Arthur Darvill & Laurence Fox Set for OUR BOYS, Beginning Previews at Duchess Theatre, Sept 26

Written from his own experience, Jonathan Lewis's Our Boys is a wonderfully funny yet searingly honest account of the tribulations, tedium and terror that young soldiers face when recovering from injuries incurred in the line of duty. It opens for a limited 12-week season at the Duchess Theatre on Wednesday 3 October, with previews from tonight, Wednesday 26 September. The cast features Arthur Darvill (Rory in Doctor Who) and Laurence Fox (James in Lewis).

Five young soldiers are killing nothing but time when their daily routine of TV, lonely hearts ads and light-hearted banter is shattered by the arrival of an unwelcome authority figure: a young officer fresh from Sandhurst. The camaraderie of this unlikely band of brothers is soon jeopardised by a dangerous incident and an act of betrayal. With charges of misconduct looming, accusations fly – and then the fighting really starts.

Our Boys won the Best New Play award in the 1993 Writers' Guild Fringe Awards, and this first West End production comes from the creative team behind the Tony Award winning international hit, Journey's End.

Cian Barry (Keith) played Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (UK tour). His other stage credits include The Member Of The Wedding (Young Vic) and The Rivals (Southwark Playhouse). Cian's film credits include leading roles in RPG, Holy Water, Ghost Town and In The Spider's Web and one television, New Tricks, Titanic, Shameless, Waking The Dead and Man And Boy.

Arthur Darvill (Parry) plays Rory Williams in Doctor Who. His other television credits include Ladies Paradise, Little Dorritt, He Kills Coppers and The Verdict. Recent theatre credits include Soft Cops (RSC), Doctor Faustus (Shakespeare's Globe), Been So Long (Young Vic), Swimming With Sharks (Vaudeville) and Terre Haute (Trafalgar Studios and on tour), for which he was nominated for the Outstanding Newcomer Evening Standard Award 2007. Arthur is Artistic Associate and musician/writer in residence at The Bush Theatre.

Laurence Fox (Joe) is best known for his leading role as Detective Sergeant James Hathaway in the ITV prime-time drama series Lewis, which has been attracting audiences of over five million since it started in 2006. His London stage credits include Peter Hall's production of Mrs Warren's Profession (Novello), Tis a Pity She's a Whore (Southwark Playhouse), and Christopher Hampton's Treats (Garrick). Film work includes Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Gosford Park, and WE.

Jonathan Lewis is a writer and director for theatre and television. He wrote and directed the original productions of Our Boys at the Cockpit Theatre, Derby Playhouse and Donmar Warehouse between 1993 and 1995. Other credits include Breakfast with Jonny Wilkinson (director) and All Mouth (writer and director), both at the Menier Chocolate Factory. His solo show I Found My Horn was critically acclaimed when it opened in 2008 and subsequently toured the UK, including a run at Hampstead Theatre. Jonathan is also an actor and has appeared in numerous plays and TV dramas including the critically acclaimed Speaking in Tongues at Hampstead Theatre, Soldier, Soldier, Silent Witness, London's Burning and Heartbeat.

David Grindley's theatre credits include: Journey's End (Comedy); Abigail's Party (Hampstead/Whitehall); Six Degrees of Separation (Old Vic); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Stratford, Ontario); The Philanthropist (Broadway); The American Plan (Broadway); Crown Matrimonial (Tour); Blackbird (Tour); Pygmalion (Broadway); Journey's End (Broadway) which won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Revival. In The Club (Hampstead/Tour); Honour (Wyndham's); The Philanthropist (Donmar); National Anthems (Old Vic); What The Butler Saw (Hampstead/Criterion); Some Girls (Gielgud); Loot (Chichester/Vaudeville) and The League of Gentlemen.

The design team have all worked with David Grindley on a number of acclaimed West End productions including Journey's End, Abigail's Party and Six Degrees of Separation.

Design is by Jonathan Fensom, whose other credits include The Goat/Any Given Day (Traverse); Philadelphia Here I Come (Dublin); Brighton Beach Memoirs (Watford Palace); Rain Man, Some Girls, Twelfth Night, Smaller, Blackbird (West End).

Lighting design is by Jason Taylor – The Empire (Royal Court); The Merry Wives of Windsor (Globe Theatre USA/UK tour); The Rivals (Theatre Royal Bath / Tour / West End); Rain Man (West End / tour); The Good Soldier (Ustinov, Bath); Noises Off (Birmingham Rep).

Sound design is by Gregory Clarke who won a Tony Award for Best Sound Design in a Play for Equus (Gielgud & Broadway) and received the Drama Desk Award for Sound Design for Journey's End. Other theatre credits include: Twelfth Night, Earthquakes in London (National); A Flea In Her Ear, Bedroom Farce, Rain Man (West End); Peter Pan (Kensington/O2/US); Goodnight Mister Tom, A Month In The Country (Chichester); The Philanthropist (Broadway).

Previews run from Wednesday 26 September, with openign night on Wednesday 3 October and booking until Saturday 15 December at the Duchess Theatre, 3-5 Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5LA. Performances are Monday to Saturday at 7.45pm with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.45pm.

Tickets are £20 / £45 / premium £65 – Previews £10 off all prices from Box Office 0844 482 9672 and www.nimaxtheatres.com

www.ourboystheplay.com