
Welcome to irrational theatre... producing an eclectic mix of opera
theatre
established and new.
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci – Southwark Playhouse and Harpenden

4 stars - Broadway World . Well Sung - This is about as accessible as the art form gets and, it has to be said, only opera's reputation for being dicult, demanding or posh stands in the way of anyone wishing to dip a toe in and try the temperature.
Creative Team
Director & Designer
Paula Chitty
Musical Director
Peter Jones
Pianist
Gergely Kaposi
Lighting
Bob Grover
Production/Stage Manager/ title operation
Kate Reynolds
Cast
Katy Bingham Best
Jenna Clemence
Samantha Green
Phyllida Jones
Alejandro Montanya Lopez
Randy Nichol
Joao Valido Vaz
Adrienne Walters
Lily and Bear at The Bunker

The perfect pre Christmas treat.
Once in a while, along comes the perfect picture book, bearing the hallmarks of a true classic. Lisa Stubbs’ Lily and Bear is one such book, now adapted for the stage with songs with animation and puppets tells a truly magical tale about the give and take of friendship. Lily likes nothing better than to imagine and draw the things she loves. She draws cats and birds, boats and houses, and one day she draws a bear who comes to life. Lily and Bear play pirates, sing, and partake in all manner of bear activities, discovering the joys of sharing along the way.
‘The magical power of invention is at the centre of this warm-hearted story celebrating friendship and sharing’ - Guardian Book Review
CAST
Lily - Catrin Lewis
Bear - Alejandro Lopez-Montoya / Ross Hobson
Puppet operation and narration - Katy Bingham-BestBased on the book by Lisa Stubbs
Published by Boxer Books
Adapted for the stage by Paula Chitty
Direction and production design by Paula Chitty
Music by Jill Priest
Arranged by David Forbes
Animation by Matt Sandbrook
Audiovisual operation by John Anderson
Produced by Lily and Bear Productions
Winner – Kenneth Branagh Award – Waiting for Hamlet

4TH - 6TH October. 8 pm (sat at 7.30)
Waiting for Hamlet by David Visick
Directed by Paula Chitty
Cast: Elizabeth George/ Edmund Dehn
The old Court Theatre. St Leonards Road. Windsor. AL4 3BL
Waiting for Hamlet by David Visick
Directed by Paula Chitty
Cast: Elizabeth George/ Edmund Dehn
WINNER OF THE 2019 AWARD.
Lost in a wilderness with only an old fool for company . an exiled king plots to regain his kingdom - there's only one problem. He's dead.
Full details here:
http://www.windsorfringe.co.uk/drama-writing-awards-2018.html
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci Kings Head Theatre

**** 4 Stars Broadwayworld
Directed /designed by Paula Chitty
Kings Head Theatre 14th October
www.kingsheadtheatre.com
Leoncavallo's Pagliacci
**** 4 Stars Broadwayworld
Directed /designed by Paula Chitty
Previously performed at The Arcola Grimeborn Festival, London 30th August - 3rd September 2016
PAGLIACCI, Arcola Theatre, 31 August 2016 by Gary Naylor Sep. 1, 2016 Broadway and West End:
BWW Review: The second opera in Irrational Theatre's double bill is the love triangle (plus one) of Pagliacci, the tale of the clown whose sexpot wife, Nedda, has turned too many heads in the travelling troupe. With echoes of Hamlet's play within a play, the evening's Commedia dell'arte show veers so close to real life, that Pagliaccio/Canio takes off his mask, takes matters into his own hands and tragedy on stage becomes tragedy in real life. Again, there's just David Podd on piano for the music, but he has a chorus to work with this time and singers who appear more relaxed in letting their voices dip and soar, filling the air, thrilling us in a way unique to boutique operas, so close are we to the performers. I've seen upwards of 25 such productions now and the impact of classically trained singers working (at times) within touching distance remains undiminished. Samantha Green's Nedda appears oblivious to her fate, transfixed by her lover, Silvio (a dashing Herbie Hill-Reid), and blind to the scheming of Tonia (Katy Bingham-Best in a gender flipped role), whose infatuation is met with a fatal disdain. A menacing, muscular Randy Nichol delivers his setpiece "Vesti la giubba", as he prepares to play his part in events anchored in both fiction and reality, with some skill, but I missed the strings and this most powerful of arias felt undercooked as a result. …in Italian (supported by very clear surtitles) this is about as accessible as the art form gets and, it has to be said, only opera's reputation for being dicult, demanding or posh stands in the way of anyone wishing to dip a toe in and try the temperature. At £20, it's fantastic value and an introduction to a world that can give anyone who enjoys theatre many years of entertainment. Pop along and see if you don't agree.
Original Cast for Grimeborn 2016/Cast for Kings Head 2018
Randy Nichol / Randy Nichol - Canio
Katy Bingham Best - Katy Bingham Best - Tonia
Pete Martin /Joao Valido Vaz- Peppe
Herbie Hill Reid/Alejandro Montanya Lopez - Silvio
Samantha Green/Samantha Green- Nedda
MD Peter Jones.
Pianists David Podd/ Nia Williams/ Gergely Kaposi
Lighting Bob Grover
Production/Stage Manager Kate Reynolds
The Government Inspector. Upstairs at the Gatehouse and Brockley Jack

