DAVID HARE SEASON FULLY CAST
Full casting is today announced for The David Hare Season at Sheffield Theatres. Patricia Hodge and Isla Blair perform in The Breath of Life and Hattie Morahan, Jack Ryder and Laura Carmichael perform in Plenty. Jane Wymark and Matthew Cottle will perform in Racing Demon. In February and March 2011, Sheffield Theatres will produce their most ambitious project to date where all three performance spaces will be given over to the work of one playwright. The Season runs from Thursday 3 February to Saturday 5 March.
Racing Demon will be directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director Daniel Evans and staged in the Crucible Theatre; Thea Sharrock will direct Plenty in the Studio Theatre and Peter Gill will direct The Breath of Life in the Lyceum Theatre.
Plenty
Spanning three decades, David Hare’s play is a powerful comment on post-war England, where ideals collapse and values collide.
Hattie Morahan leads the company as Susan Traherne. She will be joined by Bruce Alexander (Sir Leonard Darwin), Edward Bennett (Raymond Brock), Kirsty Bushell (Alice Park), Laura Carmicheal (Louise/Dorcas), Junix Inocian (Monsieur Aung), Youssef Kerkour (Frenchman), Jack Ryder (Mick/John Begley), Lucy Sheen (Madame Aung).
Hattie Morahan plays Susan Traherne. Her theatre credits include The Family Reunion (Donmar Warehouse), Iphigenia At Aulis, Time and The Conways and Three More Sleepless Nights (National Theatre), Twelfth Night (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The City (Royal Court) and most recently, The Real Thing (Old Vic).
Laura Carmichael plays Louise/Dorcas. Laura recently starred in the highly successful ITV drama Downton Abbey as Lady Edith Crawley, a role which she will reprise in 2011. Her theatre credits include The Tempest (UK Tour), Stags and Hens, As You Like It, Peace in our Time (Bristol Old Vic) and Reason for Living (BAC Scratch Fesitval).
Jack Ryder plays Mick. Jack returns to Sheffield Theatres after performing in Romeo and Juliet at the Lyceum Theatre. His other theatre credits include Calendar Girls (UK Tour), The Play What I Wrote (UK Tour), Single Spies (UK Tour). For television, his credits include, Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders.
Edward Bennett plays Raymond Brock. His theatre credits include Love’s Labour’s Lost and Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company), Othello (Donmar Warehouse), Alice In Wonderland (Bristol Old Vic), The Importance of Being Earnest (York Theatre Royal). For television Silent Witness (BBC) and After You’re Gone (BBC).
The Breath Of Life
When celebrated novelist Frances Beale arrives at Madeleine Palmer’s home, she is looking for a story. But not a work of fiction. She wants to hear the true story of how their lives became inextricably linked over forty years ago…
Patricia Hodge plays Madeleine. Her theatre credits include A Little Light Music, Money/Summerfolk and His Dark Materials (National Theatre), Heart Break House (Almeida), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Strand Theatre and Tour) and Calendar Girls (Tour). For television, Rumpole of the Bailey (Thames Television), The Lives and Loves of a She Devil (BBC), The Falklands Play (BBC). For film, her credits include The Elephant Man with John Hurt and Blake Edwards’ Sunset.
Isla Blair plays Frances. Isla Blair returns to the Crucible after previously performing in Six Degrees of Separation. Her other theatre credits include The History Boys (Wyndhams Theatre), The Company Man (The Orange Tree Theatre) A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum, Stuff Happens and What the Butler Saw (National Theatre). For television, Quatermass, QC Law and Order, The Final Cut (BBC) and The History Man with Sir Anthony Sher.
Peter Gill directs. Gill has directed over eighty productions in the UK, Europe and North America. His recent credits include Another Door Closed (Theatre Royal Bath), Small Change, Days of Wine and Roses (Donmar Warehouse), The Importance of Being Earnest (Theatre Royal Bath, national tour and West End) andGaslight (Old Vic).
Racing Demon
The cast for Racing Demon, directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director, Daniel Evans, includes; Matthew Cottle (The Rev Donald ‘Streaky’ Bacon), Jonathan Coy (The Rt Rev Charlie Allen, Bishop of Southwark), Estella Daniels (Stella Marr), Terry Doe (Head Waiter) Ian Gelder (The Rev Harry Henderson), Emma Hamilton (Frances Parnell) Mark Leadbetter (Tommy Adair), Jamie Parker (The Rev Tony Ferris), Paul Rattray (Ewan Gilmour), Malcolm Sinclair (The Rev Lionel Espy), Mark Tandy (The Rt Rev Gilbert Heffernan, Bishop of Kingston) and Jane Wymark (Heather Espy).
Malcolm Sinclair plays Lionel Espy. Malcolm’s credits include the films Casino Royale and V for Vendetta and for television, Foyle’s War, Falling and Making Waves. He is currently touring the country in The Habit of Art and has previously appeared in the National Theatre’s productions of The History Boys and The Power of Yes, Ivanov (Donmar Warehouse), Rosmersholm (Almeida) and Richard III (RSC).
Jane Wymark plays Heather Espy. Jane is a familiar face to television viewers as Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby’s wife, Joyce, in Midsomer Murders, she has also appeared in Pie in the Sky, Rob Roy. Her theatre credits include All My Sons (York Theatre Royal), Hamlet (Old Vic) and A Man for All Seasons (Birmingham Rep).
Matthew Cottle plays Donald ‘Streaky’ Bacon. Matthew is known for his television roles in Game On and Life Begins. His theatre credits include The Habit of Art (National Theatre), Taking Steps (Orange Tree Richmond), Absurd Person Singular (UK Tour), Noises Off (Liverpool Playhouse) and Private Fears in Public Places (The Royal Theatre, Northampton).
Plenty
Studio
Thursday 3 – Saturday 26 February
Racing Demon
Crucible
Thursday 10 February – Saturday 5 March
Breath of Life
Wednesday 16 – Saturday 26 February
Image Credits : Hattie Morahan and Laura Carmichael, in David Hare's Plenty
