TWO PROMENADE PLAYS IN REPERTOIRE

THE FIRST REVIVAL OF BOTH PLAYS SINCE THE ORIGINAL NATIONAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

WINNER OF THE PETER BROOK EMPTY SPACE MARK MARVIN AWARD

TIME OUT CRITICS' CHOICE

As she went on her way, gossamer threads, spun from bush to bush, barricaded her pathway, and as she broke through one after another of these fairy barricades she thought, They're trying to bind and keep me. But the threads which were to bind her to her native county were more enduring than gossamer. They were spun of love and kinship and cherished memories.

Lark Rise to Candleford is a lively two play adaptation for the theatre of Flora Thompson's classic trilogy of Oxfordshire life at the end of the 19th century, recalling an era when the traditional ways and values of rural society were disappearing beneath the clamour of modern life and finally vanishing forever in the carnage of the First World War. The two plays can be seen in any order, separately or together.

Shapeshifter's dynamic promenade staging, featuring extensive live folk music, immerses the audience in the forgotten communities of a vanishing England. Lark Rise to Candleford creatively reinvents the tiny Finborough theatre as the highways, outhouses and smoky taverns of Flora Thompson's Oxfordshire hamlet, bringing every aspect of this lost lifestyle to the stage, from the midwinter fox hunt to the midsummer harvest, from climbing trees to throwing snowballs.

Connecting with our continuing struggle for a national identity, the two plays are a unique opportunity to experience the rites, rituals, poverty and celebrations of a true rural community. In a period of great debate about the national values that we practice at home and abroad, they are a fond but painfully honest recreation of the sensory world that underlies the concept of what it is to be English.

Reuniting the team behind the Time Out Critics' Choice production of Rolf Hochhuth's Soldiers, a sell out at the Finborough Theatre in August 2004, the Finborough Theatres Artistic Director, Neil McPherson, has now commissioned Shapeshifter to bring this hugely ambitious revival to the stage as part of the 25th anniversary year the very first time that both parts of the play have been seen together since the 1978 National Theatre production.

This production has partly been made possible by the award of the 2004/5 winner of the Peter Brook Empty Space Mark Marvin Award, judged by such theatre luminaries as Thelma Holt, Peter Wilson, Blanche Marvin and Michael Attenborough, specifically designed to support and develop an existing partnership between an outstanding new company and a producing theatre presenting a new project. The production is also supported by the Jerwood Space.

Directed by acclaimed young director John Terry, whose recent work has been seen at The Orange Tree Theatre, the BAC, and who is a member of the 2005 National Theatre Studio Directors Programme, and Shapeshifter Associate Director Mike Bartlett, and designed by Alex Marker, Associate Designer of the Finborough Theatre.

Author Flora Thompson was born in Juniper Hill, a hamlet in northeast Oxfordshire, in 1876. In 1938 she sent essays on her country childhood to the Oxford University Press. These were published as Lark Rise (1939), the story of the Oxfordshire hamlet where she was born. Over to Candleford (1941) was followed by Candleford Green (1943), the whole published as Lark Rise to Candleford (1945). She died in 1947.

Playwright Keith Dewhurst has written seventeen stage plays including Luggage, Lark Rise, The World Turned Upside Down, Don Quixote (starring Paul Scofield) and Black Snow were premiered by the National Theatre, and Pirates and Brecht In 26 by the English Stage Company at the Royal Court.

THE PRESS ON LARK RISE TO CANDLEFORD

TIME OUT CRITICS' CHOICE

“THEATRICAL MAGIC”
CAROLE WODDIS, WHAT’S ON STAGE.COM

“A JEWEL OF THE FRINGE THEATRE IN LONDON”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“A MAGICAL PRODUCTION OF THE PLAYS, MORE EFFECTIVE AT THE FINBOROUGH THAN AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE...AN EXPERIENCE NOT TO MISSED.”
BLANCHE MARVIN, LONDON THEATRE REVIEWS/PETER BROOK EMPTY SPACE AWARDS

“A TRIUMPHANT AFFIRMATION OF THE FINBOROUGH ITSELF IN ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR.”
CAROLE WODDIS, WHAT’S ON STAGE.COM

“THIS IS TRULY A WARM AND WONDERFUL WAY TO SPEND AN EVENING, OR PREFERABLY TWO.”
JULIA HICKMAN, THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

“MAGIC IS EVERYWHERE IN THESE TWO PLAYS"
BLANCHE MARVIN, LONDON THEATRE REVIEWS

“THE QUIET MOMENTS OF THIS PLAY, WHEN LIFE JUST TICKS PROSAICALLY BY ALL AROUND US, ARE PERFECTLY DONE, AND THROUGH THEM, THE COMPANY INVITE THEIR AUDIENCE DEEP INTO THE PAST AND BEGUILE THEM INTO STAYING.”
LUCY POWELL, TIME OUT

““DIRECTORS JOHN TERRY AND MIKE BARTLETT HAVE CREATED SUCH A WORLD FROM LARK RISE TO CANDLEFORD THAT, AFTER FOUR HOURS OF THEATRE SWEEPING BY, IT IS DIFFICULT NOT TO THINK WE HAVE KNOWN THESE CHARACTERS ALL OUR LIVES.”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“A DELIGHTFUL PRODUCTION THAT… SUCCEEDS IN LEAVING YOU WITH… THE URGE TO CATCH THE NEXT TRAIN OUT OF THE CITY AND HEAD FOR THE ROLLING HILLS OF OXFORDSHIRE.”
CLAIR WHITEFIELD, MUSIC OMH.COM

