SWIMMING AT THE RITZ Plays Devonshire Park Theatre March 14-16

SWIMMING AT THE RITZ, a new play by Charles Leipart, begins a 4-stop UK tour on Monday, 14 March, at the Devonshire Park Theatre, in Eastbourne, playing through 16 March.

The play will also play the Greenwich Theatre, Greenwich, 30-31 March; The Mill Studio at Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, 1-2 April; and The Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 7-8 April

SWIMMING AT THE RITZ was first presented last year by New Play Festival, produced by New Vic Productions and Eastbourne Theatres to critical acclaim under the direction of British theatre director and BBC Radio director/producer Roland Jaquarello with set design by Kenneth Mellor.

The play centres on Pamela Churchill Harriman, daughter-in-law of Sir Winston Churchill, adventuress, socialite and the most famous courtesan of the Twentieth Century who is facing an overwhelming personal crisis. Madame Harriman, U.S. Ambassador to France under the Bill Clinton administration, is under siege and holed up at the Paris Ritz, attempting to raise 40 million dollars, having gone through her 115 million inheritance and the Trust Fund left for the Harriman grandchildren.

British stage, film and television actress Felicity Dean stars as Pamela Churchill Harriman and Irish-born American and British stage actor Jos Vantyler stars as Pietro, a valet at the Paris Ritz. Both are reprising their roles which earned high praise by the festival critics. Roland Jaquarello redirects.

Felicity Dean has enjoyed a successful career both on stage and on screen. She has been heavily involved with the work of the Royal Shakespeare Company and also The Royal National Theatre. Dean's film career kicked off in 1977 when she was cast as Lady Jane Grey in The Prince and the Pauper, opposite Mark Lester, Oliver Reed, Raquel Welsh and Charlton Heston. Since then she has worked with many high profice actors, including: Michael Caine, Billy Connolly, Donald Sutherland and Al Pacino, but to name a few. Television credits include the popular Casualty and Misomer Murders.

Jos Vantyler stars alongside Dean in this gripping performance. Vantyler is no stranger to the stage and in 2005 won The NYC Star Best Newcomer Award for his portrayal of Rodolfo in Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge at The Tower Theater. In the same year he was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor by The New York City Review. in 2009, he took the lead opposite British actress Susannah York in The Tennessee Williams Season for the Hampstead New End Theatre transferring to Hackney Empire in December 2009. In 2010 he played Tom Sawyer in the National Tour in James Graham's play, Huck, a stage adaptation of the Mark Twain classic, Huckleberry Finn.

Witness Pamela's sale of a lifetime. Which includes the Picasso, the Renoir, the Matisse and a sensational account of her amazing exploits! For the Queen of Survivors it's that time again... SINK OR SWIM!

Swimming at the Ritz is at the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne from Monday 14 - Wednesday 16 March; Greenwich Theatre 30-31 March; The Mill Studio in Guildford 1-2 April and Connaught Theatre Worthing 7-8 April.
Visit SWIMMING AT THE RITZ on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/SwimmingRitz