The production of Stephen Beresford‘s new play will run at the Chichester Festival Theatre from the 13th to 25 June 2022 before heading to the Bridge Theatre from the 1st July.

It has been confirmed that three-time Olivier award-winning Alex Jennings will lead the cast for The Southbury Child the new play by BAFTA winner Stephen Beresford. This will be the first time the actor has appeared on stage at the Bridge Theatre and reunites him with director Nicholas Hytner, who has previously directed him in Hymn and Cocktail Sticks, Collaborators, The Habit of Art and The Alchemist.

Raffish, urbane and frequently drunk, David Highland has kept a grip on his remote coastal parish through a combination of disordered charm and high-handed determination. But when his faith impels him to take a hard line with a bereaved parishioner, he finds himself dangerously isolated from public opinion. As his own family begins to fracture and his marriage falls apart, David must face a future that threatens to extinguish not only his position in the town, but everything he stands for.

Stephen Beresford’s darkly comic new play is an exploration of family and community, the savage divisions of contemporary society and the rituals that punctuate our lives.

While further casting has yet to be announced, the creative team behind the production includes: set design by Mark Thompson, costume design by Yvonne Milnes, lighting design by Max Narula and sound design by George Dennis.

The Southbury Child will play at the Bridge Theatre from the 1st July until the 27th August 2022.