ROYAL COURT ON SCREEN: Programme Announcement

• LOOK BACK IN ANGER by John Osborne, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW by Richard O’Brien, THE LIBERTINE by Stephen Jeffreys, RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO by Andrea Dunbar and GONE TOO FAR! by Bola Agbaje to be screened at Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly.

• Actors JANE ASHER, JOHN MALKOVICH, MICHELLE HOLMES and LESLEY SHARP, playwrights BOLA AGBAJE and STEPHEN JEFFREYS, and directors ANTHONY PAGE and MAX STAFFORD–CLARK to join series of Royal Court on Screen season post-screening events.

• ALIXPARTNERS to sponsor Royal Court on Screen

• Tickets for Royal Court on Screen are now on sale to Picturehouse Cinema Members and Royal Court Friends and to the general public on Tuesday 23 February at 12 noon. 020 7565 5000 / www.royalcourttheatre.com

As part of the Royal Court Theatre’s 60th anniversary celebrations the theatre is partnering with Picturehouse Cinemas for a season of gala screenings sponsored by AlixPartners to celebrate how the Royal Court Theatre, the home of new writing, has influenced British cinema throughout the decades.

Royal Court On Screen will see a season of films that were originally Royal Court Theatre productions presented at Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly followed by exclusive post-screening events.

The films include Look Back in Anger (PG) by John Osborne (1959), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (15) by Richard O’Brien (1974), The Libertine (18) by Stephen Jeffreys (2004), Rita, Sue and Bob Too (18) by Andrea Dunbar (1987) and Gone Too Far! (12) by Bola Agbaje (2013).

Commenting on the season Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone said;

“The Royal Court has fed and influenced British cinema throughout the decades from key directors such as Lyndsey Anderson, Danny Boyle, Stephen Daldry, Tony Richardson and Anthony Page, to many writers, including Martin McDonagh, David Hare, Stephen Jeffreys, Joe Penhall, Jez Butterworth, Bola Agbaje, debbie tucker green and Lucy Prebble.
As part of our 60th celebrations we are thrilled to be partnering with Picturehouse Cinemas on a series of gala screenings of landmark films that began life on stage at the Royal Court theatre.”

Clare Binns, Programming & Acquisitions Director at Picturehouse Cinemas added;

“I am delighted to work with the team at the Royal Court to deliver a really fun and refreshing line up of films and Q&A events. Some of these films stand out as classics, others are little gems that we are delighted to be giving a second life to, and, combined with a splendid range of in-person talent, this promises to be a really great celebration of one of the most exciting theatres we have in the UK. A coup for our beloved Central.”

Screenings

Look Back in Anger (PG)
By John Osborne
Directed by Tony Richardson
Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly
Monday 11 April, 7pm
Post-screening Q&A with Claire Bloom, Gary Raymond and Anthony Page chaired by Mark Lawson

The Royal Court Theatre’s seminal 1956 production of Look Back in Anger marked the beginning of 60 years as the most ground breaking producer of new writing in the world. The Royal Court on Screen season launches with the landmark 1958 film of the play, directed by Tony Richardson and starring Richard Burton and Claire Bloom.

‘Osborne didn’t contribute to British theatre; he set off a landmine and blew most of it up.’ Alan Sillitoe

Following the screening, journalist Mark Lawson will be in conversation with actress Jane Asher who starred in the Royal Court’s 1968 production of Look Back in Anger and Anthony Page, the director of that production.

Tickets £22.50 (£19.50 for Picturehouse and Royal Court members)
Season ticket £100 (£90 for Royal Court members – must be bought through the Royal Court Box Office)
All tickets include a complimentary Sipsmith gin and Fever-Tree Tonic and access to the Picturehouse Central Members Bar.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (15)
By Richard O’Brien
Directed by Jim Sharman
Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly
Thursday 12 May, 7pm
Post-screening party hosted by DJ and cabaret-burlesque artist Pi The Mime

A cult classic, this camp comedy horror musical began its life as a rare musical outing in the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in 1973. Many of the cast from the original production, Richard O’Brien, Tim Curry, Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell, went on to star in the legendary film.