A new adaptation of Gogol's great satire
As the lights flicker...
it's 1979 in Worsborough Dale.
A letter arrives.. **** 4 Stars
Upstairs at the Gatehouse / Brockley Jack
The Government Inspector
JULY 11th / 12th - Up Stairs at The Gatehouse. Highgate
AUGUST - 21st - 25th 7.30 pm Brockley Jack. SE4
Nikolai Gogol
produced by irrational theatre
adapted by Paula Chitty
**** 4 Stars. Reviews to be updated shortly
As the lights flicker… it’s 1979 in Worsborough Dale.
A letter arrives…
announcing the arrival of a government inspector, incognito, and ready to root out the town’s rampant corruption, which sends the crooked council chairman and his bureaucrats into a panicked frenzy.
A web of lies and bribery follows in this comic satire of a small town’s utter madness, shadiness and self delusion.
Nobody is free from the taint of ravenous self-interest, bureaucracy, buffoonery and more. Their actions are held up to scorn and ridicule in this hilarious yet moral tale. irrational theatre presents a new play, adapted from Gogol’s great satire.
Cast: Bernarc O;Sullivan Fiona Vivian, Richard Wilmot,, Elizabeth George,, Richard Houghton-Evans,, Jack Blue,, Robert Mclachlan,, Kieran Doyle,, John Stivey.
Creatives: Director/Designer Paula Chitty. Adaption - Paula Chitty. Lighting design Adam Brook/ Bob Grover. Production and stage manager Kate Reynolds
Lily and Bear – Broadway Letchworth & Tour

Our charming musical
18 months to 7 years
with puppets, animation and song.
LILY and BEAR returns...
Our charming musical for 18 months to 7 years with puppets, animation and song.
LILY and BEAR returns..
https://www.broadway-letchworth.com/theatre/whats-on/lily-and-bear
"The magical power of invention is at the centre of this warm-hearted story celebrating friendship and sharing."
The Guardian
Once in a while, along comes the perfect picture book, bearing the hallmarks of a true classic.
Lisa Stubbs’ Lily and Bear is one such book. Lily and Bear has been adapted for the stage with songs, music, animation and puppets. It premiered at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room and has been a sell out at theatres including The Maltings arts theatre and The Abbey theatre, St Albans. Lily and Bear tells a truly magical tale about the give and take of friendship.
Lily likes nothing better than to imagine and draw the things she loves. She draws cats and birds, boats and houses, and one day she draws a bear who comes to life. Lily and Bear play pirates, sing and partake in all manner of bear activities, discovering the joys of sharing along the way.
Ideal for families with children 18 months to 7 years, this wonderful piece of musical theatre will have them singing and dancing along. After the 40 minute show there is a meet and greet with Lily and Bear.
Adapted , directed and designed by Paula Chitty.
Book published by Boxer Books Limited.
Produced by Lily and Bear Productions Limited.
see website for full cast. www.lilyandbearproductions.com
Strauss’ Die Fledermaus

