Glyn Maxwell's adaptation of Edmond Rostand's classic play, with six actresses playing at least five roles each, directed by Margaret Bennett.
Cyrano de Bergerac opens at Chester Little Theatre on Saturday 7 November, running through to Saturday 14 November. It's a reimagined version of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play, adapted by Glyn Maxwell and directed by Margaret Bennett.
The story is a 17th-century romance that follows Cyrano, a French army captain, poet and duellist whose famously large nose makes him believe he can never be loved. He falls for his distant cousin Roxane, who in turn loves the tongue-tied cadet Christian de Neuvillette. Cyrano helps him by writing love letters to her on his behalf, even during a siege. It's also the play credited with introducing the word 'panache' into the English language.
Maxwell's adaptation first went on in July 2013 at The Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre here in Chester, and it does a fair bit of trimming: Rostand's original cast of 33 characters is pared down to 12 actors, with six actresses each playing at least five roles. It's not a true verse play, using stylised period speaking instead, and the staging brings in smoke effects and the sound of cannon fire. Director Margaret Bennett says she's read and seen the play many times and that Maxwell's version is her favourite.
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Performances run from Saturday 7 November to Saturday 14 November, with the curtain going up at 7.30pm.
