Final casting is announced for a rare production of D H Lawrence's The Daughter-in-Law, a searing and unforgettable drama about heartache, inequality and the ties that bind, set in the heat of the 1912 miners' strike.
This groundbreaking play, not published or performed in Lawrence's lifetime, premiered in a
Peter Gill production at
The Royal Court Theatre in the 1960s.
It is receiving its first London production in over 15 years, staged in the round, at Arcola Theatre from Wednesday 23 May - Saturday 23 June.
Press night is Tuesday 29 May at 7.00pm.
Minnie has big ambitions for her new marriage to Luther Gascoyne, but Luther's mother Mrs Gascoyne has ideas of her own. When she discovers explosive news about one of Luther's old flames, Mrs Gascoyne lays the battle-lines for an emotional struggle that could tear the whole family apart.
Cast:
Harry Hepple (Luther Gascoyne) is best known as the leading character Leo in the BBC1 series Boy Meets Girl. His numerous stage credits include playing Charlie in Privates on Parade, directed by
Michael Grandage,
Noel Coward Theatre, West End; Geoffrey, A Taste of Honey, National Theatre; The Baker, Into The Woods,
Menier Chocolate Factory; Ragtime and A Midsummer Night's Dream, Regent's
Park Theatre; Chip in The 5th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,
Donmar Warehouse. He was recently seen as Spud in Wonderland,
Adam Penford's inaugural production at
Nottingham Playhouse.
Ellie Nunn (Minnie Gascoyne) was in Shakespeare in Love in the West End. one-woman show Bombshells, Jermyn Street Theatre; Lady Windermere, Lady Windermere's Fan,
Kings Head Theatre; Ida, Honk!, The Union Theatre; Soldier On,
Playground Theatre/UK tour.
Veronica Roberts (Mrs Gascoyne) among her many credits, she was in Moving Pieces at the National Theatre; Dancing at Lughnasa in the West End; Judy in Harry and Judy, Southwark Playhouse and After Electra, The Drum Plymouth/Tricycle
Theatre, London. She was Lady Hester in the film Mr Turner.
Matthew Biddulph (Joe Gascoyne) features in the upcoming WW1 film, The Burying Party, an official selection for the Los Angeles Film Awards 2018. His stage credits include Think of England, UK tour/Vault Festival and Leaf, Edinburgh Fringe/
New Diorama Theatre.
Tessa Bell-Briggs (Mrs Purdy) was in the world premiere of
Peter Gill's As Good A Time As Any, Print Room at The Coronet and A Doll's House and Hayfever, Manchester Royal Exchange.
Creative team:
Director Jack Gamble. Designer Louie Whitemore. Lighting Designer Geoff Hense. Sound Designer Dinah Mullen. Associate Director Quentin Beroud.
A co-production by Arcola Theatre and Dippermouth
D H Lawrence
D H Lawrence was born in 1885 in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, where The Daughter-in-Law is set. The son of a coal miner and an upwardly mobile haberdasher's saleswoman, he put much of his early life into his writings. He wrote The Daughter-in-Law in 1913, the same year as his novel Sons and Lovers was published. Its realistic depiction of working-class life - Lawrence described it as "neither a tragedy nor a comedy - just ordinary" - preceded the 'kitchen sink' dramas of the late-50s /early-60s by almost half a century, and fell foul of contemporary theatre producers. When Lawrence's plays were first staged at the Royal Court in the mid-60s, the playwright
John Osborne remarked 'they were so good than even critics couldn't fail to see their quality'. Always a controversial writer, at the time of his death in 1930 Lawrence's public reputation was that of a pornographer who had wasted his considerable talents. Since then his work has been continually appraised. He is now widely recognised as one of the most significant and influential writers of the twentieth century.
Jack Gamble (Director)
Jack co-directed Richard II at the House of Commons/Arcola Theatre in 2015, and was dramaturg on Richard III at Arcola Theatre in 2016. He has previously directed shows at Jermyn Street Theatre, Theatre503 and Theatre Utopia.
Louie Whitemore (Designer)
Louie was nominated for Best Set Design at the 2017 Offie awards for Miss Julie (Jermyn Street Theatre/Theatre by the Lake). Other recent designs include: Blythe Spirit (Drum Theatre Beijing), Handbagged (Theatre by the Lake), Take Flight (Royal Opera House/Hull City of Culture), Macbeth (Dukes Theatre Lancaster) and Images Choreographics (Sadlers Wells/UK Tour).
Geoff Hense (Lighting Designer)
Recent designs include: Secret Life of Humans (Pleasance, Edinburgh), Testosterone (New Diorama/Tour), 64 Squares (New Diorama/Tour) and Richard II (House of Commons/Arcola).
Dinah Mullen (Sound Designer)
Recent designs include: The Plague, Richard III, The Blue Hour of Natalie Barney (Arcola Theatre), The Dog Beneath The Skin (Jermyn Street Theatre), Mapping Brent (
Tricycle Theatre) and Roller (Barbican).
Quentin Beroud (Associate Director)
Quentin co-directed Richard II at the House of Commons/Arcola Theatre in 2015. Other productions as director include: Verge of Strife (Assembly, Edinburgh) and Not About Heroes (Theatre Utopia). As associate director: Into the Numbers
(Finborough Theatre) and Girl From Nowhere (Theatre503/Tour).
Box office:
020 7503 1646
www.arcolatheatre.com
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