Set Design for
Strauss’ Die Fledermaus
Produced by SACO.
March 2018 Abbey Theatre
Mixed Identities, fun tunes and confusion in this charming opera Directedby John Heath. Designed by Paula Chitty. Conducted by David Ireson
A Triptych of Comic Operas – Kings Head Theatre

an irrational twist”
★★★★ "A trio of talented performers,
wonderful production design
and a lovely atmosphere,
well worth seeing"
Reviews
Th
e Stuart Review
The multi-platform review site for books, opera, theatre and film
February 11, 2018
A Triptych of Comic Operas
A rare and special chance to see these three comic gems performed with piano and flute. Peter Reynolds’s Sands of Time: The Guinness book of records shortest opera on earth at 3 min 34, intended to ‘match the boiling of an egg’. A new comic opera commission by John Whittaker:The Proposal based on an early Chekhov satire and a fun tale of mixed fortunes in Offenbach’s Le 66, performed for the first time in the UK with an English Libretto by Matthew Toogood and Ellen Leather.
★★★★ As I left the theatre I felt like yodelling along with the score, and I’ve not said that since I saw Frank Ifield live in 1984. Pub Theatres
It is always a pleasure to see little known works, but you never know quite what you’re going to get. Irrational Theatre came to the King’s Head yesterday evening What it did have was bags of energy, complete with comedy accents, that made the silliness of this charming operette such fun. If they had been able to inject that energy into The Proposal it may have been more engaging.
You may never get to see them again – so here’s your chance.
11th and 12th Feb - Kings Head Theatre. London Book Tickets
17th Feb. Abbey Theatre. Hertfordshire Book Tickets
Running time – approx 1 hour 50 including interval
Produced by irrational theatre
Director and Designer – Paula Chitty
Lighting Bob Grover
MD /Pianist Peter Jones and John Whittaker
Flautist: Abi Clark
Cast:
Laurence Panter
Lucy Elston
Andrew Sparling
Home Time. The Space Festival / Kenneth Branagh Award

Home Time ****
Kenneth Branagh Award. Directed by Paula Chitty
The Space Festival . London
'A Triumph' See CV page for reviews
Full details here: Full details
To Book: Book Tickets
Real life encounters, stuffed animals and twists at the end. An eclectic evening of solo performances where dreams are made and nothing is quite as it seems.
That Wednesday, he hadn’t wanted to go to school. He said he had a stomach ache. I wasn’t having any of it.
In Home Time, Jennifer is waiting for her son to come home, but there’s something she hasn’t mentioned and it’s worse than you can imagine. Runner up for the Kenneth Branagh New Writing award this brilliant piece of work from David Hendon, whose plays have been staged at The Bunker, Southwark Playhouse and the Edinburgh Fringe, is directed by Paula Chitty, previous Assistant Director at The Royal Opera House and performed by Elizabeth George. A power house team and not to be missed.
Full details here: Full details
To Book: Book Tickets
Real life encounters, stuffed animals and twists at the end. An eclectic evening of solo performances where dreams are made and nothing is quite as it seems.
That Wednesday, he hadn’t wanted to go to school. He said he had a stomach ache. I wasn’t having any of it.
In Home Time, Jennifer is waiting for her son to come home, but there’s something she hasn’t mentioned and it’s worse than you can imagine. Runner up for the Kenneth Branagh New Writing award this brilliant piece of work from David Hendon, whose plays have been staged at The Bunker, Southwark Playhouse and the Edinburgh Fringe, is directed by Paula Chitty, previous Assistant Director at The Royal Opera House and performed by Elizabeth George. A power house team and not to be missed.
Reviews
HOME TIME One Festival: Programme C – The Space, London **** Writer: David Hendon / Director Paula Chitty The evening’s most horrific story comes with an almighty emotional punch that carefully sidesteps the sentimental as David Hendon explores the effect of a shock tragedy on a single mother in Home Time. Waiting for her 7-year-old son to return, the mother, played with affecting depth by Elizabeth George, begins to relay the story of her life and how she came to be a parent. Hendon slowly builds the story, first by mining the frustrations of parenthood and the backstory of this little family before walking the audience through the immediate and galling aftermath of the tragedy. George is perhaps a little too calm as she narrates the effect of those moments, but the overall effect of this little play is a powerful one. Review Overview The Reviews Hub Score “”””
Review of The One Festival at The Space
JANUARY 12, 2018 LAST UPDATED: JANUARY 12, 2018 4:30 PM BY Laura Thomas Elizabeth George gave a powerful performance as the harassed single mum Jennifer in David Hendon’s Home Time. Movement and timing were well directed by Paula Chitty, but the play was overlong, both in real time and the narrative arc it covered. Tending toward melodrama, it was a tragic story, but without the cathartic kick of a tragedy. Nevertheless, a compelling and gripping tale well executed. **** Review by Laura Thomas
Frank Kaye (Sardines review) 7th October
Hometime written by David Hendon and directed by Paula Chitty, was a triumph. Someone sat behind me said that we should have stood to applaud and I agree. Elizabeth George, who plays the sole protagonist, Jennifer, trained in both acting and mime and this is the perfect single hander for an actor with those skills. It is impossible to untangle the roles of writer, director and actor in achieving the outcome but that is what great theatre is all about. We are taken on a journey from the joy of a mother at home with a small child, through the mixed blessing of her meeting the father who only lasts a year to the final inevitable tragedy. The structure of the play is crucial, starting and ending in the present but going back in time for the middle sections. The structure is overlaid with beautifully written dialogue and then the genius element is the miming of the story. After about ten minutes I began to find the mime a bit distracting but the shift to a night club with appropriate music which ended with a perfectly timed crash and then the ultimate recognition that all this activity was the way that Jennifer coped with the loss resolved my concerns. The beauty of the writing, acting and direction was the way that we were given pictures of the many characters through the vivid descriptions. Ffion and her father stick in my mind especially when the father says he will “send a car” to pick up his seven-year old from the scene of a tragedy. Modern theatre often foregrounds objects, giving them equal status with actors. This play not only has some very simple objects – a red fire-engine, an ironing board, children’s’ clothes but also some vibrant images inserted into our imagination such the green fire-engine drawn by the little boy – which begins and ends the play. We also saw Jennifer laying out clothes on the floor as representations of her child and her schoolfriends. This last would work so much better in a studio theatre with raked seating.
Operas – Arcola Theatre and White Bear Theatre.

