The Rivals

By Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Directed by Peter Hall
It's 1775 and the fashionable world descends on Bath, to take the waters, show off their finery, enjoy the gossip and pursue romance. Amongst them are some of the most extraordinary comic characters to grace the stage: the verbally misguided Mrs Malaprop, her absurdly romantic niece, Lydia Languish, the blinkered Sir Anthony Absolute, the blustering Irishman Sir Lucius O'Trigger and the bumpkin Bob Acres. Throughout the course of a single day these suitors and schemers and their servants indulge in an assortment of hilariously extravagant intrigues before everyone is paired off to their own satisfaction.
Much-loved actress Penelope Keith plays Mrs Malaprop, (Entertaining Angels, The Importance of Being Ernest, Relatively Speaking and The Good Life on TV). Peter Bowles is one of Britain's most distinguished actors (Separate Tables, The Misanthrope, The Browning Version, Swangsong and The Bounder and The Irish RM for TV).
Penelope Keith ad Peter Bowles also starred together in one of the most watched British sitcoms of all time, To The Manor Born with viewing figures of many millions. The Rivals will see them sparring together on stage for the first time.