Celebrated writer C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, splits his time between an ordered domestic routine at home with his brother, Warnie, and the academic rigour of his dispassionate, all-male Oxford college.
His evenings are spent replying to his many correspondents. One stands out: vivid, expressive, New York poet Joy Gresham.
When she arrives in England with her young son, Douglas, everything Lewis believed to be true about life and love is thrown into question. And a relationship begins which will take them both to the extremities of pain and joy.
William Nicholson’s much-loved play premiered in the West End in 1989, winning the Evening Standard Award for Best Play and being nominated for a Tony Award on its subsequent Broadway run. Originally a 1985 television drama, it became a feature film in 1993.
Hugh Bonneville returns to Chichester following his acclaimed performance in An Enemy of the People (2016). His many television and film appearances include Downton Abbey, W1A and Paddington.
Liz White makes her Chichester debut as Joy Gresham. Her many TV series include Life on Mars, Ackley Bridge and The Halcyon; theatre includes Electra (Old Vic), Port and A Woman Killed with Kindness (National Theatre).
Director Rachel Kavanaugh returns to Chichester where her many productions include Single Spies and Half A Sixpence (2016) and The Winslow Boy (2017).
