VIVEN LEIGH RETURNS TO THE STAGE AT THIS YEAR’S FRINGE
This year at the Edinburgh Fringe the story of iconic British actress, Vivien Leigh, along with her tumultuous relationships with Lawrence Olivier and her other lovers will be told on stage for the first time ever.
Written and directed by Samantha German, Vivien is an exciting piece of new writing performed by Chimera – a young, talented new theatre company founded in 2007. Set behind a visage of 1950s glamour and fame, Vivien is a story of love, madness and desire.
Astoundingly, despite numerous biographies, a television show and two ‘one-woman’ plays, the story of Vivien Leigh and Lawrence Olivier has never been told through the medium they themselves were most famed for: the stage. Vivien puts them back under the spotlight, capturing a life out of control in which the lines distinguishing ‘acting’ from ‘reality’ are blurred. Vivien also explores Vivien Leigh’s relationships with Peter Finch and Jack Merivale as well as her close friendship with Noel Coward.
We live in a world fascinated by troubled heroines such as Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse, and obsessed with celebrity couples like Posh and Becks. Vivien portrays the life of the stage’s original troubled heroine and first celebrity couple.
Samantha German’s previous accolades include 2006 Pick of the Fringe (The Spectator) for Wasted as well as repeated NSDF recognition. Reviewing her adaptation of Lewis Caroll’s Through the Looking Glass at last year’s Fringe, which also starred two Vivien cast members, Three Weeks stated that “it is a rare thing to see this amount of natural talent. The future of theatre is in good hands.” The cast of Vivien includes acting students from Drama Centre, London as well as alumni of the University of Nottingham’s acclaimed New Theatre – the only student run theatre in England which this year received a special award from NSDF for promoting student theatre.
Vivien runs from 11th-23rd August (not 17th) at The Space On The Mile @ The Radisson (Venue 39) starting at 20:10.
ENDS
For more information contact Samantha German on 07733 004653, or visit http://www.chimeratheatre.com.
Wonderful! I hope it makes it to Broadway (or off-Broadway) so I can see it 🙂
I heard that the one woman show that played in Philadelphia is coming to NY. I am keeping my fingers crossed!
I haven’t heard anything else about the show going to NY. I need to find out.
When will this play come to Atlanta, which Vivien Leigh made famous. She is, and always will be, the only Scarlett.