BARGAIN TICKETS GO ON SALE FOR SHAKESPEARE’S GREATEST WORK

10 September 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Citizens Theatre’s popular 50p ticket sale is back for another season, with 100 bargain tickets for Shakespeare’s brutal and gripping tragedy Hamlet on sale from 10am on Saturday 13 September.

Headlining the theatre’s Autumn 2014 season, Artistic Director Dominic Hill’s stripped back, eerie, dilapidated and dream-like production stars Brian Ferguson (Black Watch, Dunsinane NTS) as Hamlet and veterans of the Citizens stage and real-life couple Roberta Taylor and Peter Guinness as Gertrude and Claudius.  Hamlet opens at the Citizens on Friday 19 September, running until Saturday 11 October 2014.

100 tickets across 10 performances will go on sale at 10am on Saturday 13 September.  The only way to grab the rock bottom priced tickets is in person at the theatre, with tickets limited to two per person. 50p tickets for Hamlet are only available on the morning of the sale and must be paid for in cash.

Describing the production, director Dominic Hill says: “Hamlet’s grief, loss of trust, the complexity of his family relationships and how he negotiates the abrupt changes to his world around him are challenges that contemporary audiences can relate to. Shakespeare at the Citz is always a special event, and I’m looking forward to presenting a production that adds to that rich history.” 

Hill marked his first season at the Citizens Theatre with the re-instatement of 50p tickets in February 2012. 50p tickets were first offered at the Citizens in 1976 when the theatre was under the leadership of Giles Havergal, Phillip Prowse and Robert David McDonald; renowned in the 70s and 80s for their entrepreneurialism. From its origins, the theatre has been focussed on ensuring that the world-class performances presented on stage are accessible to as many people as possible. 50p tickets are part of the Citizens Theatre’s wider pricing strategy to achieve this aim.

-ENDS-

For more information, interviews and images, or to request tickets, please contact Keren Nicol, Marketing & Communications Manager .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) / 0141 418 6233

NOTES TO EDITORS

Background to 50p tickets
The Citizens Theatre has a longstanding reputation for presenting world-class performances of classic texts at its Gorbals home at a fair price. The Citizens Theatre directorship of Giles Havergal, Phillip Prowse and Robert David McDonald were renowned in the 70s and 80s for their entrepreneurialism. However, their innovations and risk-taking not only include the famous choice of programme but in a whole series of experimentation including pricing and marketing. In the early 70s the theatre operated a tiered pricing structure, with tickets ranging from 40p to £1.10, but in 1976 a new 50p ticket price for all seats was introduced (25p for students and a free preview on the Thursday before the Friday opening). To put 50p in context, in 1976 the average weekly wage for a man was £70 and £45.30 for a woman. A loaf of bread was 19.2p and a pint of beer 32p. 50p tickets were re-instated in February 2012, with 100 tickets offered at 50p for Harold Pinter’s Betrayal.

As well as its 50p ticket initiative, the Citizens offers a wide range of affordable tickets. All tickets for performances on Tuesdays are priced at £12 and preview performances at £8.50. Local Gorbals residents can also enjoy performances at the Citz for only £2, with a range of other concessions available for registered unemployed, young people, senior citizens and groups. 

LISTINGS
Citizens Theatre presents
HAMLET
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Dominic Hill
Designed by Tom Piper
Lighting Design by Ben Ormerod
Composed / sound design by Nikola Kodjabashia
Cast: Adam Best, Cliff Burnett, Cameron Crighton (Citizens Theate Actor Intern), Martin Donaghy (Citizens Theatre Actor Intern), Brian Ferguson, Peter Guinness, Ben Onwukwe, Roberta Taylor, Meghan Tyler
Dates: Fri 19 Sep – Sat 11 Oct 2014, 7.30pm (no performances Mondays and Sundays)
Previews: Fri 19, Sat 20,Tue 22 Sep
Matinees: Sat 27 Sep, 2pm; Tue 30 Sep, 1.30pm; Thu 2 Oct, 10.30am; Tue 7 Oct, 1.30pm; Thu 9 Oct, 10.30am
Audio Described performance: Wed 1 Oct, 7.30pm
BSL interpreted performance: Fri 3 Oct, 7.30pm
Captioned performance: Sat 27 Sep, 2pm
Tickets: 50p - £20.50
Previews £8.50 | Tuesdays £12.50
50p Tickets | 10 tickets, 10 performances on sale at 10am Saturday 13 September
NB – 50p Tickets must be bought in person at the theatre, cash only.

 

Events
Hamlet: An Afternoon with the Dane
Sat 27 Sep, 11.45am -12.45pm, followed by lunch 12.45 – 1.30pm

Director Dominic Hill and guests in conversation about the challenges and joys of playing Shakespeare’s most famous character.

Tickets: £10 (includes buffet lunch and refreshments). Tickets to matinee sold separately.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Previous Hamlet productions at Citizens Theatre

2007
Directed by Guy Hollands and starring River City’s Andy Clark as Hamlet.

1996
Directed by Philip Prowse and starring Sophie Ward as Ophelia, and Cal MacAninch as the Prince.

1993
A studio, hour-long version adapted by Charles Marowitz and directed by Malcolm Sutherland which starred Lost’s Henry Ian Cusick as Hamlet and Helen Baxendale as Ophelia

1981
Directed by Robert David MacDonald and designed by Philip Prowse. With Andrew Wilde as Hamlet, the production was set in psychiatric hospital.

1975
Directed by Philip Prowse and starred David Hayman returning to the Danish prince following his appearance in the controversial 1970 production

1970
Directed by Giles Havergal and designed by Philip Prowse. David Hayman played Hamlet in an all-male, homoerotic and incestuous production which put the Citizens Theatre on the map and set the tone for the style of productions for which the theatre became famous under the leadership of Havergal, Prowse and Robert David MacDonald.

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