Lise, the only daughter of Widow Simone, is in love with the young farmer Colas, but her mother has far more ambitious plans for her. Simone hopes to marry her off to Alain, the son of the wealthy proprietor Thomas. Desperate to marry Colas rather than Alain, Lise contrives to outwit her mother’s plans.  

65 years after its premiere, The Royal Ballet presents Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée. This affectionate portrayal of village life combines exuberant good humour and brilliantly inventive choreography in what is undoubtedly Ashton’s love letter to the English countryside. La Fille mal gardée whisks us away into pastoral bliss with Ferdinand Hérold’s cheerful score and Osbert Lancaster’s colourful designs.

Cast: 

To be confirmed

Creatives:

Choreography FREDERICK ASHTON

Music FERDINAND HÉROLD

Conductor JONATHAN LO

Arrangement and Orchestration JOHN LANCHBERY

Scenario JEAN DAUBERVAL

Designer OSBERT LANCASTER

Lighting Designer JOHN B. READ

Set in a gorgeously photographed Technicolor England and a monochrome heaven, A Matter of Life and Death took the imaginative daring of jointly credited writer-producer-directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger to new heights.

David Niven plays a British airman who survives a plane crash and falls in love with an American radio operator (Kim Hunter), only to be summoned to the afterlife by a heavenly ‘Conductor’ (Marius Goring). But is heaven just a hallucination brought on by brain injury?

Powell and Pressburger layer breathtaking visual tricks on top of this whimsical premise, such as a celebrated point-of-view shot in which our hero’s eyelid closes over the camera lens. The film also works as a sly satire on Anglo-American relations at the end of WWII.

“There are more stunning ideas in this one film, concerning a mistake made in heaven about a WWII pilot who should be dead but isn’t, than the whole of British cinema can usually muster in a decade.” Nick James

“A most peculiar and potent cocktail of romance, theology, global bridge-building and national tub-thumping, this thoughtful drama about one pilot’s deferred mortality remains, if nothing else, a definitive monument to the power of Technicolor. The vivid imagery and the cineliterate style(s) deployed by a creative team at the top of their game express the film’s intricate worldview. It searingly conveys a world grappling with uncharted new places, trying to pick up the pieces after unimaginable calamity.” James Healy

Screening as part of our Around the World in Technicolor Season

1 85-year-old Man, 5 Countries, 16 Cities, 23 shows, 6 weeks.

Will he make it home … or is this the end of the road?

One of the most recognisable figures in British comedy, John Cleese’s career spans six decades - from his early days with the Cambridge Footlights to co-founding Monty Python, co-creating Fawlty Towers, and writing and starring in the Oscar-nominated “A Fish Called Wanda”. His unique brand of black humour has made him a global icon and intergalactic treasure.

At the age of eighty five, John Cleese sets off on what might be his final European tour - five countries, sixteen cities, twenty-three shows, and retaining just two original body parts. “John Cleese Packs It In” is a wry, behind-the-scenes portrait of a comedy legend on the road, battling various ailments, chaotic travel, and his own stubborn refusal to stop.

Spanning six weeks on the road, the film captures Cleese unfiltered and on the move - riffing on life, fame, and the absurdity of getting old in front of thousands of fans. As he reflects on a stage career that began in 1963, the question lingers: is this the end of the road?

With unique and intimate access and showing unexpected tenderness, this is a documentary about legacy, laughter, and

the dignity of bowing out… however reluctantly.

Five years in production, this is the most extensive film ever made about one of the greatest artists of all time – Caravaggio. Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and with first-hand testimony from the artist himself on the eve of his mysterious death, this beautiful new film reveals Caravaggio as never before.

Multi-award-winning film makers Phil Grabsky and David Bickerstaff delve into the hidden narratives of Caravaggio’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art. The intriguing self- depictions within his works – sometimes disguised, sometimes in plain sight – offer a rare window into his psyche and personal struggles.

Caravaggio’s masterpieces are some of art’s most instantly recognisable. No one else uses his signature blend of dramatic light, intense naturalism and bold, striking figures. His incredible paintings have captivated audiences for centuries. But there lies a deeper mystery – one that still beckons us to explore. What do these masterpieces reveal about the man behind the brush? Join us as we explore the many clues that help us to finally understand the life – and death – of this remarkable man.

Stuck at home and put to work by her spoiled Step-Sisters, Cinderella’s life is dreary and dull. Everything changes when she helps a mysterious woman out...With a little bit of magic, she is transported into an ethereal new world – one where fairies bring the gifts of the seasons, where pumpkins turn into carriages, and where true love awaits.

This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founding Choreographer Frederick Ashton is a theatrical experience for all the family and will transport you into an ethereal world where a sprinkling of fairy dust makes dreams come true.

Cast:  

Cinderella FUMI KANEKO

The Prince WILLIAM BRACEWELL

Cinderella’s Step-Sisters BENNET GARTSIDE, JAMES HAY

Cinderella’s Father THOMAS WHITEHEAD

The Fairy Godmother MAYARA MAGRI

The Fairy Spring ISABELLA GASPARINI

The Fairy Summer MARIKO SASAKI

The Fairy Autumn MEAGHAN GRACE HINKIS

The Fairy Winter CLAIRE CALVERT

The Jester DAICHI IKARASHI

Creatives:

Choreography FREDERICK ASHTON

Music SERGEY PROKOFIEV

Conductor JONATHAN LO

Set Designer TOM PYE

Costume Designer ALEXANDRA BYRNE

Lighting Designer DAVID FINN

Video Designer FINN ROSS

Illusions CHRIS FISHER

Conductor JONATHAN LO

Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk) is joined by Emmy and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Responder) in the critically acclaimed and subversively funny new play by David Ireland.

After years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka. The pair bond over black coffee, trade stories and build a fragile friendship out of their shared experiences. But as Luka approaches step five – the moment of confession – dangerous truths emerge, threatening the trust on which both of their recoveries depend.

Finn den Hertog directs the provocative and entertaining production filmed live from @sohoplace on London’s West End.