‘Pretty much the grandaddy of all cult films. See it once and laugh about it at dinner parties for the rest of your adult life.’ Empire

Following the screening DJ Pi aka Pi the Mime, an award winning cabaret-burlesque artist with a gender bending performance style, will host a party in Picturehouse Central Members’ Bar.

Tickets £22.50 (£19.50 for Picturehouse and Royal Court members)
Season ticket £100 (£90 for Royal Court members – must be bought through the Royal Court Box Office)
All tickets include a complimentary Sipsmith gin and Fever-Tree tonic and access to the Picturehouse Central Members Bar.

The Libertine (18)
By Stephen Jeffreys
Directed by Laurence Dunmore
Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly
Tuesday 16 August, 7pm
Post-screening Q&A with Stephen Jeffreys and John Malkovich

This epic play performed at the Royal Court in 1994, and a Steppenwolf production in Chicago followed starring John Malkovich as the lead John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester. A decade later, Malkovich starred in the film adaptation as King Charles II alongside Johnny Depp as the titular character and Rosamund Pike, Jack Davenport, Tom Hollander and Samantha Morton.

‘Decadent, witty and deliciously obscene.’ Total Film

Following the screening there will be a Q&A with The Libertine playwright Stephen Jeffreys and John Malkovich.

Tickets £22.50 (£19.50 for Picturehouse and Royal Court members)
Season ticket £100 (£90 for Royal Court members – must be bought through the Royal Court Box Office)
All tickets include a complimentary Sipsmith gin and Fever-Tree tonic and access to the Picturehouse Central Members Bar.

Rita, Sue and Bob Too (18)
By Andrea Dunbar
Directed by Alan Clarke
Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly
Thursday 8 September, 7pm
Post-screening Q&A with Michelle Holmes, Lesley Sharp and Max Stafford-Clark chaired by BBC Film critic Danny Leigh

This cult play by Andrea Dunbar, directed by Max Stafford-Clark at the Royal Court in 1984 was turned into a classic film by Alan Clarke three years later and filmed on the original estate where Andrea grew up.

‘Humour in the worst possible taste.’ Time Out
Following the screening there will be a Q&A with actress Lesley Manville and director Max Stafford-Clark from the original stage production, alongside actress Lesley Sharp who starred in the film. Chaired by the BBC’s Film 2016 critic Danny Leigh.

Tickets £22.50 (£19.50 for Picturehouse and Royal Court members)
Season ticket £100 (£90 for Royal Court members – must be bought through the Royal Court Box Office)
All tickets include a complimentary Sipsmith gin and Fever-Tree tonic and access to the Picturehouse Central Members Bar.

Gone Too Far! (12)
By Bola Agbaje
Directed by Destiny Ekaragha
Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly
Thursday 13 October
Post-screening Q&A with playwright Bola Agbaje

Bola Agbaje’s debut play Gone Too Far! won an Olivier Award when it was staged at the Royal Court in 2007 and her film adaptation, directed by Destiny Ekaragha, premiered at the 2013 London Film Festival. Drawing on Agbaje’s Nigerian background and London upbringing, Gone Too Far! is a comic and astute film set on a London estate where two brothers, from two different continents, meet for the first time.

‘A superbly judged comedy of racial manners… the script crackles. This is precisely the kind of film London ought to be producing.’ Time Out

Join us for a post-screening Q&A with writer Bola Agbaje.

Tickets £22.50 (£19.50 for Picturehouse and Royal Court members)
Season ticket £100 (£90 for Royal Court members – must be bought through the Royal Court Box Office)
All tickets include a complimentary Sipsmith gin and Fever-Tree tonic and access to the Picturehouse Central Members Bar.

Royal Court on Screen is in association with Picturehouse Cinemas and sponsored by AlixPartners.

For the full press release click here