The Original Theatre Company

Current Production

"A play is a world in itself. A tiny colony we could say. And you are in charge of it. That is a great responsibility."

Australia. 1788. A British ship arrives with a cargo of soldiers and convicts transported abroad for their country’s good. As the soldiers struggle to impose order on the outcasts of the old society, a benevolent governor seizes on the notion of a play. In the shadow of the gallows and the gum tree the convicts gather under the direction of 2nd Lieutenant Ralph Clarke and rehearsals begin for The Recruiting Officer.

Based on real events, Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Olivier Award-winning modern classic is an inspiring tale of the transforming power of theatre.
This major touring revival is produced by the acclaimed Original Theatre Company and follows the success of their recent productions of See How They Run, Twelfth Night, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Madness of George III and Journey’s End.

The production tours nationally from January 25th to April 27th. Starring Aden Gillett and Philip Whitchurch and a full ensemble company directed by Artistic Director Alastair Whatley.

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Last Production

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	Both plays are performed with almost flawless perfection.
	~ Whatsonstage

See How They Run by Philip King is a classic British farce set in wartime Merton-cum-Middlewick. It involves a cluster of clerics, mistaken identities and a German PoW. Chaotic, uproarious and daring this is one of the finest farces ever written.

Twelfth Night is Shakespeare’s comic masterpiece, relocated to 1947 India and the last days of the Raj where a young girl is found washed up on these foreign shores. Against this fast changing landscape a group of unforgettable characters re-create the nostalgia of 1947 India- as the age of Empire prepared to take its final bow.

As only the Original Theatre can, in 2011 we performed the two productions in repertory over the course of the year. The productions travelled the length and breadth of the UK, garnering rave reviews and playing to packed houses. A hugely talented cast included Lucy Speed of Eastenders, Siobhan O'Kelly and Rhys King.

> More Information on See How They Run
> More Information on Twelfth Night
> Reviews - See How They Run
> Reviews - Twelfth Night