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Candide
A mad, clever, witty, optimistic riff on the best of humankind
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A mad, clever, witty, optimistic riff on the best of humankind
Join the Grange Festival community and stay connected to a world of enchanting performances and exclusive events.
Christopher Luscombe read English at Cambridge. He began his career as an actor, spending seven years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He went on to appear at the National Theatre, the Old Vic and in the West End. Whilst at Stratford-upon-Avon, he devised and directed The Shakespeare Revue with Malcolm McKee, and this transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre in London. His subsequent productions at Stratford include Twelfth Night, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing, the last two transferring to Chichester Festival Theatre and then to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. He is an Associate Artist of the RSC.
His other directing credits in London include Star Quality and The Madness of George III (Apollo); Home and Beauty (Lyric); Fascinating Aïda (Harold Pinter - Olivier Award nomination for Best Entertainment); The Comedy of Errors and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare’s Globe); Nell Gwynn (Shakespeare’s Globe and Apollo – Olivier Award for Best New Comedy); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park); Enjoy (Gielgud); Alphabetical Order (Hampstead); When We Are Married (Garrick - Olivier Award nomination for Best Revival); Travels With My Aunt (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Spamalot (Playhouse).
Regional and international credits include Masterpieces (Birmingham); Little Shop of Horrors and The History Boys (Leeds); Hobson’s Choice (Sheffield); Hay Fever (Minneapolis); Henry V (Chicago); While The Sun Shines and The Argument (Bath); The Winter’s Tale (Cincinnati); Gigi (West Green); Gypsy (Tokyo) and tours of The Importance of Being Earnest, Tell Me on a Sunday, The Lady in the Van, Candida, Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, Single Spies, Admission: One Shilling, Dandy Dick, Blue/Orange and The Nightingales.
His production of The Rocky Horror Show has toured for the last seventeen years. It has completed several seasons in the West End, played in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, South Korea, Italy, Israel and Ireland, and has also been broadcast in cinemas worldwide. It is currently on tour in the UK, Europe and Australia.
His previous work at the Grange Festival includes Candide, Falstaff (Broadway World nomination for Best New Opera Production) and The Yeomen of the Guard. Other credits include Sweeney Todd for Bergen National Opera, Pagliacci for Opera Ensemble and Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Garsington.
His production of Private Lives, starring Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge, will be playing at the Ambassadors Theatre this autumn.
Alfonso Casado was born in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Seville, in 1984. He began his musical training under María Floristán and Juan Luis Pérez in Seville before moving to Madrid to complete his piano degree at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He was also part of the JONDE (National Young Orchestra of Spain).
Alfonso worked with Stage Entertainment in Spain between 2003 and 2012 on Mamma Mia!, Beauty and the Beast, The Producers, High School Musical and Les Misérables. Moving to London in 2012 he has worked with Cameron Mackintosh conducting Les Misérables at the Queen’s theatre in London and continues to conduct and supervise shows in the West End and abroad.
Main credits as Musical Director include Les Misérables (2012-2014) Queen's Theatre, Miss Saigon (2014-2015) Prince Edward's Theatre, Phantom of the Opera (2015-2016) Her Majesty's Theatre, Les Misérables (2016) Dubai Opera.
Alfonso has conducted the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Royal Opera House (Miss Saigon performance) during the Olivier Awards, and at the Royal Variety Performance (London Palladium). He was musical director of the 25th Anniversary Gala performance of Miss Saigon, released worldwide on DVD, and was co-supervisor of the 30th Anniversary Gala performance of Les Misérables in London.
Awards include Best Musical Director for Les Misérables in Spain and Best Musical Director in the West End for Miss Saigon. Albums include Mamma Mia! (Spanish cast), High School Musical (Spanish cast), Les Misérables (Spanish cast), Miss Saigon (London 2014 revival cast).