VIDEO: Get a First Look at VINCENT RIVER at Hope Mill Theatre

The thrilling and heartbreaking play Vincent River, by award-winning playwright and author Philip Ridley, has been relocated to Manchester - the city where it is to receive its regional premiere next month. Watch a trailer for the show below!

Yet Another Carnival and Hope Mill Theatre present Vincent River by Philip Ridley and directed by John Young from Tuesday 27 February to Saturday 24 March 2018.

This searing modern classic, which premiered in London at The Hampstead Theatre in 2000, takes aim at homophobia and hate crime with breathtaking honesty.

Author Philip Ridley said: "I'm so thrilled and excited that Vincent River is being brought to life, and relocated to Manchester, for its regional premiere at Hope Mill Theatre. It's the perfect home for the play."

Vincent River slides under the surface of fear, hatred and love. Davey has seen something he can?t forget. Anita has been forced to flee her home. These two have never met. Tonight their paths cross with devastating consequences.

Vincent River is directed by John Young and stars Joyce Branagh and Dominic Holmes.

John Young, co-founder and co-artistic director of Yet Another Carnival, trained on the National Theatre Directors Course and is a former Resident Assistant Director at The Finborough Theatre, prior to this he was on the Emerging Trainee Director Scheme at Theatr Clwyd. Direction includes: To Dream Again (Polka Theatre and Theatr Clwyd), Scattered (Theatr Clwyd, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Good Chance Theatre), We Know Where You Live (Finborough Theatre), The Watchers (Southwark Playhouse), What the Walls Saw, The Thing Is and The Joy Show (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre Young Company) and Soft Beats the Heart (Theatre503). Assistant Director credits include: The Beggars Opera and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Storyhouse), Aladdin and Skyhawk the Musical (Theatr Clwyd), Chicken Dust and Our American Cousin (Finborough Theatre).

Joyce Branagh recently won Best Fringe Performance at the 2017 Manchester Theatre Awards for Boomtown Gals. Other theatre credits as a performer include Pet Defenders (Latitude Festival), A Different Time, (JB Shorts/Real Life Theatre), The Last Battle (They Eat Culture), The Eystery of Mabel Drinkwater (Oldham Library Theatre), Safe in Our Hands (JB Shorts/Reali Life Theatre),Colder Than Here (HOME Manchester), Macbeth (GB Theatre Co), The Wittol's Wife (Hebden Bridge Little Theatre), The Deep Blue Seat (Hebden Bridge Little Theatre), Two (Todmorden Hippodrome), Can't Smile Without You (Organised Chaos) and Peggy and the Spaceman (Manchester Comedy Store). Television appearances include Porridge, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and The Bill. Joyce is also a successful theatre director in her own right.

Dominic Holmes graduated from the Guildford School of Acting in 2015. His theatre credits include Noise (Birmingham Old Rep) Henry IV (Waterloo east) The Final Frontier (Theatre503) Macbeth (Out of Joint) and The teenagers (Hightide) Television credits include Jinx (CBBC) Coronation Street (ITV) and Heartbeat (ITV) Dominic has recently completed filming in one of the lead roles as Malcolm in feature film Cannibals and Carpet Fitters due for release in early 2018.

This production is supported by the Arts Council, Superbia and The Philip Carne Trust.

For more information or to book tickets, visit www.yetanothercarnival.co.uk/ or www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk.

The founders of Yet Another Carnival, and co-artistic directors Thomas Frith, Freyja Winterson and Jon Young have all worked for Storyhouse (formerly Chester Performs) as independent artists over the last seven years. Recently Thomas, John and Freyja have been co-artistic directors for the Young Company. Under the encouragement of Storyhouse Artistic Director Alex Clifton, they have formalised their collaborations through Yet Another Carnival.

Yet Another Carnival makes new theatre and performance that is responsive, bold, and entertaining for audiences who want to explore big ideas whilst having fun. Connecting professional artists with anyone and everyone, and providing a platform for a wide range of voices is a core principal of their work. Yet Another Carnival are based in Chester and are the associate company of Storyhouse

Philip was born and grew up in the East End of London. He studied painting at St Martin's School of Art and his work has been exhibited widely throughout Europe and Japan. As well as three books for adults (Crocodilia, In The Eyes of Mr Fury and Flamingos in Orbit) - and the highly acclaimed screenplay for the The Krays feature film (winner of The Evening Standard Best Film of the Year Award) - he has written many highly regarded and hugely influential stage plays: the seminal The Pitchfork Disney (now published as a Methuen Modern Classic), The Fastest Clock in the Universe (winner of a Time Out Award, the Critics' Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright, and the Meyer-Whitworth Prize), Ghost from a Perfect Place (nominated for The Evening Standard Best New Play Award), Vincent River, Mercury Fur, Leaves of Glass, Piranha Heights, Tender Napalm (nominated for the London Fringe Best Play Award), Shivered (nominated for the Off-West End Best New Play Award), Dark Vanilla Jungle (winner of an Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award), Radiant Vermin, Tonight With Donny Stixx and Karagula (nominated for the Off-West End Best New Play Award) , plus several plays for young people (collectively known as The Storyteller Sequence): Karamazoo, Fairytaleheart, Moonfleece (named as one of the 50 Best Works About Cultural Diversity by the National Centre for Children's Books), Sparkleshark and Brokenville, plus a play for the whole family, Feathers in the Snow (shortlisted for the Brian Way Best Play Award) and a play for young children, Daffodil Scissors. In 2001 he was one of the writers chosen to contribute to the National Theatre's Chain Play (celebrating the venue's 25th anniversary). He has also written novels for children and directed three feature films from his own screenplays and in 2012 What's On Stage named him a Jubilee Playwright (one of the most influential British writers to have emerged in the past six decades). Philip has won both the Evening Standard's Most Promising Newcomer to British Film and Most Promising Playwright Awards. The only person ever to receive both prizes.

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