Farewell Mister Haffman to receive its English language world première at Bath’s Ustinov Studio

The English language world première of Jean-Philippe Daguerre’s Farewell Mister Haffmann, one of France’s most successful new plays, is set to open at the Ustinov Studio at the Theatre Royal Bath, appearing from Thursday 24 August to Saturday 23 September. Translated by Jeremy Sams and directed by Lindsay Posner, the wartime drama stars Lisa Dillon (Cranford, Suffragette, RSC), Josefina Gabrielle (Oklahoma!, Les Misérables, Heartbeat), Alexander Hanson (Noises Off, Follies, The Truth), Nigel Lindsay (The Capture, White Gold, The Lehman Trilogy) and Ciarán Owens (The Windsors, Peaky Blinders, Father Brown).

The year is 1942. Paris is under Nazi occupation. Joseph Haffmann, a Jewish owner of a jewellery shop and his long-standing employee Pierre Vigneau change roles as part of a strange deal to secure their safety. Joseph will transfer the ownership of the store to Pierre, but asks that Pierre hides him from the Nazis. In return, Pierre insists that Joseph enter a very unusual arrangement with his wife, Isabelle. Add to that a Matisse painting, an ‘art loving’ Nazi officer and marital difficulties amplified by the bizarre domestic situation; it is no wonder that Pierre is driven to the brink.

Director Lindsay Posner said, “Set in Nazi occupied Paris, Farewell Mister Haffmann provides an entertaining and moving exploration of individual and collective moral dilemmas. This play’s political relevance cannot be over-estimated.”

The French play Adieu Monsieur Haffmann by Jean-Philippe Daguerre has enjoyed commercial and critical success in France. The winner of four Molière Awards in 2018, including Best New Play, it is one of France’s longest running plays and was recently made into a film starring Daniel Auteuil.

Jeremy Sams, who has translated the play for its English language première, recently directed the UK premiere of Roman Holiday at the Theatre Royal Bath. A translator, director, composer, and playwright, Jeremy’s translations and adaptations have been used at the National Theatre, on Broadway, in the West End, and by English National Opera and New York’s Metropolitan Opera. He has directed and written music for shows in London, New York and on UK tour.

Director Lindsay Posner returns to Bath’s Ustinov Studio following his widely acclaimed production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the start of this year. One of the UK’s most accomplished directors, his many productions at the Theatre Royal Bath include, most recently, Noises Off, God of Carnage, Stones in His Pockets, She Stoops to Conquer and Hay Fever.

Lisa Dillon, who plays Isabelle Vigneau, is known on screen for her roles as Mary Smith in Cranford, Jane Wilde in Hawking alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, and Barbara Haleton in Stan Lee’s Lucky Man. Her film credits also include Suffragette, The Beat Beneath My Feet, Bright Young Things and Sonnet 155. On stage, she has performed at the RSC, in the West End and at London’s Royal Court, Almeida and National Theatre. Lisa has previously appeared at the Theatre Royal Bath in The Master Builder in 2003 and Private Lives in 2010, both of which transferred to the West End; the RSC’s production of The Taming of the Shrew in 2012, and in Blithe Spirit with Jennifer Saunders in 2019 and 2020, prior to a West End transfer.

Josefina Gabrielle appears as Suzanne Abetz. Her many theatre credits include playing Laurey in Oklahoma! opposite Hugh Jackman, at the National Theatre and in the West End. Josefina also starred in Oklahoma! on Broadway. In the West End, she has starred in Les Misérables, Chicago, Stepping Out, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Merrily We Roll Along, The 39 Steps, The Witches of Eastwick, The Goodbye Girl and Sweet Charity. She also performed in The King and I on UK tour and Carousel at the National Theatre. On television, Josefina played Debbie Bellamy in Heartbeat and Ofelia in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. She has also appeared in guest roles in Totally Frank, Born and Bred, Miranda, Sunburn and Doctors.

Alexander Hanson, who plays Otto Abetz, last appeared at the Theatre Royal Bath as Lloyd Dallas in Noises Off in 2022, before transferring to the West End, where the production is

set to return later this autumn. Alexander’s numerous stage credits also include The Truth, which

toured to Bath in 2016, before transferring to the West End; many productions at the National Theatre including Follies; Uncle Vanya at Chichester Festival Theatre, and West End productions of A Little Night Music, Marguerite, Sunset Boulevard, Arcadia and The Sound of Music. His previous performances at the Theatre Royal Bath also include Time of My Life in 1994, The London Cuckolds in 1998 and Copenhagen in 2001. On television, he played Tarquin in two series of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and has appeared in Jack Ryan, Father Brown, Endeavour, The Fugitives, Midsomer Murders, Killing Eve, Rosemary and Thyme, Peak Practice and Heartbeat.

Nigel Lindsay, who plays the role of Joseph Haffmann, has recently starred in The Lehman Trilogy in the West End, Woman in Mind at Chichester Festival Theatre and Same Deep Water as Me at the Donmar. On television, he played Tony Walsh in White Gold, DSI Tom Kendricks in The Capture, Sir Robert Peel in two series of Victoria, Tony Kelsey in Unforgotten, DI William Beech in Innocent and JoJo Marshall in Safe. Fans of the Sky Atlantic series The Tunnel will know him as Jonno, and he played Levi in the Emmy Award-winning series Rome. Nigel was nominated for Best British Comedy Performance in Film at the 2011 British Comedy Awards for his role as Barry in Chris Morris's BAFTA winning Four Lions. On stage, he has performed frequently at the National Theatre, the Almeida, the Donmar and the Royal Court, in productions ranging from Bedroom Farce to The Pillowman. His many West End roles include Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, and his Olivier Award-nominated performance in the title role of the original London production of Shrek the Musical. His previous performances at the Theatre Royal Bath include The London Cuckolds in 1998 and God of Carnage in 2020 and 2018.

Ciarán Owens plays the role of Pierre Vigneau. His recent theatre credits include The Windsors: Endgame in the West End, The Duchess of Malfi at the Almeida Theatre and Rutherford and Son and Love and Information at Sheffield Theatres. At the RSC, he appeared in Candide, A Mad World, My Masters and Titus Andronicus. Ciarán has previously performed at the Theatre Royal Bath in Abigail’s Party in 2017. His television credits include Peaky Blinders, Father Brown, Call the Midwife, The Last Kingdom, Crazyhead, Arthur & George, Strike Back and Wallander.