TURN OF THE SCREW Opens at the Almeida Theatre, January 24

Lindsay Posner directs Rebecca Lenkiewicz' new stage adaptation of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw at The Almeida Theatre which runs until 16 March 2013, with press night on 24 January. The cast comprises Caroline Bartleet (a woman), Laurence Belcher (Miles), Eoin Geoghegan (a man), Gemma Jones (Mrs. Grose), Anna Madeley (The Governess), Orlando Wells (Sackville) and Isabella Blake, Emilia Jones and Lucy Morton who will alternate the role of Flora. The Turn of the Screw is sponsored by Pinsent Masons LLP.

Designs are by Peter McKintosh with lighting by Tim Mitchell and sound by John Leonard. The Turn of the Screw is presented in association with ACT Productions Limited and Hammer Theatre of Horror.

Miss Jessel is dead. A new governess arrives at a remote estate in Bly to care for Miles and Flora. Wild but angelic they charm their guardian with flowers, poetry and song. But as she grows to love her two wards, figures appear in the darkness outside and the corners of the house are haunted by those that have gone before. The Governess must confront her fear and protect the children from the alarming dangers that surround them.

Caroline Bartleet's theatre credits include Look Back in Anger for the New Wimbledon Theatre, The Circle Game for Old Vic New Voices, Arcadia for the Library Theatre and 1984 for the Royal Exchange Theatre. She is soon to be seen in the film Song for Marion.

Laurence Belcher made his theatre debut in Alan Bennett'sThe Habit of Art at The National Theatre. He has subsequently been seen in The Late Middle Classes at the Donmar Warehouse, Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre and Scrooge at the London Palladium. On television his credits include Young Kazran in Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol, Gracie! and Little Doritt. His film credits include the young Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class, Shadow Within and Messengers 2: The Scarecrow. He will soon be seen on screen playing Prince William in Diana.

Isabella Blake's television credits include an adaptation of David Walliams' book Mr Stink and the role of Violet Elizabeth in Just William, both for the BBC. On film she has been seen in Johnny English Reborn, Rise of the Guardians, Let Me Survive and Little Glory.

Eoin Geoghegan's theatre credits include Autumn Fire at the Finborough and Translations and Bash for Decadent Theatre Company. His television credits include Call the Midwife, Body and Soul, The Passion and City of Vice.

Emilia Jones made her theatrical debut playing the part of Young Fiona in the original cast of Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She played the part of Jasmine in the film One Day and English Girl in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Her television work includes Young Sarah in House of Anubis, Alice in Utopia, a new drama series written by Dennis Kelly for Channel 4 and Merry in series 7 of Doctor Who.

Award-winning Gemma Jones has worked extensively in theatre, film and television and has previously been seen at The Almeida Theatre in Dance of Death. Her theatre credits include Richard III as part of the Old Vic Bridge Project, Family Reunion at the Donmar Warehouse, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Lyric Theatre and The Glass Menagerie and Much Ado About Nothing at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Her television credits include The Typist, Ballet Shoes, Spooks, Trial and Retribution, Midsomer Murders and Longitude. Her film credits include Hysteria, Sense and Sensibility and the roles of Madam Pomfrey in the Harry Potter film series and Pam Jones in Bridget Jones' Diary.

Anna Madeley was last at the Almeida in Becky Shaw. Her other theatre credits include Richard Eyre's Broadway production of Private Lives, The National Theatre's productions of Earthquakes in London and Coram Boy, as well as Contractions and Ladybird for the Royal Court, The Philanthropist and The Cosmonaut's Last Message for the Donmar Warehouse and Roman Actor and The Malcontent for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her many television credits include Secret State, Utopia, The Reckoning, Waking The Dead and The Secret Life of Mrs Beeton. Her film credits Strawberry Fields, Coup, Brideshead Revisited and In Bruges.

Lucy Morton studies dancing and singing as well as drama. She will be seen in the upcoming short film, Binky, next year.

Orlando Wells' theatre credits include The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre, Katrina for The Jericho House, The History Boys for The National Theatre, Pirandello's Henry IV for the Donmar Warehouse and Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello and Antony and Cleopatra for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His television credits include A Very British Sex Scandal, Nowhere Left to Hide, The Marchioness Disaster , Mosley and As If. His film credits include The King's Speech, Wilde and Maurice.

Lindsay Posner has previously directed House of Games, Tom and Viv, The Hypochondriac and Romance for the Almeida. His other theatre credits include Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville Theatre, Relatively Speaking for Bath Theatre Royal, Abigail's Party for the Menier Chocolate Factory, Noises Off for the Old Vic, An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville Theatre and A View From the Bridge at the Duke of York's Theatre. Previously Posner was Associate Director of Royal Court Theatre where in 1989 he was appointed Artistic Director of Royal Court Theatre Upstairs and Deputy Director for the main house.

Rebecca Lenkiewicz' adaptations include Ghosts and An Enemy of the People. Her original plays include The Painter, Stars Over Kabul, Her Naked Skin, The Lioness, The Soldier's Tale, Shoreditch Madonna and The Night Season.

The Turn of the Screw was originally written in 1898 by American born writer Henry James (1843 - 1916). James' novella has been adapted by Benjamin Britten as an opera, was adapted for film -The Innocents - starring Deborah Kerr and for television with Lynne Redgrave in 1974 and in 1999 with Jodhi May and Colin Firth. The novella was also produced as a ballet by William Tuckett, a Radio 4 adaptation by Neville Teller and a BBC TV drama starring Michelle Dockery and Sue Johnston.

For more information visit: www.almeida.co.uk

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