Philip Franks, Olivia Hallinan, Leon Ockenden & Alastair Whatley to Lead 2015 FLARE PATH Tour

Philip Franks, Olivia Hallinan, Leon Ockenden and Alastair Whatley will head the cast of the 2015 national tour of Terence Rattigan's FLARE PATH, directed by Justin Audibert. Further casting is to be announced.

Philip Franks, who will play Squadron Leader Swanson, is perhaps best-known for his television roles as Charley in The Darling Buds of May and Sergeant Craddock in Heartbeat, as well as Tom Pinch in Martin Chuzzlewit and Richard in Bleak House. Recent theatre credits includes UK tours of The History Boys and The Rocky Horror Show. Philip has played many leading roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company including Bertram in All's Well That Ends Well (directed by Trevor Nunn) and the title role in Hamlet (directed by Roger Michell).

Olivia Hallinan will play Patricia Graham. Olivia's numerous television credits include Laura Timmins in Larkrise To Candleford, Kim in the award-winning series Sugar Rush, Ellie Allard in Girls in Love and Liddy Blakeman in Murder in Suburbia. Recent theatre credits include Olga Prozorov in Three Sisters (Southwark Playhouse), Lotty in Lotty's War (UK Tour) and Justine in Herding Cats (Hampstead Theatre and Theatre Royal Bath).

Leon Ockenden, who will play Peter Kyle, is best known for his television roles as Prince Serge De Bolotoff in Mr Selfridge, Hector Reid in Waterloo Road, Dr Chris Oakley in Heartbeat and Sam Taylor in Family Affairs. Recent theatre includes Mat in Muswell Hill (Orange Tree Theatre), various roles in The Merchant Of Venice and As You Like It (both for Lamb Players) and Terry Fordham in Plague over England (Duchess Theatre).

Alastair Whatley, who will play Teddy Graham, is currently playing Evans in the UK tour of Birdsong (Birdsong Productions/ Original Theatre Company). Other recent theatre roles include Jerome in Three Men in a Boat and The Reverend Lionel Toop in See How They Run (both for Original Theatre Company), and the title role in Henry V (South Hill Park). Alastair is also the Artistic Director of the Original Theatre Company.
As previously announced, the FLARE PATH tour will open on 18 August at Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne (national press night, 2 September at Richmond Theatre). FLARE PATH will then tour to Richmond, Bath, Malvern, Exeter, Cambridge, Salisbury, Winchester, Ipswich, Coventry, Liverpool and Guildford with further dates to be announced.

Based on Rattigan's experiences as a tail gunner during World War II, FLARE PATH paints an evocative portrait of life in wartime Britain for the life-and-death existence of the RAF bomber crews, and their wives and sweethearts who were left waiting their return.
Set in 1942 against a backdrop of heartache and quiet bravery, FLARE PATH tells the story of former actress Patricia, the wife of RAF pilot Teddy, whose marriage is tested to the limits by the surprise arrival of Patricia's ex?lover and Hollywood idol Peter Kyle. An unexpected and dangerous mission over Germany puts Patricia at the centre of an emotional conflict as unpredictable as the war in the skies.

FLARE PATH combines highly charged drama with a truly authentic taste of the fear, camaraderie and passion experienced by the men and women who fought to save their country, their families and each other.

This new production of FLARE PATH will be directed by Justin Audibert, who is currently directing The Jew of Malta for The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. Justin is an Artistic Associate for HighTide Festival Theatre and Red Ladder, and his directing credits include productions at Soho Theatre, the Young Vic and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

FLARE PATH will have Set and Costume Design by Hayley Grindle, Lighting Design by Alex Wardle and Sound Design by Dom Bilkey.
Most recently seen in London's West End in 2011, in a production directed by Trevor Nunn, this major revival of FLARE PATH comes from the producers behind the current critically-acclaimed and hugely successful touring production of BIRDSONG.

FLARE PATH is produced on tour by Alastair Whatley for The Original Theatre Company and Anne-Marie Woodley and Jon Woodley for Birdsong Productions Ltd.
Official website: www.flarepaththetour.com

Twitter: @flarepathtour / Facebook: @flarepaththetour

2015 TOUR SCHEDULE

18 - 29 August Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne Now on sale
www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk 01323 412000

1 - 5 September Richmond Theatre Now on sale
www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre 0844 871 7651

7 - 12 September Theatre Royal, Bath On sale in June
www.theatreroyal.org.uk 01225 448844

15 - 19 September Festival Theatre, Malvern Now on sale
www.malvern-theatres.co.uk 01684 892277

22 - 26 September Exeter Northcott Theatre Now on sale
www.exeternorthcott.co.uk 01392 493 493

28 September - 3 October Cambridge Arts Theatre On sale soon
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 01223 503333

5 - 10 October Salisbury Playhouse Now on sale
www.salisburyplayhouse.com 01722 320 333

12 - 17 October Theatre Royal Winchester On sale soon
www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk 01962 840440

19 - 24 October The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich Now on sale
www.wolseytheatre.co.uk 01473 295900

3 - 7 November The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry On sale soon
www.belgrade.co.uk 024 7655 3055

10 - 14 November Liverpool Playhouse On sale soon
www.everymanplayhouse.com 0151 709 4776

23 - 28 November Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford On sale soon
www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000

Further venues to be announced

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