Paul Nugent & Anna Nugent to Lead THE MCGOWAN TRILOGY UK Transfer at Kino-Teatr

he cell's award-winning production of Seamus Scanlon's THE MCGOWAN TRILOGY will have its UK premiere as the opening play at the new Kino-Teatr in St Leonards-on-Sea in Sussex, opening July 9th for a strictly-limited engagement. NYC-based Irish actor Paul Nugent, who originated the lead role of dark, witty and troubled Irish revolutionary Victor M. McGowan, will return for the UK production, as will Anna Nugent, who won the Best Actress Award at the 2014 1st Irish Festival for her performance as Woman. Paul and Anna, who are married, play childhood sweethearts, now separated by violence. They will be joined in the cast by UK actors Brendan O'Rourke, Ciarán Flynn, Lisa Harmer and Patrick Knowles. Kira Simring, Artistic Director of the cell, who directed the original New York production and won Best Director at the 1st Irish Festival for it, will return to direct. Set design by Russell Baker. The UK premiere of THE MCGOWAN TRILOGY is a co-production between NYC's the cell (Nancy Manocherian, producer) and Kino-Teatr (Olga Mamonova, producer).

THE MCGOWAN TRILOGY is a psychological thriller by award-winning writer Seamus Scanlon consisting of three one-act plays set in Northern Ireland in 1984. It tells of Victor McGowan; cold blooded, warm-hearted and conflicted. In DANCING AT LUNACY, McGowan ignores court martial protocol. In THE LONG WET GRASS, McGowan is forced to choose between his commitment to the cause and a woman from his past. In BOYS SWAM BEFORE ME, McGowan faces painful revelations from his past. THE MCGOWAN TRILOGY had a sell-out run at New York's the cell in 2014, also winning Best Design at the 1st Irish Festival, and has since been published by Arlen House.

The 100-seat Kino-Teatr Playhouse is a former cinema in St Leonards-on-Sea that has been closed for almost 40 years and is being revived as a theatre this summer with THE MCGOWAN TRILOGY as its opening production. It will also be used as a cinema and live music venue, as well as housing a restaurant and bar. Russian-born Olga Mamonova, the theatre's founder, says she wants the venue to be an "experimental, edgy space" inspired by fringe theatres in both the UK and Russia. The theatre will produce its own work, which will run alongside shows from visiting companies and other entertainment programming.

the cell, A Twenty First Century Salon (Nancy Manocherian, Founding Artistic Director and Kira Simring, Artistic Director), based on West 23rd Street in New York City, is dedicated to creating works to mine the mind, pierce the heart, and awaken the soul. the cell is a not-for-profit collective for artists to incubate and present new work.

THE MCGOWAN TRILOGY will play from July 9th - 12th at 7pm at the Kino-Teatr (43-49 Norman Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN38 0EQ). Tickets (£20-£25) and more information are now available by calling +44 1424 457830 and at kino-teatr.co.uk