The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (2011) Original Theatre Programme with Tickets – Cynthia Erivo, Joanna Riding

An original theatre programme for The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, presented at the Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6AR. A Delfont Mackintosh Theatre. Directed and designed by Emma Rice (Kneehigh). Music by Michel Legrand. Songs by Sheldon Harnick. Based on the film by Jacques Demy. Produced by Daniel Sparrow and Mike Walsh Productions, Drive City Lights Enterprise, and Rose the Roof & Co. Presented by arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh.

This listing includes the original programme together with a matching pair of original Gielgud Theatre ticket stubs from the same performance: Wednesday 18th May 2011, 3:00pm, Stalls F5 and F6, Robert Beard, booking reference 4634324. Both stubs are intact and fully legible. The listing also includes the original “Fall in Love from 5th March” promotional insert — a rare additional piece of ephemera from the production.

The programme features the iconic Kneehigh/Emma Rice cover design: a silhouette of the distinctive upturned Cherbourg umbrella with red arrow on pale blue-grey, the production tagline “A French Romance That Just Happens To Be Sung”, and — in characteristically Kneehigh playful spirit — the title and Kneehigh branding are printed upside down and mirrored, so the programme reads the “right way up” only when flipped. The Gielgud Theatre and Mackintosh Theatres/Delfont logos appear top right (inverted). The back cover carries a full-colour period advertisement for Betty Blue Eyes — Cameron Mackintosh’s musical starring Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith, “Hogging the Novello Theatre from 19 March.” A vivid and collectible period document featuring two major British names.

The full cast: Carly Bawden as Geneviève Emery; Gillian Budd as Ensemble/Swing; Laura Brydon as Madame Germaine/Angry Customer/Ensemble; Gareth Charlton as Dubourg/Sailor/Animator; Andrew Durand as Guy Foucher (appearing with the support of UK Equity pursuant to an exchange programme between American Equity and UK Equity); Cynthia Erivo as Madeleine; Chris Jenkins as Ensemble/Swing; Dominic Marsh as Roland Cassard/Aunt Elise; Meow Meow as Maîtresse; Aki Omoshaybi as Postman/Sailor/Animator; Joanna Riding as Madame Emery; Matt Wilman as Barman/Sailor/Animator. Band: Musical Director/Keyboard Nigel Lilley; Keyboard/Accordion/Assistant MD Ros Jones.

Cynthia Erivo is the outstanding collector draw — now one of the most celebrated performers in the world, with an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar nomination, Tony Award winner for The Color Purple on Broadway), and global fame from Wicked, Harriet, and Bad Sisters. This is an early West End credit; collectors actively seek her theatre programmes from this period. Joanna Riding is one of Britain’s most respected musical theatre leading ladies, an Olivier Award winner with an extraordinary West End career. Meow Meow has a devoted international cult following. Emma Rice’s Kneehigh productions are among the most cherished and collected in contemporary British theatre.

Condition: Wear consistent with age, may show light creasing or minor marks. Please refer to all photos for a full assessment.