Cyrano de Bergerac at the Haymarket (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Cyrano de Bergerac at the Haymarket

3:15pm Thursday 14th February 2008 in

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Three former University of Winchester students are starring in Anvil Arts' own production of Cyrano de Bergerac in February.

The play runs at The Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke until Saturday, February 16.

Maria Skinner, Andy Dennis and Adam Graham all have parts in the production, which is a romantic and funny play.

Cyrano de Bergerac, poet, soldier, courtier, the fastest blade and sharpest wit in Paris, is in love with Roxanne, the most beautiful woman at court.

But he also has an enormous nose, and dare not declare his love for fear of ridicule. His good-looking friend, Christian, also falls for her and asks Cyrano to help him write love letters.

Cyrano pours out his own feelings and then has to watch as the woman he loves falls for his best friend because of his own fine words. His sense of honour means he has to keep his feelings hidden, but then fate takes a hand.

Taking the title role of Cyrano is Oscar Pearce, who has spent several seasons at the Royal Shakespeare Company, including productions of The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His television appearances include Band of Brothers and he stars in the forthcoming film, Puffball, alongside Kelly Reilly, Miranda Richardson and Donald Sutherland.

Playing Roxanne is Rhiannon Oliver, who has appeared in many productions at The Globe Theatre and in Sleeping Beauty at The Young Vic and Barbican in London and the New Vic Theatre in New York. Her radio work includes The Pickwick Papers on BBC Radio Four.

Christine Bradwell, chief executive at Anvil Arts, said: "We're delighted to have assembled such a great team for this production."

The team includes former Haymarket artistic director, Guy Slater, who directs this first Anvil Arts production of 2008. "It's great to be back at one of my favourite theatres," he said.

The design is by Becs Andrews, who won the Linbury Award for Stage Design, which is sponsored by Lady Sainsbury, of Preston Candover.

Performances of Cyrano de Bergerac are at 7.30pm with a 2pm matinée on Saturday.

Tickets for Cyrano de Bergerac are priced at £16.50 and £18.50. Tickets for the 2pm performances cost £12.

Call the Anvil Arts box office on 01256 844244 or use the Anvil Arts website, www.anvilarts.org.uk, or the ticket fax, 01256 366900.