Jack Laskey, Geraldine James & More to Star in LAWRENCE AFTER ARABIA at Hampstead Theatre

Hampstead Theatre presents the world premiere of Howard Brenton's Lawrence after Arabia, commissioned to mark the centenary of the start of the Arab revolt, which previews from 28 April. Directed by John Dove, the full cast features Sam Alexander, William Chubb, Geraldine James, Khalid Laith, Jack Laskey, Rosalind March and Jeff Rawle.

August, 1922. The most famous man in England has vanished without a trace: T.E. Lawrence has completely disappeared. But in the idyllic calm of the village of Ayot St Lawrence, on the top floor of the home of Mr and Mrs Bernard Shaw, the 'uncrowned King of Arabia' is hiding - with slabs of homemade carrot cake for comfort.

Wearied by his romanticised persona and worldwide fame, disgusted with his country and himself, Lawrence is craving normality. But when you're a brilliant archaeologist, scholar, linguist, writer and diplomat - as well as a legendary desert warrior - how can you ever be normal? And beyond the Shaws' garden wall, nobody cares how he feels: England just wants its hero back. Can he ever return?

Sam Alexander plays Lowell Thomas. His recent theatre credits include The Ghost Train, The Bacchae (Manchester Royal Exchange), Much Ado About Nothing, Love's Labour's Lost (RSC), One Man Two Guvnors (NT/Theatre Royal Haymarket), Wild Oats, Does My Society Look Big In This (Bristol Old Vic), No Naughty Bits (Hampstead Theatre), Hay Fever (Chichester Festival Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth (Regents Park Open Air Theatre) and Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare's Globe). Sam's recent television and film credits include Call The Midwife, Wolf Hall, 45 Years, Quick Cuts, Criminal Justice, Eastenders, Lewis, Skins and An American Haunting.

William Chubb plays Field Marshall Edmund Allenby. William's extensive list of theatre credits include Waste, Great Britain, Othello, Scenes from an Execution (National Theatre), Richard II (Shakespeare's Globe), The Vortex, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Love's Labour's Lost (Rose Theatre, Kingston), Yes Prime Minister (Chichester Festival / Gielgud Theatre), The History Boys (National Theatre) and The Sea (Theatre Royal Haymarket). His television and film credits include Close to the Enemy, My Baby, Breathless, Edge of Heaven, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Law and Order, Silk, The Bill, 6 Days, Adrift in Soho, Tezz, Veer and Milk.

Geraldine James plays Charlotte Shaw. Geraldine returns to Hampstead having previously performed there in Give Me Your Answer Do. Her other theatre credits include 13, The U.N. Inspector, Cymbeline (National Theatre), The Seagull, Victory (The Arcola), Hamlet (West End and Broadway), The Faith Healer (Almeida Theatre), Hedda Gabler (Royal Exchange Theatre), Lysistrata (The Old Vic) and The Merchant of Venice (Phoenix Theatre and Broadway), for which she won the Drama Desk Award, and was nominated for a Tony Award. Geraldine has three films set for upcoming release: Daphne, Leavey and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Her film credits also include 45 Years, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, Made in Dagenham, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in Wonderland, Calendar Girls, Gandhi and She's Been Away (Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress, Venice Film Festival). On television she is soon to star in The Five (Sky), and has been BAFTA-nominated for Dummy, The Jewel in The Crown, Band of Gold and Sins. Geraldine was awarded an OBE in 2003.

Khalid Laith plays Prince Feisal. Khalid's theatre credits include Tactical Questioning (Tricycle), Damascus (59E59E NYC), Shadow Language (Theatre503), Nameless (Cockpit), Damascus (Traverse) and Leaving Home (King's Head/Elephant Theatre). His film and television credits include Killing Jesus, World War Z, Red2, Djinn, Devil's Double, Missing, Spooks, The Mark of Cain, Saddam's Tribe, The Bill and Occupation.

Jack Laskey plays T E Lawrence. Making his Hampstead Theatre debut, Jack's previous theatre credits include Sons Without Fathers (Arcola Theatre), I am the Wind, Sweet Nothings (Young Vic and European Tour), As You Like It (Nominated for the Ian Charleson Award), A New World - A Life of Thomas Paine, Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare's Globe), The Tragedy of Thomas Hobbes, The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of The Shrew (RSC), Romeo and Juliet (Vienna's English Theatre) and Masque of the Red Death (Punch Drunk). His television and film credits include Endeavour, X Company, Hatfields & McCoys, Spilt Milk (Royal Television Society Award, also co-writer), A Royal Night Out, Secret Sharer and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Rosalind March plays Blanche Patch. Her theatre credits include Heather Gardner (Birmingham Rep), Dear Daddy (Ambassadors Theatre), Way Upstream (Oxford Playhouse / Tour), A Little Like Drowning(CV1 Tour), Two Planks and a Passion (Exeter Northcott), Mill Fire for the Bush (Riverside Studios), Blithe Spirit, Amongst Barbarians (Manchester Royal Exchange),Under Milk Wood (Bristol Old Vic) and View from the Bridge (York Theatre Royal). Rosalind's television and film credits also include Call the Midwife, Emmerdale, The Evermoor Chronicles, Midsomer Murders, Le Grand, Holby, Without George, London Bridge, Victoria Wood As Seen On TV, The Upper Hand, Nelson's Column, East is East and Calendar Girls.

Jeff Rawle plays George Bernard Shaw. His extensive theatre credits include Waiting for Godot (Sheffield Crucible), High Society (Old Vic Theatre), Handbagged (Tricycle Theatre/West End), The Power of Yes, Fram, Noises Off (National Theatre), Cocktail Sticks/Untold Stories (National Theatre/West End), Bottle Universe (Bush Theatre), Way to Heaven, Irish Soldier, The Arbour (Royal Court Theatre), Bent (Royal Court/West End) and Once a Catholic (West End). Jeff's television and film credits include Lost Sitcoms- Steptoe and Son, The Durrells, You, Me & Them, An Adventure in Space and Time, The Outcast, New Tricks, Spooks, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Doc Martin, Drop the Dead Donkey, The Crucifixion, Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire and A Hitch in Time.

Howard Brenton makes a highly anticipated return to Hampstead following the critically acclaimed historical epics Drawing the Line 55 days and The Arrest of Ai Weiwei. His many plays include Doctor Scroggy's War, Anne Boleyn, In Extremis (Shakespeare's Globe), Dances Of Death (Gate Theatre) The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Chichester Festival Theatre/ Liverpool Everyman, 2010) Paul, Weapons Of Happiness (National Theatre), Thirteenth Night (RSC); The Genius, Greenland, Berlin Bertie, Bloody Poetry Magnificence (Royal Court) Christie In Love (Portable Theatre, 1969) and Revenge (Theatre Upstairs).

John Dove is a regular collaborator of Howard Brenton, having directed his plays In Extremis, the award- winning Anne Boleyn and Dr Scroggy's War (all at Shakespeare's Globe). A prolific stage director, he is a former Associate of Hampstead Theatre where he has directed 15 productions. He is currently an Associate Artist of the Edinburgh Lyceum where he has just directed The Crucible as the culmination of his epic cycle of six Arthur Miller plays. His most recent production in the West End was Farinelli and the King, which starred Mark Rylance.

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