Maureen Lipman will be joining James Dreyfus in Lindsay Posner’s new production of Mary Chase’s Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Harvey, which will open at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 6 February, prior to a UK Tour and the West End. Maureen Lipman will be playing Veta, who tries to get her brother, Elwood P. Dowd played by James Dreyfus, committed rather than risk the family’s reputation.
Elwood P. Dowd has only one character flaw: an unwavering friendship with a six-foot tall, invisible rabbit named Harvey. In order to save the family's reputation, Elwood's sister Veta takes him to see psychiatrist Dr William Chumley. But when the doctor mistakenly commits anxiety-ridden Veta instead of her brother, it sets off an hilarious whirlwind of confusion and chaos as everyone tries to catch a man and his invisible rabbit.
Harvey premiered on Broadway in 1944, winning writer Mary Chase the Pulitzer Prize for Drama the following year. The production was directed by Antoinette Perry, after whom the Tony Awards are named. The play premiered in London in 1949 at the Prince of Wales Theatre. In 1950, Mary Chase adapted her play for the big screen, with James Stewart in the role of Elwood P. Dowd. James Stewart went on to star in the Broadway and London revivals of the stage play – in 1970 with Helen Hayes on Broadway and in 1975 with Mona Washbourne at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
HARVEY 2015 UK TOUR AND WEST END 6 – 21 February 2015
Birmingham Repetory Theatre
0121 236 4455
BOOK ONLINE NOW 24 – 28 February 2015
Malvern Theatres
01684 892 277
BOOK ONLINE NOW 3 – 7 March 2015
BOOK ONLINE NOW 17 March – 2 May 2015
Douglas Mayo has had a life long love affair with musical theatre. He has authored several books on publicity and marketing for amateur theatre groups. He is in the process of developing a musical based on his original story concept.
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