Wiltshire Creative Reveals Lineup For Autumn 2023 Season

With The Tempest about to open this year's Salisbury International Arts Festival, Wiltshire Creative has announced full programming for their Autumn 2023 season.

This season sees the company increase its work as a producing theatre, with three in house productions on the Salisbury Playhouse Main Stage. Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, a co-production with Octagon Theatre Bolton, opens the autumn season on 1 September; with The Girl on the Train - the thriller based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins and Dream Work's film running from 19 October - 11 November. The season culminates with Dick Whittington, which runs from 25 November 2023 - 7 January 2024. Following the success of last year's production of Cinderella, which included a UK Pantomime Award for Jasmine Triadi, writing trio Plested, Brown & Wilsher return with another pantomime for the festive season.

Other highlights of the season include:

• Original Theatre and Trafalgar Entertainment's production of Torben Betts' new thriller Murder in the Dark, directed by Phillip Franks and starring Tom Chambers tours to Salisbury Playhouse 2-8 October.
• Following his critically acclaimed Netflix special, Phil Wang returns to Salisbury Playhouse with Phil Wang: Wang in there, Baby on 29 September
• A full and varied season at Salisbury Arts Centre includes comedy with Fiona Allen: On the Run on 13 October and Chris McCausland on 19 and 20 October; music, including folk duo Sound of the Sirens on 7 October and Laurence Knight: The Bowie Experience on 10 November and a new magic show directed by the late Paul Daniels, The Greatest Magician: An Evening of Wonders on 11 November.

Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative, Gareth Machin said today, "We are delighted to be offering aur audiences in Salisbury three fantastic productions made in the city. We are proud of the reputation we have for the quality of our home-produced work and the brilliant team here at Wiltshire Creative, who make it all happen. This autumn our theatre will be full of suspense, laughter, and spectacle - come and enjoy!"

Salisbury Playhouse:

A Wiltshire Creative and Octagon Theatre Bolton production

JEEVES AND WOOSTER IN PERFECT NONSENSE

A play from the works of P.G. Wodehouse

By Robert Goodale and David Goodale

1 - 23 September 2023

Press Night: Tuesday 5 September 2023

Director: Marieke Audsley; Designer; Olivia du Monceau; Lighting designer: Jane Lalljee;

Sound designer: Matt Eaton; Casting consultant: Liv Barr; Associate Producers: Amanda Bruce

P.G. Wodehouse's iconic double act lands in Salisbury for a night of very silly nonsense!

Following a riotous weekend at country house, Totleigh Towers, Bertie Wooster has a tale to tell. Forced to play matchmaker between his newt-fancying acquaintance Gussie Fink-Nottle and the girl of his dreams, Madeline Bassett, Bertie must also secure an elusive silver cow-creamer for his formidable Aunt Dahlia. It's a tall order, but fortunately he has the help of his loyal valet, the ever-reliable Jeeves, to navigate the many twists, turns and mishaps in this fast paced and dazzlingly inventive comedy.

Winner of the 2014 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.

Robert Goodale's writing credits include Jeeves and Wooster: In Perfect Nonsense (Duke of York's Theatre). As an actor, his theatre credits include The Woman in Black (National tour and Washington DC), How to Act (National Theatre of Scotland), Julius Ceasar (Lepidus), Laburnum Grove (Finborough Theatre), The Lady from the Sea (The Rose Theatre), Dr Faustus (Shakespeare's Globe), Vanya (The Gate), Ghost (Young Vic), Stoopud F**ken Animals (Taverse), Scenes from an Execution (hackney Empire), The Importance of Being Earnest and Arcadia (Bristol Old Vic), The Rivals, Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, School for Scandal and Cyrano de Bergerac (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Impresario from Smyrna and Mirandolina (Lyric Hammersmith).

David Goodale is a documentary film maker and playwright. As a writer, his credits include Jeeves and Wooster: In Perfect Nonsense (Duke of York's Theatre)

Marieke Audsley directs Jeeves and Wooster: In Perfect Nonsense. Her theatre credits include Ladies Day (New Vic and Octagon Theatres), Jekyll and Hyde (Guildford Shakespeare Company), The Massive Tragedy of Madame Bovary! (Jermyn Street Theatre), Frost Hollow Hall and The Hound of Baskervilles (East Riding Theatre), Beryl (East Riding Theatre and Arcola Theatre), A Few Good Men (Sainsbury Theatre), Breathing Corpses (Platform Theatre), Julius Ceasar (Swan Theatre and UK tour), Richard III (Sainsbury Theatre), The Voice of the Turtle (House of St Barnabas), Sleight and Hand (Summerhall, Edinburgh), Civil Rogues (Pleasance Theatre), While the Sun Shines (Lion and Unicorn Theatre), The Rover (Drama Studio, Sheffield).

Olivia du Monceau designs Jeeves and Wooster: In Perfect Nonsense. Her theatre credits include Therese Raquin (Southwark Playhouse), Brutopia (Home MCR), Yellow Breck Road (Liverpool Royal Court), Lonesome West (Liverpool Royal Court) and Handbagged (New Vic Theatre).

