Jack Absolute Flies Again (National Theatre Live)

Direct from London: A hilariously updated retelling of Lord Sheridan’s “The Rivals” lands at the Newport Performing Arts Center

Newport, Oregon: National Theatre Live, the award-winning program that brings the best of British theater to screens around the world, delivers the uproarious new comedy Jack Absolute Flies Again to the Newport Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, September 13th at 7:00 pm. The production was filmed before a live audience in London and will be shown on screen in HD, in the Alice Silverman Theatre, presented by Oregon Coast Council for the Arts.

After an aerial dog fight, Pilot Officer Jack Absolute flies home to rejoin his fearless young Hurricane squadron at RAF Fontwell. Once back on British soil, Jack is shocked to find his old flame, Lydia, on the base. He sets his sights on winning her heart, but with turbulence and hilarity never far away, his advances quickly turn to anarchy.

Emily Burns directs this spectacularly entertaining new version of Sheridan’s The Rivals, set in 1940’s British summertime. The rollicking new comedy by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors) and Oliver Chris (Twelfth Night) features an impeccable cast that includes Caroline Quentin, Laurie Davidson, Natalie Simpson, and Kelvin Fletcher.

Tickets for this one-night screening range from $15-$20 when purchased in person or by phone (an additional fee applies to tickets purchased online). Call 541-265-2787, visitcoastarts.org/events/ntlive-absolute, or stop by the Newport Performing Arts Center box office at 777 W Olive Street. Run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission. Please note: due to language, Jack Absolute Flies Again has a BBFC rating of 15 (equivalent to “R”).

Enjoy mid-week magic throughout 2023 and 2024 as Oregon Coast Council for the Arts brings National Theatre Live to Newport on select Wednesday evenings. Each production is filmed in front of a live theatre audience, using state-of-the-art techniques and masterful angles, then presented in stunning HD on the big screen in the Alice Silverman Theatre at Newport Performing Arts Center. It’s a theatre experience like no other, and a chance for local audiences to enjoy performances direct from London.

To learn more and view upcoming National Theatre Live titles, visit www.coastarts.org/ntlive