Hampstead Theatre Announces Full Cast and Creative Team For The World Premiere Of THE FOREST

Hampstead Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Florian Zeller's new play, The Forest. Running from 5 February until 12 March 2022, The Forest is translated by Zeller's long-time collaborator Christopher Hampton, and directed by Jonathan Kent, who re-unites with Zeller after his critically acclaimed production of The Height of the Storm.

Toby Stephens (Lost in Space, Netflix; Oslo, National Theatre, West End), Gina McKee (Bodyguard, BBC One; Di and Viv and Rose, Hampstead Theatre), Paul McGann (Withnail and I, HandMade Films, Doctor Who, BBC One) and Angel Coulby (Merlin, BBC One; Good People, Hampstead Theatre) are joined in the cast by Millie Brady (Roadkill, BBC One; The Queen's Gambit, Netflix), Silas Carson (Phantom Thread, Universal Pictures; Drawing the Line, Hampstead Theatre), Finbar Lynch (Indecent, Menier Chocolate Factory; Girl From The North Country, West End), Sakuntala Ramanee (Romeo and Juliet, RSC; East Is East, Jamie Lloyd-UK tour) and Eddie Toll (Stephen, ITV; Ivan and the Dogs, Young Vic).

Director Jonathan Kent will be joined by designer, Anna Fleischle; lighting designer, Hugh Vanstone; sound designer, Isobel Waller-Bridge; casting director, Lotte Hines and associate designer and costume co-designer, Jasmine Swan.

Jonathan Kent, director of The Forest, said:

"Zeller's mysterious and fascinating new play is unlike anything he's written before and, in fact, unlike anything I've ever directed. It demands all the creative and inventive talents of the remarkable company of actors I've been lucky enough to assemble."

"He can't help himself and he plunges into the forest...until the moment it dawns on him: night has fallen and he is completely lost."

At this turning-point of his life, Pierre finds himself tormented by the conflicting demands of family, career and sexual desire. His struggle to resolve this crisis, without fracturing his marriage or compromising his moral code, is explored in unsettling ways.

I'm telling you a story, if that's all right by you. Apparently, you've no objection to telling stories yourself. Am I right?

Florian Zeller's play The Father (Wyndham's) has the status of a modern classic and the screen adaptation won the 2021 Academy Award for Zeller and Christopher Hampton. His recent plays in London include The Son (Duke of York's), The Height of the Storm (Wyndham's), The Mother (Kiln Theatre), The Truth (Wyndham's) and The Lie (Menier Chocolate Factory).

Multiple-award winning playwright and screenwriter Christopher Hampton won an Academy Award for his screen adaptation of his play Les Liaisons Dangereuses (as Dangerous Liaisons). He was also nominated for adapting Ian McEwan's novel Atonement in 2007. Hampton has previously adapted Zeller's The Father, The Mother and The Truth.

Jonathan Kent returns to Hampstead Theatre, having previously directed Good People (2014) and The Slaves of Solitude (2017). Kent's recent credits include Talking Heads (BBC and Bridge Theatre), The Height of the Storm (Wyndham's), A German Life (The Bridge), Long Day's Journey into Night (Broadway) and Peter Gynt (National Theatre).

Hampstead Theatre is currently staging Alan Plater's Peggy For You, directed by Richard Wilson and starring Tamsin Greig in the title role, until 29 January 2022. Peggy For You is based on the life of Alan Plater's former agent, the legendary Peggy Ramsay. Greig is joined by Josh Finan, Trevor Fox, Danusia Samal and Jos Vantyler in this Olivier-nominated play (2001), which received its world premiere at Hampstead Theatre in 1999.

The world premiere of Folk, Nell Leyshon's beautiful play with songs, will debut at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs from 18 December until 5 February 2022, with direction by Artistic Director Roxana Silbert. Inspired by a true story and set in Leyshon's home county of Somerset, Folk features Ben Allen, Sasha Frost, Mariam Haque and Simon Robson.

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