Preview: Catch 22 at Newcastle Northern Stage

‘He was going to live forever, or die in the attempt’

CATCH-22

by Joseph Heller

Newcastle Northern Stage

SAT 19 APR - SAT 10 MAY

7.30pm, Wed 30 Apr & Sat 10 May 2pm

Following the success of Blue Remembered Hills (2013) and Close the Coalhouse Door (2012), Northern Stage is presenting the first UK touring production of Joseph Heller’s classic novel, Catch-22.

Heller’s iconic opening line ‘He was going to live forever, or die in the attempt’ sets the scene for Yossarian, a US bombardier stationed in Italy in the closing months of World War II who finds himself trapped in the absurd world of an inescapable war, thwarted at every turn by the merciless ‘Catch-22’.

 

Rachel Chavkin

Funny, fast-paced and intelligent, Northern Stage Artistic Director Lorne Campbell says, “It’s the story of a man caught in the belly of the beast, of an individual looking at the system that runs the world around him and recognising it for the lunacy that it is. The book says some incredibly prescient and relevant things about the corrupting influence of capitalism on human endeavour and about the tension between what you have to do and what you know to be right. We’re very excited to be producing Catch-22 directed by the wonderful Rachel Chavkin. Rachel's recent work with her company, The TEAM, has enjoyed huge success at the National Theatre as well as in her native New York. Working with a cast of hugely talented British actors and Jon Bausor - one of Britain's leading designers - we expect this to be a landmark production of Heller's classic text. It’s one of those rare pieces of truly great art that manages to be complex and simple at the same time.”

 

Jon Bausor

Director Rachel Chavkin adds, “Heller's stage adaptation really captures the heart of the book, and this production will aim to further breathe that air: absurd comedy, deadpan horror, and an amazing hero/antihero at the centre. Audiences can expect period music, some jitterbugging, purgatory antics, and moments of quiet at the end of the world. And humour of course. Heller's, and mine.”

 

Philip Arditti

The role of Yossarian will be played by Philip Arditti. Since graduating from RADA in 2004 Philip has worked extensively on the stage and on camera, including leading roles at the National Theatre as well as on TV for the BBC and HBO. Most recently Philip worked with Ridley Scott on the feature Exodus. On the small screen he is probably best known for playing Uday Hussein in House of Saddam and this summer he will appear in The Honourable Woman opposite Maggie Gyllenhaal directed by Hugo Blick for BBC2.

Joining Arditti are Daniel Ainsworth (The Magic Flute, Complicite/ENO), David Webber (Sweet Bird of Youth, Old Vic), Geoff Arnold (Mansfield Park, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds), Christopher Price (Blue Remembered Hills, Northern Stage), Michael Hodgson (Brilliant Adventures, Manchester Royal Exchange), Simon Darwen (King Lear, Theatre Royal Bath, Victoria Bewick (Cooking With Elvis – Live Theatre) and Liz Kettle (The Seagull, National Theatre and Broadway).

Chavkin is looking forward to starting rehearsals, “The cast is quite extraordinary. All got Heller's humour and intelligence, and immediately snapped into the line between character and caricature that the script walks. I'm ready to get into a room with them.”
After its run in Newcastle(19 April – 10 May), the show goes on an eight week national tour, bringing a little bit of the Northern Stage spirit to the rest of the country.

Scott Twynholm

A Northern Stage Production
Written for the stage by JOSEPH HELLER
Directed by RACHEL CHAVKIN
Designed by JON BAUSOR
Lighting Designed by CHARLES BALFOUR
Sound Designed by SCOTT TWYNHOLM
Assistant Director MARIA CROCKER*

*Maria Crocker is a Leverhulme Arts Scholar and recipient of the JMK regional assistant director bursary.

Recommended Age: 14+ (contains nudity)
Straight from work performance: Wed 7 May, 6pm
Post-show discussion: Wed 23 Apr
Tickets: £24, £19.50 and £14.50

Special offers on tickets:

Multibuy: Book an additional show and get your tickets cheaper! Look out for the logo.
3+First Night: Buy 3 or more tickets for Sat 19 Apr and get 50% off (excluding concessions tickets).

Accessible Performances

	British Sign Language Performance Tue 6 May, 7.30pm Signer: Caroline Ryan
	Captioned Performance Thur 8 May, 7.30pm
	Audio Described Performance Sat 10 May, 2pm
	Touch Tour Sat 10 May, 12.30pm

Web contacts:
Twitter: @northernstage Tour blog and website: http://catch22theplay.co.uk/

Tour Dates

You can also see Catch-22 on tour at the following venues:

Tue 13 - Sat 17 May
THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON (as part of Brighton Festival)
brightonfestival.org

Tue 20 - Sat 24 May
BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE
birmingham-rep.co.uk

Tue 27 - Sat 31 May
LIVERPOOL PLAYHOUSE
everymanplayhouse.com

Tue 3 - Sat 7 June
SOUTHAMPTON NUFFIELD
nuffieldtheatre.co.uk

Tue 10 - Sat 14 June
OXFORD PLAYHOUSE
oxfordplayhouse.com

Tue 17 - Sat 21 June
DERBY THEATRE
derbytheatre.co.uk

Tue 24 - Sat 28 June
RICHMOND THEATRE
atg,com/Richmond*

*fees apply

Written for the stage by Joseph Heller
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
- See more at: http://www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/catch-22#sthash.USiXTnrR.dpuf

SAT 19 APR - SAT 10 MAY
7.30pm, Wed 30 Apr & Sat 10 May 2pm 
A Northern Stage Production
Written for the stage by Joseph Heller
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
- See more at: http://www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/catch-22#sthash.USiXTnrR.dpuf

SAT 19 APR - SAT 10 MAY
7.30pm, Wed 30 Apr & Sat 10 May 2pm 
A Northern Stage Production
Written for the stage by Joseph Heller
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
- See more at: http://www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/catch-22#sthash.USiXTnrR.dpuf

SAT 19 APR - SAT 10 MAY
7.30pm, Wed 30 Apr & Sat 10 May 2pm 
A Northern Stage Production
Written for the stage by Joseph Heller
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
- See more at: http://www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/catch-22#sthash.USiXTnrR.dpuf

SAT 19 APR - SAT 10 MAY
7.30pm, Wed 30 Apr & Sat 10 May 2pm 
A Northern Stage Production
Written for the stage by Joseph Heller
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
- See more at: http://www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/catch-22#sthash.USiXTnrR.dpuf

SAT 19 APR - SAT 10 MAY
7.30pm, Wed 30 Apr & Sat 10 May 2pm 
A Northern Stage Production
Written for the stage by Joseph Heller
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
- See more at: http://www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/catch-22#sthash.USiXTnrR.dpuf

SAT 19 APR - SAT 10 MAY
7.30pm, Wed 30 Apr & Sat 10 May 2pm 
A Northern Stage Production
Written for the stage by Joseph Heller
Directed by Rachel Chavkin
- See more at: http://www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/catch-22#sthash.USiXTnrR.dpuf