“STRONG CASTING, THE EMOTIONAL TUG OF THE PIECE, AND AN ABUNDANCE OF FOLK SONGS”
JOHN THAXTER, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

“THIS GENTLE EVOCATION WITH THE UNFORGETTABLE FOLK MUSIC…OF FARMING LIFE IN 19TH CENTURY RURAL ENGLAND.”
CAROLE WODDIS, WHAT’S ON STAGE.COM

“THE REAL BEAUTY OF JOHN TERRY AND MIKE BARTLETT'S PRODUCTION IS…THE EXPERIENCE CREATED BY A WONDERFUL ENSEMBLE, AS ADEPT AS SINGERS AND MUSICIANS”
CAROLE WODDIS, WHAT’S ON STAGE.COM

“THE FINBOROUGH HAS BEEN TURNED INTO AN OXFORDSHIRE VILLAGE FROM THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY, WITH THE JUDICIOUS USE OF OLD CHESTS, STAGE BLOCKS, BENCHES, BATH TUBS, AND STAIRS AND STEPLADDERS LEADING TO PLATFORMS FOR TIN BATHS, BEDROOMS AND PARLOURS. THESE ALL BECOME, DEPENDING ON THE ACTION, A POST OFFICE AT THE CENTRE OF THE COMMUNITY, A STAMPING GROUND FOR SKITTERISH HORSES, A VILLAGE GREEN, A STEAMY BATH HOUSE, WHEAT FIELDS, A TINY COTTAGE INTERIOR.”
JULIA HICKMAN, THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

“YOU DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH YOU ARE 'WATCHING A PLAY', RATHER YOU ARE 'BEING THERE', AND THIS FEELING IS QUITE HYPNOTIC AND COMPELLING”
JULIA HICKMAN, THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

“A GLORIOUS INSIGHT INTO THE BYGONE ENGLAND OF YESTERYEAR...A REAL LABOUR OF LOVE...A TRULY EXCELLENT PRODUCTION”
CLAIR WHITEFIELD, MUSIC OMH.COM

“SOPHIE TROTT IS LARGER-THAN-LIFE AS THE PETITE, INNOCENT AND WISE LAURA”
JULIA HICKMAN, THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

“THE LITHE PETER CAULFIELD AND MICHAEL LOVATT DO ACTUALLY CLAMBER INTO THE BATHS WEARING NOTHING MORE THAN A HAPPY SMILE.”
CLAIR WHITEFIELD, MUSIC OMH.COM

“THE VERSATILE GARY MACKAY MAKES, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, A FANTASTIC LAME OLD DUFFER”
CHERYL FREEDMAN, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

“SUSIE EMMETT IS HIGHLY AMUSING AS THE EAVESDROPPING SERVANT ZILLAH”
CHERYL FREEDMAN, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

“HUGO COX…THIS VERSATILE ACTOR MAKES US LAUGH OUT LOUD…WHILE LATER IS TRULY TOUCHING.
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“PLAYED WITH UNDERSTANDING AND AFFECTION BY ROSALIND CRESSY.”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“POSSIBLY STEALING THE SHOW WITH HER COMIC TIMING AND GARRULOUS MANNER IS SUSIE EMMETT”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“DAVID BRETT…DEEPLY MOVING”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“EARNING SPECIAL MENTION ARE ANNA TOLPUTT AS THE CARING MOTHER, GARY MACKAY ALWAYS IN CHARACTER EVEN WHEN ON THE PERIPHERY OF A SCENE, AND A TOUCHING CAMEO BY DAVID BRETT”
JOHN THAXTER, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

“THIS EXTREMELY TALENTED COMPANY”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“BEAUTIFULLY TIMED HUMOUR AND AN CAST EXPERT AT MAKING AN AUDIENCE FEEL WELCOME”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“A TENSION IS EVIDENT HERE THAT ALSO SCORES THE ORIGINAL- A SADNESS FOR THE DEATH OF A WAY OF LIFE, TOGETHER WITH AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT IT WAS FAR FROM IDYLLIC- SOMETHING THAT BECOMES CLEAR WHEN THE BRUISING STORYLINES ARE INTERRUPTED BY ROUSING, RUSTIC MUSICAL NUMBERS.”
LUCY POWELL, TIME OUT

“DESIGNER ALEX MARKER HAS TRANSFORMED THE FINBOROUGH SPACE INTO A SELECTION OF RUSTIC BARNS AND COTTAGES, WHICH THE AUDIENCE ARE INVITED TO PROMENADE AS THE ACTION OF THE STORY PROGRESSES.”
PAUL VALE, THE STAGE

“THE PRODUCTION DESIGN IS INGENIOUS AND CHARMING”
JOANNA BACON, ROGUES AND VAGABONDS

“ALEX MARKER'S WOODEN SET, WITH ITS LADDERS AND MEZZANINES, IS A STUNNING BIT OF CRAFTSMANSHIP”
CLAIR WHITEFIELD, MUSIC OMH.COM

“A LIVELY, JOYOUS AND…THRILLING EVENING OUT.”
JOANNA BACON, ROGUES AND VAGABONDS

“THE PETER BROOK INSPIRED EMPTY SPACE AWARD MADE THIS PRODUCTION POSSIBLE – AND THE AWARD’S NAMESAKE WOULD BE PROUD OF A PRODUCTION THAT MEASURES ITS ACHIEVEMENT IN PATIENT DETAIL AND LUMINOUS HONESTY.”
CAROLE WODDIS, WHAT’S ON STAGE.COM