Catherine Tate will return to the stage to star in a revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings at the National Theatre this Christmas.
Marianne Elliott is to direct Tate in Ayckbourn’s 1980 comedy about a Christmas gathering that descends into chaos. Belinda (Tate) and Neville have invited their family and friends for a traditional festive celebration. In typical Ayckbourn style, frustration, lust, insecurity and old tensions among the gathered guests mean the evening does not go as smoothly as intended.
Tate returns to the National Theatre where she previously appeared in The Way Of The World and The Prince’s Play. She was last seen on the West End stage in Under The Blue Sky at the Duke of York’s theatre in 2008. However, Tate is probably best known for her television work. After achieving huge success with three series of her self-titled sketch show, Tate went on to star as the Doctor’s assistant Donna in Doctor Who. Her other screen work includes the film Starter For Ten and the sketch show Big Train.
Director Elliott is a National Theatre regular whose recent productions include All’s Well That Ends Well, Harper Regan, Saint Joan and the current production of Thomas Middleton’s Women Beware Women. Her Laurence Olivier Award-winning production of War Horse, which she co-directed with Tom Morris in 2007, transferred to the West End where it is still running.
Dates have not yet been confirmed for Season’s Greetings, which will open in the Lyttelton theatre sometime in December.
CB