Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece
Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece Sunday in the Park with George comes to life this summer in a new site-specific production starring Will de Renzy-Martin as George, and Sadie Kempner as Dot.
The show opened on Broadway this day 40 years ago, and will arrive in London this summer for just two weeks in an atmospheric old church setting before touring to a stunning outdoor venue, surrounded by trees in Suffolk. This will be the first time Sedos have performed at both Wheatsheaf Hall and Thorington Theatre, in a departure from their usual residency at the Bridewell Theatre.
Inspired by the little-known life of Georges Seurat and his pioneering painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”, Sunday in the Park with George explores love, loss, and what it means to sacrifice ones self for art.
In 1884 immersed in his studio, eccentric artist George attempts to capture the characters he sees around him through pointed spots of colour, much to the bemusement of local critics. A hundred years later history repeats itself when his great-grandson, George, reveals his latest work, Chromolume #7, to mixed reviews. Is his career finished? Or can his beloved muse, Dot, bring him to life as he did her?
Director Robert J. Stanex has been dreaming of this show for over a decade and finally all the pieces have lined up. He said: "For the first time, audiences will have the opportunity to be immersed in George’s world, with the characters from his painting popping up on all sides. Starting with a white, blank canvas, and finishing in Technicolor this show is one not to be missed, and promises to be something truly magical."
PERFORMANCES
Wheatsheaf Hall, Wheatsheaf Lane, London SW8 2UP: 20-30 June 2024
Tickets: WHEATSHEAF HALL
Thorington Theatre, Thorington, Suffolk IP17 3RB: 28 July and 4 August
Tickets: THORINGTON THEATRE