Menotti. Sullivan. Norland.
Directed and Designed by Paula Chitty
Arcola Theatre. 24.25.26 Aug
Kings Langley 6th/7th Sept
Cast Sheet https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/dalston-area-guide
The Telephone, or L'Amour à trois is an English-language comic opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti . Ben bearing a gift, comes to visit Lucy at her apartment; he wants to propose to her before he leaves on a trip. Despite his attempts, Lucy is occupied with interminable conversations on the telephone.
Lucy – Samantha Green (Soprano)
Ben Sebastian Charlesworth (Baritone)
Additional non-speaking parts – Katy Bingham-Best
Use with kind permission of G Scrimner Limted
Cox and Box (The Long-Lost Brothers) is a one act comic opera with libretto by F. C Bernard and music by Arthur Sullivan. It was Sullivan’s first successful comic opera. The story concerns a landlord who lets a room to two lodgers, one who works at night and the other who works during the day. When one of them has a day off, they meet each other in the room. Tempers Flare. They discover they are both betrothed to the same women...will it end happily?
Cox – Sebastian Charlesworth (Baritone)
Box – Joseph O’Gorman (Tenor)
Bouncer – Roger Mullis (Countertenor)
Cycle is a short comic play by Joanna Norland, which takes a real life neighbourly dispute over 'right of way' as its inspiration
Stuart – Joseph O’Gorman
Julia – Samantha Green
Miranda/ Veronica – Katy Bingham-Best
Singer Kieran Cummins
Produced by irrational theatre
Director and Designer – Paula Chitty
Lighting and Costumes - Paula Chitty
MD and rehearsal pianist Peter Jones
Pianist – Odette Cotton
Stage Manager/ Lighting/ Sound operation - Kate Reynolds
This show has also been performed at The White Bear Theatre. London. The Maltings Theatre. Hertfordshire and Kings Langley.
ABOUT THE SHOW
A good marriage is a fusion between opera and new writing says Irrational Irrational Theatre will be bringing their latest show Fun at the Festival: A fusion of comic opera and Fresh New writing to The Arcola Grimeborn festival on 24th, 25th and 26th August This ground-breaking production will offer audiences a fusion of opera and new playwriting and is the latest in the company’s quest to create fresh, original, innovative staged entertainment. The director and designer is Paula Chitty, who was responsible for last year’s well-received Il Pagliaci by Leoncavallo. Irrational productions are always hugely creative, inventive and enjoyable and this show will be no different. Paula said: “We’re marrying opera with new playwriting and focusing on introducing audiences to something they may not have tried before. So, if you like opera, you’ll get to sample new writing. And if you like new writing, you will get to hear some pretty good opera. The evening will feature two short operatic pieces, A Proposal is Made by Menotti, next up Two lodgers sharing the same room in Cox and Box by Sullivan – this work was originally written with a countertenor in the role of Bouncer, later editions saw the change to baritone. We have decided for this production to revert to its original and a new play, Cycle by Joanna Norland’