WISE CHILDREN Begins at Storyhouse Next Week

The new theatrical production of novelist Angela Carter's Wise Children comes to Storyhouse next week.

Wise Children made its critically acclaimed world premiere in London at The Old Vic in October 2018. Now the production is being brought to the stage in Chester by 'visionary' director Emma Rice.

Wise Children comes to Storyhouse from Tuesday 19 March to Saturday 23 March 2019. There are matinees on the Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm.

The carnivalesque tale of the tangled fortunes of two theatrical families is packed with pairs of twins and mistaken identities, and features a hauntingly beautiful original score and breath taking video animation.

Now the former artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe, Emma Rice (Romantics Anonymous, Tristan & Yseult, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk and Brief Encounter) is bringing her unique, exuberantly impish vision to the late English writer's great final novel.

It's 23 April, Shakespeare's birthday. "Let's have all the skeletons out of the closet, today, of all days!"

In Brixton, Nora and Dora Chance - twin chorus girls born and bred South of the river - are celebrating their 75th birthday. Over the river in Chelsea, their father and greatest actor of his generation Melchior Hazard turns 100 on the same day. As does his twin brother Peregrine. If, in fact, he's still alive. And if, in truth, Melchior is their real father after all...

A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity - and butterflies by the thousand.

Emma Rice brings her unique, exuberantly impish vision to Angela Carter's great last novel, Wise Children, launching her new theatre company of the same name. It aims to create landmark work with exceptional artists, challenge outmoded theatre touring models, train the next generation of creative practitioners, and discover the creative spaces of the future.

As Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe (2016/18), Emma Rice directed Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). For the previous 20 years, she worked for Kneehigh as an actor, director and Artistic Director.

This Old Vic and Wise Children production is co-produced by the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Oxford Playhouse and York Theatre Royal.

The cast features Sam Archer (Young Peregrine), Ankur Bahl (Young Melchior), Stu Barker (The Band), Omari Douglas(Showgirl Nora), Alex Heane (The Band), Paul Hunter (Melchior), Mirabelle Gremaud (Young Nora), Melissa James (Showgirl Dora), Bettrys Jones (Young Dora), Patrycja Kujawska (Lady Atalanta/Wheelchair), Etta Murfitt (Nora), Katy Owen (Grandma Chance), Ian Ross (Band Leader), Gareth Snook (Dora), and Mike Shepherd (Peregrine).

Tickets for Wise Children are priced between £18.50 and £31.50. Each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee.

Storyhouse has a dynamic pricing policy on the majority of shows, ensuring the earlier you book your tickets, guarantees the best seats at the lowest price.

The online version of the Storyhouse spring season 2019 brochure can be viewed by visiting https://issuu.com/storyhouselive/docs/storyhouse_spring_19

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