Bond, Hanson, Cowan, Stirling Lead AN IDEAL HUSBAND at the Vaudeville Theatre

Oscar Wilde's much loved play, An Ideal Husband returns to the West End for the first time in over 10 years. Directed by Lindsay Posner and starring Samantha Bond, Elliott Cowan, Alexander Hanson and Rachael Stirling, An Ideal Husband will open at the Vaudeville Theatre for previews from 4 November 2010.

Sir Robert Chiltern (Alexander Hanson) is a successful Government minister, well-off and with a loving wife (Rachael Stirling). All this is threatened when Mrs Cheveley (Samantha Bond) appears in London with damning evidence of a past misdeed. Sir Robert turns for help to his friend Lord Goring (Elliot Cowan), an apparently idle philanderer and the despair of his family. For the next 48 hours all their lives will be turned upside down.

An Ideal Husband, written in 1895, is a stylish critique of politicians and social morality, portrayed with tremendous humour and elegant style. Last performed on the London stage in Peter Hall's acclaimed 1996 production, An Ideal Husband soon after transferred to Broadway and has since completed various UK tours. In 1999 the play was made into a film starring Rupert Everett, Cate Blanchett and JuliAnne Moore.

Samantha Bond is best known for her role as ‘Miss Moneypenny' in the James Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan. She has appeared in many television series, including the ITV drama-comedy Distant Shores, Outnumbered (BBC), Mansfield Park, Emma, Rumpole of the Bailey and Agatha Christie's Poirot. On stage, Bond starred opposite Dame Judi Dench in David Hare's award-winning play Amy's View at the National Theatre, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. Recent West End stage roles include Michael Frayn's Donkey's Years (Comedy Theatre), Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance (Theatre Royal Haymarket) and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia (Duke of York's Theatre).

Elliott Cowan played the title role in Lucy Bailey's production of Macbeth at The Globe earlier this year and the role of Stanley Kowalski in the acclaimed version of A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar Warehouse in 2009. Other stage credits include Michael Grandage's Frost/Nixon (Donmar & West End) and Don Carlos (Sheffield Crucible & West End). Cowan's film credits include The Golden Compass, Happy Go Lucky and Alexander. He is also a familiar face from television having recently appeared in The Fixer (Kudos), Blood and Oil (BBC) and Lost in Austen with Jemima Rooper.
Alexander Hanson most recently starred in Sondheim's A Little Night Music (West End, Broadway) for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award for ‘Best Actor in a Musical'. Other credits include Marguerite (Theatre Royal Haymarket) for which he was also nominated for an Olivier Award; ‘Captain Georg Von Trapp' in The Sound of Music (West End); Sunset Boulevard (Adelphi Theatre); The Merchant of Venice; Troilus and Cressida both for Trevor Nunn at the National Theatre and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Television credits include Six Characters in Search of an Author (BBC) and Auf Wiedersehn Pet (BBC).

Rachael Stirling was recently in Peter Hall's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Rose Theatre, Kingston with Judi Dench. Other stage credits include The Priory (Royal Court), Pygmalion (Theatre Royal & Japan) and Theatre of Blood (National Theatre). Stirling's television credits include Women in Love (BBC), Minder (Talkback Thames), Boy Meets Girl (ITV) and Lewis (ITV). Film credits include Centurion and The Young Victoria with Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend.

Full cast includes: Caroline Blakiston (A Woman of No Importance, Theatre Royal Haymarket), Samantha Bond, Fiona Button (Madame de Sade, Rock ‘n' Roll), Elliott Cowan, Alexander Hanson, Charles Kay (Amadeus - the film and at the Old Vic, Kenneth Branagh's Henry V and at the RSC, Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice, The Comedy of Errors and Hamlet) and Rachael Stirling.

Director Lindsay Posner received rave reviews for his production of A View from the Bridge starring Ken Stott, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Hayley Atwell at the Duke of York's Theatre in 2009. Previously, he directed the critically acclaimed productions of Carousel starring Lesley Garrett and Fiddler on the Roof starring Henry Goodman (both Savoy Theatre). Other credits include David Mamet's A Life in The Theatre with Patrick Stewart and Oleanna with Julia Stiles and Aaron Eckhart, Sam Shepherd's Fool For Love with Juliette Lewis (all West End), and Tom and Viv at The Almeida Theatre. Stephen Brimson Lewis will design and Peter Mumford will light the production.

An Ideal Husband is produced by Kim Poster for Stanhope Productions.

BOOKING INFORMATION
Vaudeville Box Office 0844 412 4663

www.anidealhusbandwestend.com

Thursday 4th November 2010 - Saturday 19th February 2011
Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm

Wednesday & Saturday at 2.30pm (except Wednesday 10th November)
No performances on Friday 24th December at 7.30pm, Saturday 25th December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Additional performances on Friday 24th December at 2.30pm, Friday 31st December at 2.30pm

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