A Wiltshire Creative production in the Main House

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

Based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins and DreamWorks film
Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel

19 October - 11 November

Press Night: Tuesday 24 October 2023

Director: Loveday Ingram

Designer: Adam Wiltshire

Every day on her way to work, Rachel watches a seemingly perfect couple from the train window, dreaming of her perfect love story. Suddenly she finds herself embroiled in a dark, twisted drama, when the woman she has been watching goes missing mysteriously.

Was Rachel responsible? Where did the blood come from? If only Rachel could remember the missing pieces in her memory, if only she hadn't had too much to drink...

Based on the hit thriller novel by Paula Hawkins which sold over 20 million copies worldwide and the 2016 DreamWorks film, this gripping stage production will keep you guessing.

Rachel Wagstaff co-adapts The Girl on The Train. Her theatre credits include The Da Vinci Code (UK tour), The Girl on the Train (UK tour and Duke of York's Theatre), The Mirror Crack'd (UK tour), Flowers for Mrs Harris (Sheffield Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre), Birdsong (Original Theatre Company and Comedy Theatre), Only the Brave (Wales Millenium Centre and George Square Theatre, Edinburgh), The Martyr (Soho Theatre), That Girl (Soho Theatre), Moonshadow (Princess Theatre, Melbourne), The Question (Sala Beckett Institute), The Apathists (Theatre 503), Night Sky (Old Vic)

Duncan Abel co-adapts The Girl on The Train. His theatre credits include The Da Vinci Code (UK tour), The Girl on the Train (UK tour and Duke of York's Theatre), Isambard Kingdom Brunel (Sing London).

Loveday Ingram directs The Girl on The Train. Her theatre credits include Dinner with Groucho (Dublin Theatre Festiva, Belfast International Festival and Arcola Theatre), Fatal Attraction (UK tour), Henry V and Julius Ceasar (Storyhouse, Chester), Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (Liverpool Playhouse), Macbeth (Theatre Severn), The Rover (Swan Theatre), Richard III (Nottingham Playhouse and Theatre Royal York), These Shining Lives (Park Theatre), Outlying Islands and Lettice and Love (Theatre Royal Bath), Hysteria and Boston Marriage (B*Spoke Theatre Company), Rockaby (Gate Theatre, Dublin and Barbican), When Harry Met Sally and The Blue Room (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Dead Funny, Three Sisters, My One and Only, Hysteria, Pal Joey, The Blue Room, Insignificance (Chichester Festival Theatre), Bedroom Farce (Albery Theatre), My one and only (Piccadilly Theatre). Opera credits include Vanessa (Lyric Hammersmith).

Adam Wiltshire designs The Girl on The Train. His theatre credits include Antigone, Blue Stockings, Miss Julie and The Suicide (Storyhouse, Chester), Hansel and Gretel (Rose Theatre), Macbeth (Severn Walker Theatre), The Arrival (Tamasha and Circus Space), Our Father (Watford Palace Theatre), That Face (Tron Theatre), David Copperfield (Mercury Theatre), Red Fortress, Billy The Kid and Antartica (Unicorn Theatre), My Mother Said I Never Should (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Visit (Oval Playhouse), Much Ado About Nothing (Salisbury Playhouse).

A Wiltshire Creative Production

DICK WHITTINGTON

by Plested, Brown & Wilsher

25 November 2023 - 7 January 2024 Daytime and Evening performances

Press Night: 29 November 2023

Director: Gareth Manchin; Designer: Zoe Squire; Lighting designer: Nic Farman; Choreographer: Khiley Williams; Musical Supervisor: Josh Sood; Musical Director: Tim Jasper; Sound Designer: Michael Scott; Casting director: Natalie Gallacher CDG; Associate Casting Director: Richard Johnston

Writers Plested, Brown & Wilsher

Join Dick Whittington and his cool cat Cosmo, on the journey from Salisburyshire to London, in search of fame and fortune.

In the big city, disaster strikes, and the streets aren't paved with gold but overrun with rodents. Can Dick defeat Evil King Rat and save the city of London? Join us this Christmas to find out! Expect exciting escapades, dazzling dances, and sparkling songs from our live band, which will have you singing and dancing all the way home.

2023 Pantomime Award Winner for Best Principal Lead in Cinderella at Salisbury Playhouse.

Clare Plested, Adam Brown and Amanda Wilsher are a comedy writing team with over 20 years' experience writing, directing and performing comedy theatre. Theatre credits include Cinderella (Salisbury Playhouse), Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Alladin and Sleeping Beauty (Corn Exchange Newbury). Supported by The Arts Council, the company had six acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh Festival, ten nationwide tours and toured internationally. Their unique brand of comedy gathered an enthusiastic fan base with broad appeal. Their musical, The Perfect Wife is currently in development with Debbie Isitt.

Zoe Squire designs Dick Whittington. Zoe is the Artistic Director of Pins and Needles Productions. Her theatre credits include Scarlett Pimpernell (Theatre Royal Bath), Flies (Les Enfants Terribles and Pins and Needles), Glengarry Glen Ross (Ustinov Theatre), Little Mermaid (Theatre Royal Bath), Oz (Tobacco Factory Theatre), Mr Popper's Penguins (Criterion Theatre and UK tour).

Gareth Machin is the Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative. Previously, he was studio associate at The National Theatre, artistic director of Southwark Playhouse and associate director at Bristol Old Vic.