Talisman Theatre opens its 2024 season with classic romantic comedy

By James Smith 25th Jan 2024

Local News by James Smith 25th Jan 2024

The 2024 season opener at the Talisman Theatre is classic, romantic comedy, 'The Philadelphia Story' by Philip Barry.

The perfect antidote to a wintery evening and with Valentine's Day just around the corner, this production brings a little bit of romance to the Kenilworth stage.

Step into the glamour of 1940's Philadelphia high society, as Tracy Lord's wedding plans to George Kittredge take a comedic turn when her ex-husband Dexter Haven enters the scene with journalist Macaulay Connor to report on the Society Wedding of the Year! Amid a backdrop of misunderstanding, this journey of self-discovery delves into the American class system, love, and, of course, romance while Tracy must decide who she truly loves.

Sound familiar? Of course, 'The Philadelphia Story' was a box office hit when the film was released in the UK in 1941, starring Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart; the timeless story and memorable characters continued to charm and entertain audiences to this day.

Bringing these iconic roles to the Talisman stage, the theatre welcomes back Gwen Davis (Tracy Lord) and Adam Turner (Dexter Haven) after their performances in last summer's acclaimed production of 'Pride & Prejudice' and Mark Oram (Macaulay Connor) who appeared in 'Blackadder Goes Forth'. Making his Talisman debut is Dai Rees (George Kittredge).

Director, Graham Buckingham-Underhill says: "Why wouldn't you want to recreate the elegance of 1940s America?

"The clothes, the styles, the glamour of Hollywood stars! I've always enjoyed the American 'screwball' comedies of Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant and now here's my take on them.

"We dip into an affluent lifestyle and realise that money doesn't always make you happy, it's love - although money helps! As the song says 'Who wants to be a millionaire?'"

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

'The Philadelphia Story' runs from Monday 5 to Saturday 10 February.

Tickets are available throughout the week can be booked online via the website or by calling the Box Office on 01926 856548.

Join the 1% Less than one percent of our regular readers pay to support our work.

We send messages like this because, honestly, we need to.
We believe the kind of journalism we produce is important.
That’s why we rely on readers like you.

Please consider joining that 1% today.

Join the 1% Less than one percent of our regular readers pay to support our work.

We send messages like this because, honestly, we need to.
We believe the kind of journalism we produce is important.
That’s why we rely on readers like you.

Please consider joining that 1% today.