Star of RSC's DAY OF SIGNIFICANCE Sidelined Due to Injury

The star of Royal Shakespeare Company's DAY OF SIGNIFICANCE will miss a week of performances due to an injury obtained during the production's run at the Lighthouse Theatre. British actor George Rainsford is expected to be back for tour's opening night at Cardiff. DAY OF SIGNIFICANCE centers around a group of soldiers preparing for deployment to Iraq.

During a scene early in the play, Rainsford is supposed to get into a fight with costar Luke Norris. During the fight, Rainsford accidentally made contact with Norris, causing him to suffer a bloody lip. Rainsford, however, suffered the worst of it, receiving a gash in his fist as well as a damaged tendon in his hand. As the show is advertised to contain some graphic scenes, no members of the audience knew anything was amiss and the show continued as planned.

Paul Tucker, spokesman for the Lighthouse Theatre, said, "It was very unfortunate. George and Luke and the rest of the cast are all good friends. This was a just a stage fight that went wrong. George threw the punch but definitely came off worst. He's been told that there's damage to a tendon and will be off for the rest of the week."

Jeremy Adams, producer of the Royal Shakespeare Company, also released a statement saying, ""The production is fast-moving and very physical. It contains a number of stage fights, during one of which George injured his hand. He received first aid and completed the performance. On Wednesday he was given treatment at Salisbury District Hospital. Since Wednesday, George's role has been in the very capable hands of his understudy, Scott Hazell, who will continue to play the part of Jamie for the rest of the show's run in Poole. Although George is obviously disappointed to be temporarily out of the show, he is pleased to hear that audience reaction to the play and Scott's performance has been so positive."

Rainsford is expected to rejoin the show tonight for its opening at Cardiff.

DAYS OF SIGNIFICANCE takes place in an English market town. The boys are out on the lash - fighting, swearing, ogling the local ladies and drinking until they pass out. An encounter with the local police introduces us to the lads - Ben, Dan, Steve and Jamie who, with Ben, is about to leave for Iraq.

They soon run into their rival gang - the girls, led by Trish and her cousin Hannah and quickly face off. Trish and Ben diss each other in the street (hiding their real instincts to rip each other's clothes off) and Jamie makes his move on Hannah, despite being warned off her by his mates. Hannah's step-dad Lenny watches over proceedings from his burger van.

Jamie confesses his real fears about Iraq to Hannah in secret but they are overheard. The gossip quickly spreads around and another fight breaks out. All the while, the shadow of Iraq looms closer and closer.

DAYS OF SIGNIFICANCE runs at Cardiff from November 18th through November 21st. Tickets for the event are £16.00 and may be purchased online through Cardiff's website at www.shermancymru.co.uk or by calling their box office at 02920 646900.

For more information, visit www.daysofsignificance.co.uk.

 

 

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