Theatr Clwyd Announces Cast For World Premiere of A PRETTY SH*TTY LOVE

Theatr Clwyd today announces the cast for the world première production of acclaimed playwright Katherine Chandler's A Pretty Sh*tty Love. Inspired by true events of a woman buried alive by her abusive partner that shook Wales and reverberated around the world, Francesca Goodridge directs Danielle Bird as Hayley and Daniel Hawksford as Carl. In this dynamic new play, Hayley and Carl journey through complexities of love and life, dreaming of love, living in fear and finding the strength to pull yourself out. The production opens in Theatr Mix in The Village at Theatr Clwyd on 12 July, with previews from 8 July, and runs until 23 July, ahead of performances at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff from 27-29 July.

Danielle Bird makes her Theatr Clwyd debut as Hayley. Her other theatre credits include The Comedy of Errors (Mercury Theatre Colchester), Beauty and the Beast, Astley's Astounding Adventures (New Vic Theatre), The Comedy of Errors (Storyhouse Theatre), The Prince and The Pauper (New Victoria Theatre/Unicorn Theatre), The Worst Witch (Vaudeville Theatre), Aladdin (Theatre Royal Wakefield), The Hypocrite (RSC), Macbeth (Shakespeare's Globe), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Birmingham Rep), Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, Cyrano de Bergerac (Grosvenor Open Air Theatre),The Princess and the Pea (York Theatre Royal), Father Christmas and the Icicle Bicycle, Tea Time (Oxford Playhouse), Colin Hoult's Real Horror Show (Leicester Square Theatre), No Ball Games (New Wolsey Theatre), Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet (Young Shakespeare Company). Her television credits include Hapless, Vengeance, The Investigator, The Wives Did It, The Double Life of Morton Coyle; and for film, Now You See Me 2 and A Running Jump.

Daniel Hawksford returns to Theatr Clwyd to play Carl - he previously made his professional debut at the venue 20 years ago playing Hamlet in Rosentcrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and in Arms and the Man. Other recent credits include Troilus and Cressida (RSC), Crouch Touch Pause Engage (National Theatre of Wales/Out of Joint), ILLIAD (National Theatre of Wales) and The Distance (Sheffield Theatres/Orange Tree Theatre). For television, his credits include Hard Cell, Halo, Hollyoaks, Father Brown, Hetty Feather, Waking the Dead and Colditz; and for film, Pelican Blood and Little White Lies.

Katherine Chandler is an award-winning Welsh writer working in theatre, film, radio and television. Twice a finalist for the prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn prize with her plays Before it Rains and Parallel Lines, Katherine was awarded the judges prize in the Bruntwood prize for playwriting for her play Bird. Currently, Katherine is working with companies such as The National Theatre, National Theatre Wales, Birmingham Rep and BBC Drama.

Francesca Goodridge directs. Goodridge took part in The Theatr Clwyd Carne Traineeship for Directors in Wales. She recently co-founded The Far Away Plays - an online play reading company that champions Welsh and Wales-based creatives - with a view to revisit existing Welsh plays and discuss the reimagining of those classics for today. She has been Associate or Assistant Director on over ten productions and co-productions with Theatr Clwyd including Isla, Curtain Up, A Christmas Carol, Pavilion, WaveMe Goodbye, Dick Whittington and The Importance of Being Earnest. Her recent Christmas production of The Brothers Grimm Present: Cinderella at the Barn Theatre, Cirencester, was favoured as one of the best Christmas family shows to see in 2021 by The Observer.

The creative team includes: Designer: Lulu Tam; Lighting Designer: Jess Bernberg; Sound Designer and Composer: Alexandra Faye Braithwaite; Movement Director: Yandass Ndlovu; Video Designer: Libby Ward; Assistant Director: Amy Roberts.

Performances run 8 July - 23 July.

Booking available at Theatr Clwyd's website www.theatrclwyd.com or by calling 01352 344101.

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