A stage adaptation of 'The Shawshank Redemption' is among the highlights of the freshly announced autumn/winter 2015/2016 season at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre and King's Theatre. The prison drama, originally penned as a short story by Stephen King and famously adapted as an award-winning film, will hit the boards of the King's Theatre from Monday October 5-Saturday October 10. Comedian/writers Owen O'Neill and Dave Johns are on script duties, following their staging of the story as part of the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe. Omid Djalili took the role of Red (made famous by Morgan Freeman) in that production; we described it at the time as 'powerful stuff').
Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca'Photo: Steve Tanner
It's not the only adaptation in the programme - Aldous Huxley sci-fi 'Brave New World' will occupy the King's Theatre from Tuesday September 29-Saturday October 3, with a live score from These New Puritans. William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies' will come to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre from Tuesday October 13-Saturday October 17 courtesy of London’s award-winning Regent’s Park Theatre, who last appeared round these parts with their adaptation of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' in February. Daphne du Maurier's gothic romance 'Rebecca' (pictured above) comes to the King's Theatre from Monday October 19-Saturday October 24 at the hands of Kneehigh theatre company, whose previous credits include stagings of 'Brief Encounter' and 'Tristan and Yseult'. Looking ahead to 2016, the King's Theatre will also welcome musical adaptations of 'The Wizard of Oz' (Tuesday February 23-Saturday February 27) and 'Legally Blonde' (Wednesday March 16-Saturday March 19), while the Festival is set to welcome the West End production of 'Mary Poppins' (Wednesday April 27-Saturday May 21).
Mary Poppins
Other programme highlights include the return of interactive live show 'Dinosaur Zoo' (EFT, Saturday September 19 and Sunday September 20); Moira Buffini comedy 'Handbagged' (King's Theatre, Monday November 2-Saturday November 7), featuring a face-off between Margaret Thatcher and The Queen; and Oscar Wilde adaptation 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (King's Theatre, Tuesday November 10-Saturday November 14).
Dinosaur Zoo
Full programme details are available on the Edinburgh Festival Theatres Trust website.