MRS. ROOSEVELT FLIES TO LONDON to Launch Spring Tour

Critically acclaimed actress Alison Skilbeck kicks off a spring 2016 tour of her one-woman play Mrs Roosevelt Flies to London, at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts on 5 February. The production continues on to The Mill Studio at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on 3 - 5 March, Omnibus Clapham on 7 April, and finally at Mercury Theatre, Colchester on the 6-7 May. With special permission from the Roosevelt Estate to use Eleanor's diary and writings, the play captures the spirit, humour, and passion of one of the most extraordinary women of the 20th century, on her daring visit to Britain in 1942.

Directed by Lucy Skilbeck (39 Steps, Spring Awakening), with Sound Design by Emma Laxton (War Horse), and Lighting Design by Mark Dymock (The Hired Man), Alison Skilbeck's one-woman show explores Roosevelt's public, and hidden life. Described by The Stage as "incredibly well-composed and elegantly performed", the play looks back from 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, while Eleanor is on her death bed. Roosevelt relives her visit to war torn Britain, and pivotal experiences from throughout her long life, including the extra-marital affairs of her husband, President Roosevelt, and her own lesbian affair with journalist Lorena Hickok, to establishing herself as, in President Truman's words, "the First Lady of the World". Alison Skilbeck plays all of the colourful characters that Eleanor meets on her travels.

On a tour of Ireland in 2014, Mrs Roosevelt Flies to London received 5 star reviews from the Irish Mail on Sunday, "a captivating performance", and Ireland Sunday Independent, and during a four week residency at the King's Head Theatre in Islington in 2015, Alison Skilbeck, was nominated for a Best Female Performance Award in the Off West End (Offie) Awards. Her performance received 4 star reviews from several critics including the Islington Gazette, Plays To See and LondonTheatre1.com "a gem in the one woman show genre".

Meticulously researched from Eleanor's wartime diary, newspaper columns and vast correspondence, Skilbeck portrays a woman beset by deep personal insecurities and tragedy, but one who never lost her passionate belief in the strength of the human spirit. A four star review from performancereviewed.com states "you'll leave the theatre feeling uplifted and inspired."

Alison Skilbeck's enormously varied stage career has taken her to the West End and all over the UK, and on tour to the USA and Europe: early on she created roles in six Ayckbourn premieres at Scarborough. Her solo play Are There More of You? received 5 star reviews, and has recently completed a successful tour of Ireland. Alison's television work includes Sherlock Homes, The Beiderbecke Affair, Miss Marple, Head Over Heels, Doctor Who, Soldier Soldier, New Tricks, and Midsomer Murders. On radio she has worked with Simon Brett, the late Don Taylor, and Ellen Dryden. She was also Polly Perks in The Archers, until the character was killed off! Two recent projects have been Wimpole Street, an award winning web series, and the pod cast sitcom series Wooden Overcoats. Her latest film is Florence with Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant (released in 2016).

Director Lucy Skilbeck has worked in the West End, on Broadway, the National Theatre, off-West End, and London's Fringe as well as directing in the USA and Australia.