Almeida Premieres WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING in May, Attenborough Directs

Michael Attenborough will direct the European premiere of Andrew Bovell's When the Rain Stops Falling which runs at the Almeida from 14 May - 4 July 2009 with press night on 21 May. Designs are by Miriam Buether with lighting by Colin Grenfell, music by Stephen Warbeck, sound by Paul Arditti and movement by Imogen Knight.

The cast is Naomi Bentley, Simon Burke, Jonathan Cullen (I), Lisa Dillon, Richard Hope, Tom Mison, Phoebe Nicholls, Leah Purcell, and Sargon Yelda.

An epic play spanning four generations and two continents, When The Rain Stops Falling moves from the claustrophobia of a 1950's London flat to the windswept coast of Southern Australia and into the heart of the Australian desert. The play weaves together a series of interconnected stories, as seven people confront the mysteries of the past in order to understand their future.

When the Rain Stops Falling received its world premiere at the Adelaide Festival of Arts last year and won the prestigious Louis Esson Prize for Drama in Australia.

Naomi Bentley was last seen at the Almeida in Out of the Fog, by Roy Williams her other theatre credits are Burn, Chatroom and Citizenship for The National Theatre, Beautiful Thing for Sound Theatre and Martha Loves Michael at the Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh. Her television work includes roles in Mutual Friends and Ideal as well as guest appearances in New Tricks, Silent Witness and Extras. Her film credits are The Mark of Cain and January 2nd.

As well as many performances on stage for the Sydney Theatre Company where his performances include Mr Kolpert, She Stoops to Conquer, The Herbal Bed, The Merchant of Venice, Simon Burke's UK theatre credits include The Sound of Music at the London Palladium, Out of the Blue at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre and A Christmas Carol for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His UK television credits include Hustle and The One That Got Away.

Jonathan Cullen (I)'s more recent theatre credits include The Stone at the Royal Court as well as State of Emergency for the Gate Theatre, Equus at the Gielgud Theatre, Market Boy and Albert Speer for The National Theatre, Talking to Terrorists, Under The Blue Sky and Our Late Night all for the Royal Court, Master and Margerita and The Seagull for Chichester Festival Theatre and Our Country's Good for Out of Joint. On television his credits include The Innocents and The Unknown Soldier. On film his credits are Neverland, Fred Clause and Robin Hood.

Lisa Dillon has previously been seen at the Almeida in Period of Adjustment and Hedda Gabler. Her other theatre credits include Under the Blue Sky at the Duke of York's Theatre and Present Laughter for The National Theatre, she played Desdemona in Othello for the Royal Shakespeare Company and for her performance as Hilda Wangel in The Master Builder at the Albery Theatre she won the Ian Charleson Award and the Critics' Circle Most Promising Newcomer Award. Her film credits include Bright Young Things. On television she has most recently been seen in the BBC's award-winning Cranford. Also for the BBC she has been seen in Hawking and Cambridge Spies.

Richard Hope's extensive theatre work includes The Hour We Know Nothing of Each Other, A Prayer for Owen Meany, War and Peace, Pravda and Hamlet all for The National Theatre, Anna Karenina for Shared Experience, Cymbeline for Shakespeare's Globe and The Street of Crocodiles and The Visit for Theatre de Complicité. His many television credits include Silent Witness, New Tricks and Heartbeat. On film his work includes Chromophobia, Sergeant Pepper, Antonia and Jane and Bellman and True.

Tom Mison's theatre credits include Hedda for the Gate Theatre, The Living Unknown Soldier and Les Enfants Du Paradis for the Arcola Theatre, Hamlet for the Old Vic and Achidi J's Final Hours for Soho Theatre. His television credits include Mr Bingley in Lost in Austen, Belle de Jour, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and Heroes and Villians.

Phoebe Nicholls was last at the Almeida in Samuel West critically acclaimed production of Waste. Her other theatre credits include The Vortex at the Apollo Theatre, Three Women and a Piano Tuner for Hampstead Theatre, Hysteria for the Royal Court and An Inspector Calls and Pravda for The National Theatre. Her television credits include Persuasion, The Trial of Tony Blair, Hawking and Shackleton. Her film credits include Maurice and The Elephant Man.

Leah Purcell is one of Australia's leading actors having won many awards for her work in theatre, on film and on television. Her Australian stage credits include Stuff Happens, The Marriage of Figaro and The Story of The Miracles at Cookie's Table. She has worked extensively on Australian television and her film credits include Andrew Bovell's Lantana and The Proposition.

Sargon Yelda's theatre credits include Salt Meets Wound for Theatre 503 and Stovepipe, a National Theatre/Bush Theatre Collaboration. On television he has been seen in Saddam's Tribe, Midnight Man and Compulsion.

Andrew Bovell is an award-winning writer for theatre, film and television. His film, Lantana, adapted from a stage play, won numerous awards including the London Critics' Circle Best Screenplay Award. His play Speaking in Tongues premiered in Sydney in 1996 and has subsequently been performed across Australia, in London, at the Roundabout Theatre in New York and in over 20 countries world-wide. His other theatre writing includes Shades of Blue, Scenes from a Separation and Distant Lights from Dark Places. Bovell co-wrote the original screenplay of Strictly Ballroom with Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce.

As Artistic Director of The Almeida Theatre Company Michael Attenborough's productions have been The Mercy Seat, Five Gold Rings, Brighton Rock, The Late Henry Moss, Enemies, There Came A Gypsy Riding, Big White Fog, Awake and Sing! and Harold Pinter's The Homecoming. He was Artistic Director at The Hampstead Theatre for five years (1984-89) and then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for twelve years. On leaving the RSC, where he was Principal Associate Director, Attenborough was invited to become an Honorary Associate Artist. In November last year Attenborough directed Neil LaBute's In a Dark Dark House at the Almeida.

The Almeida Theatre is grateful to its Principal Sponsor Coutts & Co., who are currently in their sixth consecutive year of support. The relationship between Coutts and the Almeida, first established when the newly refurbished theatre reopened in 2003, is a unique collaboration which has developed and flourished over the past six years. www.coutts.com

Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, Islington, London, N1 1TA

The Almeida Cafe-Bar is open from 11.30am - 11.00pm, Monday to Saturday, serving food, drinks and snacks.

Phone 020 7359 4404 (24 hour)

In person 10.00am - 7.30pm, Monday - Saturday

On line www.almeida.co.uk

Tickets When the Rain Stops Falling

£29.50 - £6.00, concessions available

Regular performances are Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday matinees at 3.00pm, Press Nights at 7.00pm.

When the Rain Stops Falling

Saturday 27 June at 3pm - Audio Described performance & Touch Tour at 1.30pm

Saturday 20 June at 3pm & Tuesday 30 June at 7.30pm - Captioned performance

Almeida Access Line 020 7288 4999 or email access@almeida.co.uk

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