The Maltings Theatre in St Albans presents THE ROMAN THEATRE OPEN AIR FESTIVAL from 28 May to 11 July with a mouth-watering programme of shows designed to appeal to the widest audiences. This year’s festival will be headlined by productions created and performed by The Maltings Theatre’s in-house company OVO: the swash-buckling PETER PAN, which opens the festival on 28 May and features music, song and acrobatic surprises; THE COMEDY OF ERRORS set in a beachfront karaoke bar; and THE WINTER’S TALE which stars none other than The Maltings Theatre’s Artistic Director Adam Nichols as Leontes.
THE WINTER’S TALE is co-directed by The Maltings Theatre Artistic Director Adam Nichols – who also performs as King Leontes – and Janet Podd. “This is such a wonderful play,” says Janet. “Like so much Shakespeare it encompasses the human experience: devastating jealousy, redemption, joy and while there are highly comic scenes there are scenes of tragedy too. And there are two distinct worlds – those of Sicilia and Bohemia which will be specifically distinguished in our production through set design, costume and performance. Adam and I have co-directed before and I also directed him in The Crucible. It really works for us; there’s collaborative process and we trust each other’s instincts.”
THE WINTER’S TALE cast is led by Adam Nichols as Leontes – Adam’s real-life son Finn Nichols plays Leontes’ son Mamillius – with Matt Betteridge as Polixenes, Guido Garcia Lueches as Antigonus/Autolycus, Sam Claridge and Emilia Harrild as Florizel and Perdita and The Maltings Theatre’s regular company members Will Pattle, Emma Wright, Lucy Crick and Anna Franklin. Fans of the Maltings will know that Anne Franklin recently directed The Regina Monologues which featured Lucy Crick as Jane Seymour.
