Lewes Little Theatre unveils 80th anniversary programme

Artistic director Tony Bannister. Photograph by Keith Gilbert

Two Ayckbourns, a Dickens, perfect nonsense and some lusting! That is the substance of what Lewes Little Theatre is offering theatre-goers in its anniversary 2019-20 season.

At a formal launch of the new season in the theatre’s 80th year, its artistic director Tony Bannister revealed the six plays that will hit the boards of the dramatic venue the Rev Kenneth Rawlings established out of a disused chapel back in 1939.

The season opens in September with Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Haunting Julia’, then continues a month later with Philip Ayckbourn’s ‘Psychic Connections’.

Both plays are about paranormal experiences, and it’s the first time a father and son have been on the same season in British theatre history.

Before Christmas the theatre is putting on a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, and by complete contrast the first play of 2020 is a romp ‘Jeeves and Wooster in perfect nonsense’, based on the PG Wodehouse characters.

In another first, Lewes Little Theatre and Lewes Operatic Society are teaming up to present ‘Lust’, a musical version of ‘The Country Wife’, in May.

And the season will conclude with John Mortimer’s poignant comedy ‘A Voyage Round My Father’ in July.