The Finborough Theatre Presents Gilbert and Sullivan's THE GRAND DUKE,

The New Actors Company in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre presents THE GRAND DUKE.

Directed by Martin Milnes. Musical Direction by John Owen Edwards. Choreographer and Assistant Director Brendan Matthew. Associate Choreographer Laura Hyde. Designed by David Shields. Lighting Design by Matthew Tarbuck. Assistant Musical Director and Repetituer Ross Leadbeater. Costume Design by Emma Lloyd and Christine Granger.

Cast: Stefan Bednarczyk. Victoria Byron. Sylvia Clarke. Curtis Dabek. Tammy Davies. Bruce Graham. Martin Lamb. Mark Lawson. Philip Lee. Matthew Markwick. Guy Mott. Ciara O'Connor. Stiofàn O'Doherty. Charlotte Page. Jane Quinn. Robin Rayner. Ben Newhouse Smith. Richard Suart. Matthew James Willis.

The Finborough Theatre's 'Celebrating British Music Theatre' series continues with the first fully staged professional UK production of Gilbert and Sullivan's final operetta, The Grand Duke, since the original 1896 production. It opens at the Finborough Theatre for a strictly limited run of six Sundays and Mondays from Sunday, 1 April 2012.

In the Grand Duchy of Pfennig Halbpfennig, the theatrical troupe of Ernest Dummkopf is plotting a conspiracy to overthrow the tyrannical Grand Duke Rudolph. Ludwig, the troupe's leading comedian, fights a number of "statutory duels" and finds himself taking the place and the title of the Grand Duke...but when legions of women arrive to claim Ludwig in marriage to become his Grand Duchess, including an indignant leading lady, an enormously wealthy old battleaxe, and even The Princess of Monte Carlo, how will matters resolve themselves?

With the aid of an eclectic array of travelling players and aristocrats, four weddings and enough sausage rolls to last several lifetimes, Gilbert and Sullivan's final 'Savoy Opera' is full of Topsy Turvy paradoxes, legal conundrums and absurdities of etiquette. Far more than just a historical curiosity, The Grand Duke displays a much sharper satirical edge than any of Gilbert and Sullivan's other works.

Apart from a concert version produced by D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in the mid-seventies and a handful of amateur productions, Gilbert and Sullivan's final operetta, The Grand Duke, has not been seen in a fully staged professional production in the UK since the original production in 1896.

Composer Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) and Librettist Sir William SchwenK Gilbert (1836-1910) collaborated on a total of fifteen quintessentially British comic operettas, most of which are continually performed all over the world with The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore being amongst the best known. Gilbert and Sullivan's complete repertoire includes Thespis (1871), Trial by Jury (1875), The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), Patience (1881), Iolanthe (1882), Princess Ida (1884), The Mikado (1885), Ruddigore (1887), The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), The Gondoliers (1889), Utopia, Limited (1893) and The Grand Duke (1896).

Stefan Bednarczyk Ludwig
At the Finborough Theatre, Stefan appeared in The Killing of Mr Toad (2009).
Theatre includes Forever Young (Nottingham Playhouse), The Importance Of Being Earnest (Riverside Studios), The Picture (Salisbury Playhouse), The Game Of Love And Chance (National Theatre and Tour), Laughter On The 23rd Floor (Queen's Theatre and National Tour), The LA Plays (Almeida Theatre), The Devil Wears Tweed, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Young Dick Barton (Warehouse Theatre, Croydon), ZIP! (National Tour), The Glee Club (Bush Theatre), Semi-Monde (Lyric Theatre), The Jermyn Street Revue (Jermyn Street Theatre), Whenever (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough), Five O'Clock Angel (Edinburgh Festival, Hampstead Theatre and King's Head Theatre).
Film includes Composed, Sea Change, Friends Pictured Within, and Topsy-Turvy.
Television includes EastEnders, Crocodile Shoes, Crown Prosecutor, Love Hurts, Harry Enfield and Chums.?Solo Cabaret Performances include seasons at The Pheasantry Pizza on the Park, King's Head Theatre, New End Theatre, Jermyn Street Theatre and overseas in Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Barbados, Vienna and Adelaide.