ASSASSINS Chichester Festival Theatre

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 1:20am

I decided to give this regional revival its own thread as it is clearly being backed for a West End transfer as it is the largest, most expensive version of this show I've ever seen (and I've seen Assassins many, many times over the years). And along with it being huge, it has a great, sustainable concept: the balladeer has been changed to three TV anchor/reporters from, basically CNN, MSNBC and Fox, with two jumbotrons announcing each assassination or attempted assassination as Breaking News. A terrific cast of relative unknowns (Danny Mac, who may be giving the best performance of his career as Booth is the most famous). If it gets the kind of reviews it should, this will fill the London Sondheim hole (I'm guessing American producers have gobbled all of his first class production rights, except for this and Pacific Overtures which comes to the Menier Chocolate Factory this fall). It's a short run, so if on the off chance it doesn't transfer, a trip to Chichester England from anywhere would be worth it for any Sondheim, or Assassins fan!

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 2:18am

Whoah, that sounds incredible! I can't get over the Newsroom concept. I couldn't find any pictures of the set, but it looks like some renders are in the background of THIS rehearsal shot and it looks spectacular

Hoping this production has a long life and I wonder if it's too much to ask for it to be an international life.

I know we just had the CSC Revival over here, but this sounds so much better and it hasn't been on Broadway in 19 years (probably over 20 by the time any intercontinental transfer materializes). 

[Theatrefan2]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 3:24am

jkcohen626 said: "Whoah, that sounds incredible! I can't get over the Newsroom concept. I couldn't find any pictures of the set, but it looks like some renders are in the background of THISrehearsal shot and it looks spectacular

Hoping this production has a long life and I wonder if it's too much to ask for it to be an international life.

I know we just had the CSC Revival over here, but this sounds so much better and it hasn't been on Broadway in 19 years (probably over 20 by the time any intercontinental transfer materializes)."

 

There are loads of set pics on Instagram if you look under the Chichester Festival theatre location tab

[JasonC3]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 3:41am

Sounds like a very interesting (and timely) concept for the show.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 4:22am

Seeing it tomorrow.

What I will disagree on is a cast of “relative unknowns”. There are lots of very familiar West End names on that cast list.

[Theatrefan2]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 5:14am

I think the key is the word 'relative'. Outside of only the most hard-core theatre fans, no one would know who they are so they are unknown.