Announcing Part One of The Watermill Theatre's 50th Anniversary Season

2017 marks the 50th anniversary of The Watermill Theatre which today announces the first part of the season for this celebratory year. On general sale from 14 November and to Friends of the Watermill from 7 November.

Season highlights include the British stage premiere of Murder For Two, a recent hit Off-Broadway which will be directed by Luke Sheppard, director of Olivier award-winning musical In The Heights and The Watermill's hugely successful 2015 production of Oliver! Two actors play 13 characters in this acclaimed new musical produced in association with Paul Taylor-Mills. Following its run at The Watermill opening 26 January and running to 25 February, Murder For Two will transfer to The Other Palace (St James Theatre, London).

In Faust x 2, Olivier and Tony award-winning actor Ian McDiarmid (stage credits include the RSC, National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and Almeida Theatre) plays the titular role in his adaptation, inspired by Philip Wayne's translation, of Goethe's dramatic poem. The story of lust, sacrifice and regret premieres at The Watermill and will be all the more powerful performed in the theatre's intimate and atmospheric auditorium. Directed by Lisa Blair (Contractions, Sheffield Theatres), Faust x 2 opens on 2 March and runs to 25 March.

The Watermill's bold, ensemble driven approach to Shakespeare is celebrated with a new production of Twelfth Night, reimagined in the 1920s when prohibition was rife, and Europe was reeling in the wake of war. Directed by The Watermill's Artistic Director, Paul Hart, the ensemble of actors who created Romeo + Juliet earlier this year at The Watermill will reunite to tell Shakespeare's timeless story. Actor-musicians will perform music in the spirit of the period. Twelfth Night opens on 6 April and runs to 6 May, returning to play in repertoire with Romeo + Juliet from Tuesday 18 July. Both productions will tour nationally and internationally (a full list of dates and venues to be announced).

Alan Ayckbourn's linked comedies House and Garden will be performed simultaneously in the theatre and in The Watermill's beautiful gardens. Both epic and intimate the production will be directed by Elizabeth Freestone (RSC, Shakespeare's Globe) who will make her Watermill debut. Opening 25 May and running to 1 July.

Continuing its commitment to nurturing new talent, Danielle Pearson's adaptation of Ann Veronica by H. G. Wells, directed by Heidi Bird, will be performed by The Watermill Senior Youth Theatre from 29 March to 1 April.

Concluding the season, a new play by Ellen Robertson, Nesting, the poignant story of a self-confessed 'collector', directed by Emily Burns, will open at The Watermill from 4 to 8 July and will also tour to village halls, rural venues and small arts centres. It marks the 26th year of taking Watermill productions into the heart of local communities.

2017 will see a London transfer of The Watermill's production of Tristan Bernays' reimagined Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, directed by Eleanor Rhode. It will run at Wilton's from 7 to 18 March. Booking opens on 18 November 2016 - wiltons.org.uk Box office 020 7702 2789.

As previously announced, The Watermill's production of Crazy For You, directed by Paul Hart, will tour the UK from 17 August 2017, produced by Jamie Wilson, Gavin Kalin and The Watermill Theatre. A full list of tour dates can be found at www.watermill.org.uk

To be announced, a programme of special fundraising events to celebrate the 50th anniversary year.

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