New Vic, Northern Broadsides new version of Cyrano

Published: 28 January 2017
Reporter: Steve Orme

The cast of Cyrano in rehearsal Credit: Nobby Clark

Northern Broadsides starts its 25th anniversary year by joining forces with Newcastle-under-Lyme’s New Vic Theatre to stage Cyrano, a new adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s romantic comedy Cyrano de Bergerac.

Northern Broadsides resident director Conrad Nelson said Deborah McAndrew’s adaptation “embraces the poeticism of Rostand’s drama but doesn’t confine itself to the original’s regular rhyming couplets.

“Poetry and prose combine in this vibrant, funny, romantic and heartbreaking adaptation. Debbie McAndrew has created a carefully crafted version that marries the energy and vibrancy of youth with the romance and classicism of the original.

“Broadsides are committed to producing high-quality new adaptations and new writing for the stage. This is an ideal combination for Northern Broadsides of a classic play and a contemporary adaptation. It’s a process in which Debbie and I work closely to create a new première for the stage and celebrate a fourth foreign language collaboration featuring a bespoke marriage of text, musicality, wit and invention.”

Deborah McAndrew added, “most of my version is in verse but I’ve been far freer with the form so that each mood, intention and character is served as well as possible. For example, as a dramatist it feels unnatural for me to write the plain soldier Christian in the same meter and register as the epic Cyrano.

“I also drop into prose from time to time when the requirements are prosaic. I hope that the shifting form will serve the actors and help them play each moment to the full.”

Richard Galazka who played Richard Hannay in the West End production of John Buchan’s The 39 Steps takes the role of Cyrano.

He will be joined in the cast by Paul Barnhill who was in the Steven Spielberg version of The BFG in which he appeared alongside his daughter Ruby who played the lead role of Sophie, Angela Bain who was in Made in Dagenham at the Queens Theatre, Adam Barlow who played Nim and Fenton in the Northern Broadsides and New Vic production of The Merry Wives, Andy Cryer, Jessica Dyas, New Vic regular Michael Hugo, Anthony Hunt, Perry Moore, Francesca Mills, Robert Wade, Andrew Whitehead and newcomer Sharon Singh.

Designer is Lis Evans, lighting is by Daniella Beattie and choreography is by Beverley Edmunds. Fights are directed by Philip d'Orléans and musical direction is by Rebekah Hughes.

Cyrano, the eighth co-production between Northern Broadsides and the New Vic, runs at the Staffordshire theatre-in-the-round from Friday until Saturday 25 February.

It then tours to West Yorkshire Playhouse, Watford Palace Theatre, Liverpool Playhouse, The Dukes Lancaster, Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre, York Theatre Royal, The Lowry Salford, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, The Viaduct Theatre Halifax, Derby Theatre and Oxford Playhouse until 27 May.

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