Following sold-out runs in Chichester and at the Hampstead Theatre, the brilliant Sharon D Clarke reprises her role in Tony Kushner’s ‘modern masterpiece’, Caroline, or Change.
Based loosely on Kushner’s life, Caroline, or Change is set in Louisiana in the 1960s where Noah is struggling with the death of his mother, and his father’s remarriage to her best friend. He spends his time with their maid, Caroline, who works in the family’s basement. Caroline, who has a family dependant on her, faces a moral dilemma when a novel opportunity to fund her family presents itself.
Tickets for Caroline, or Change, which runs at the Playhouse Theatre from 20th November, are available now.
Sharon D Clarke is known for her television role in BBC drama Holby City, and on stage has starred as Killer Queen in We Will Rock You and Oda Mae Brown in Ghost the Musical. Her performance in Caroline, or Change has been described as “a privilege” to watch.
Click here to read our five star review of Caroline, or Change, which ran in London at the Hampstead Theatre in March 2018.
The production is directed by Michael Longhurst, whose production of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus was revived at the National Theatre this year, and has music by Jeanine Tesori which draws on Jewish, African American and classical influences.
The musical opened Off-Broadway in 2003 before transferring to the Great White Way the following year, and premiered in London in 2006 at the National Theatre, and won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. It was directed by George C Wolfe, and starred Tonya Pinkins as Caroline.
Tickets for Caroline or Change in the West End are available now.
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When New York Times critic Ben Brantley reviewed the world premiere of Caroline, or Change at New York's Public Theatre in 2003, he almost damned it not so much with faint praise but with over-praise, declaring that "in truth, it is almost too good to be good." He then dug the knife into its considered and considerable achievements by declaring that it "might be regarded as the brooding... Read more
Chichester Festival Theatre is making quite a name for itself in the West End this year. First, James Graham’s Quiz transfers to the Noel Coward next week, Ian Mckellen’s King Lear will be revived at the Duke of York’s in the autumn, and tickets have just gone on sale for the West End transfer of Tony Kushner’s Caroline or Change, which is led by Olivier Award-winning actress Sharon D Clarke.
The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Tony Kushner’s Caroline, or Change is set to transfer to the West End's Playhouse Theatre after its current run at the Hampstead Theatre. Kushner’s musical stars Sharon D Clarke who plays Caroline Thibodeaux, a maid idolised by Noah, a young boy who is struggling with the death of his mother and remarriage of his father. The musical, which has songs by Jeanine Tesori, tells the story of two pair who spend time together in the basement where Caroline, who is poorly paid, works.
Production images have been released of Sharon D Clarke starring in Caroline, Or Change at the Hampstead Theatre, which opens tonight. Tony Kushner’s musical is set in 1963 Louisiana as eight-year-old Noah, who is struggling with his mother’s death and remarriage of his father, spend time with the black maid he idolises, Caroline (played by Clarke). Michael Longhurst’s production premiered at Chichester Festival Theatre in May 2017, and will run at the Hampstead until 21st April. Chichester’s productions of King Lear and Quiz are both also set to transfer to London later this year.
The full cast joining Sharon D Clarke in the Tony Kushner musical Caroline, Or Change has been announced ahead of its run at the Hampstead Theatre in March. Clarke reprises the role of Caroline Thibodeaux, a black maid idolised by eight-year old Noah who is left heartbroken by the death of his mother and remarriage of his father. Michael Longhurst’s production first ran at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2017.
Nominations have been announced for this year’s UK Theatre Awards, which celebrate outstanding work in theatre across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Highlights from London’s theatre include Katherine Soper’s Wish List, which ran at the Royal Court, Lizzie Nunnery’s Narvik (which ran at the New Diorama) and Half Breed by Tash Marshall (ran at Soho Theatre) which have all been nominated for Best New Play. Caroline, Or Change and Everybody's Talking About Jamie have also been nominate multiple times, and will both transfer to London later this year.
