    024 7655 3055
    www.belgrade.co.uk    
12-17 November    The Lowry, Salford    0843 208 6000
    www.thelowry.com     
19-24 November    Palace Theatre, Southend    01702 351135
    www.palacetheatresouthend.co.uk    
27 November - 1 December    Malvern Theatres    01684 892277
    www.malvern-theatres.co.uk.

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