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Dateline: 17th July, 2007
New Season at Watford Brigid Larmour has announced her Summer/Autumn Season at Watford Palace Theatre, as she heads towards the end of her first year as Artistic Director & Chief Executive. The Palace's first ever summer family show is a co-production between the Palace and Sonia Friedman Productions - the Young Vic and Barbican production of Tintin (28 July to 11 August) - as it embarks on a national tour prior to a West End run. Directed by Rufus Norris (Cabaret, Vernon God Little), the cast includes Matthew Parish (The Promise, Twelfth Night at Colchester) as Tintin, Stephen Finegold (Twelfth Night/As I Lay Dying at the Young Vic) as Captain Haddock and Miltos Yerolemou (Tintin at the Barbican) as Snowy and Nina Kwok (King Lear with the RSC) as Chang. In September (10-15), the Palace will launch the UK tour of Tim Supple's Indian Midsummer Night's Dream, following performances across India, at the RSC and a critically acclaimed run at the Roundhouse. Most performances are almost sold out. Thursday evening's performance will be a fundraising gala in aid of the Palace Theatre. The Palace's September production will be Alan Ayckbourn's A Small Family Business (21 September to 13 October), not seen in the South East since its 1987 premiere at the National Theatre, which was directed by Ayckbourn himself. The play's look at family values in conflict with consumerist greed has become ever more relevant since its original production. Christopher Luscombe and Janet Bird return as director and designer respectively for this show, following their hugely successful production of Alan Bennett's Enjoy which launched Brigid's first season. In November the Palace produces its first 'Festival Fortnight' (5 to 18 November) - two weeks of performance and participation involving music, theatre, comedy and dance aimed at attracting new audiences to the Palace. Shows include Gecko Theatre Company with The Arab & The Jew; Scamp Theatre's production of Michael Morpurgo's Private Peaceful; Watford's Alex Lowe with Let's Talk To Barry; local collective Inspiral Arts; dance from Sonia Sabri Company; an evening of spoken work with poets [verb]swish, OneNess, Francesca Beard and Luke Wright; young jazz pianist Zoe Rahman, up-and-coming comedian Russell Howard, and a rehearsed reading from writer-in-residence Stacey Gregg, as well as Palace favourite Tony Jacobs and Abba tribute Voulez Vous. During the season the Education and Participation Department , Active, also produces work with Hertfordshire County Youth Theatre - Arabian Nights by Dominic Cooke (26 & 27 October) - and a professional production of Brecht's The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui (29 & 30 October) which will also tour to local schools and venues across Hertfordshire. Of the local amateur societies, Cassio Operatic Society presents The Hired Man in October and Abbots Langley Gilbert & Sullivan Society perform Ruddigore in January. The year ends with the traditional family pantomime Jack & The Beanstalk (29 November 07 to 6 January 08). Director Joyce Branagh and Designer Keith Orton return, following huge success with the previous two Palace pantomimes. Joyce has also written the show this year. Brigid Larmour said, "I am delighted we are giving Watford audiences a chance to enjoy another rarely-seen masterpiece, our production of A Small Family Business, as well as collaborating with the Young Vic on the family-friendly show Tintin, which is heading for the West End. I am excited by the range, quality and sheer number of performances that we have coming up during the Autumn. I hope there is truly something for everyone, plus the chance to experience something completely different. It's a great way to lead us into our centenary productions in 2008."
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