Cast Set For UNCLE VANYA at the Orange Tree Theatre

Orange Tree Theatre has announced the full casting for Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Trevor Nunn directs David Ahmad (Telegin), William Chubb (Professor Serebryakov), Juliet Garricks (Marina), Madeleine Gray (Sonya), James Lance – best known for his Emmy nominated performance in Ted Lasso (Vanya), Guys and Dolls’ Andrew Richardson (Astrov), Lily Sacofsky (Elena) and Susan Tracy (Maria) in his adaptation of Chekhov’s tragicomedy. Uncle Vanya opens at the Orange Tree on 7 March and runs until 13 April, with previews from 2 March.

Trevor Nunn said today, “Uncle Vanya is a masterpiece of naturalistic theatre, requiring of the audience total belief in each and every character and situation.  So, it is a great privilege for me to have the opportunity to investigate Chekhov’s multi-layered human comedy in the intimate, inclusive and immersive environment of the Orange Tree Theatre.  The keenness of my anticipation has now been multiplied by having assembled a cast of brilliant actors to explore all three dimensions of this famous play.”

Cast: David Ahmad (Telegin), William Chubb (Professor Serebryakov), Juliet Garricks (Marina), Madeleine Gray (Sonya), James Lance (Vanya), Andrew Richardson (Astrov), Lily Sacofsky (Elena), Susan Tracy (Maria).

Associate Director: Leah Harris; Designer: Simon Daw; Lighting Designer: Johanna Town; Sound Designer: Max Pappenheim; Casting Director: Matilda James CDG.

Production supported by Derek Robinson.

I cannot go on living in the country. Human beings were not meant to live in the wild

Sonya and her Uncle Vanya lead an uneventful life on their country estate, animated only by visits from the dashing local doctor. But when Sonya’s famous father and his glamorous new wife unexpectedly turn up, old grudges return, and new desires ignite. In the heat of summer, tempers boil over and forbidden lusts threaten to end in catastrophe. 

An unmissable opportunity to see Chekhov’s tragi-comic masterpiece about the frustrations of rural life and middle age performed in the most intimate surroundings.

Biographies

David Ahmad plays Telegin. He returns to the Orange Tree having previously appeared in Romeo and Juliet. His theatre credits include Pop Music (Hull Truck Theatre), The Crucible, Hamlet (National Theatre), The Bolds, Mr. Holgado (Unicorn Theatre),  The Prince and The Pauper (New Vic Theatre Newcastle Under-Lyme), The Man Without A Past (New Perspectives Theatre), Our Man in Havana (Frinton Festival Theatre), The Kite Runner (Wyndham’s Theatre, Nottingham and Liverpool Playhouse), Ideomotor (Vaults Festival), Earnest and The Pale Moon, What I heard about Iraq (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), The Good Soul of Szechuan (Watford Palace Theatre), Eyecatcher (Sheffield Theatres) and Potted Potter – The Unauthorised Harry Experience (Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Little Shubert Theatre, New York). His television credits include Ghosts, Apple Tree Yard,  The Frank Skinner Show; and for film, The Phantom of the Open and Kat and The Band.

William Chubb plays Professor Serebryakov. His theatre credits include Farmhall, The Tempest, Racing Demon and You Can Never Tell (Theatre Royal Bath), The Taxidermist’s Daughter, Life of Galileo (Chichester Festival Theatre), Othello, Richard II (Shakespeare’s Globe), This House, Waste, Great Britain, Othello, Scenes From An Execution, The History Boys, The London Cuckholds, The Madness Of George III (National Theatre), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, King Lear (The Old Vic), In the Depths of Dead Love (Coronet Theatre), Lawrence After Arabia (Hampstead Theatre), Yes Prime Minister (Chichester Festival Theatre, Gielgud Theatre), The Sea, Hayfever (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Whose Life is it Anyway? (Duke of York’s Theatre), Galileo’s Daughter, Man and Superman, Fight for Barbara (Theatre Royal, Bath), Justifying War (Kiln Theatre), Homebody Kabul and A Raisin in the Sun (Young Vic Theatre). His television credits include The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, Vampire Academy, Sandman, Pistol, Miracle Workers, Quiz, Close to the Enemy, My Baby, Breathless, Edge of Heaven, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Silk, A Very British Sex Scandal, Phoo Action, Absolute Power, Cherished, Trial and Retribution VIII, A & E, Extremely Dangerous and The Ambassador; and for film, A Week in Paradise, Empire of Light, 6 Days, Adrift in Soho, Tezz, The Taking of Prince Harry, Veer, Affair of the Necklace, Mrs Caldicot’s Cabbage War, Milk and The Woodlanders.

Juliet Garricks plays Marina. Her theatre credits include The Doctor (Park Avenue Armory, New York, Almeida Theatre), and 100 Paintings (The Bread & Roses Theatre). Her television credits include Mr. Loverman and Murder they Hope; and for film Out of the Grey, South Facing, Reliable Witness, Phallacy, Secrets and After Work.

Madeleine Gray plays Sonya. Her theatre credits include A Murder Has Been Arranged (Theatre Royal Windsor), She Howls Kelp (Vault Festival), Endless Second, Timpson the Musical (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), The Unfortunate Life of Bees (Etcetera Theatre), Hot Lane (Spode Works, Claybody Theatre). Her television credits include Riches; and for film, The Batman.

James Lance plays Vanya. His theatre credits include Of Kith and Kin (Sheffield Theatres, Bush Theatre), The Dead Monkey (Park Theatre), Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense (Duke of York’s Theatre), Celebrity Autobiography (Leicester Square), Ingredient X (Royal Court Theatre), Pythonesque (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Ordinary Dreams (Trafalgar Studios), Pirandello’s Henry IV (Donmar Warehouse), Christmas, A Place at the Table, The Back Room (Bush Theatre), Tape (New Venture Theatre), The Inland Sea (Wilton’s Musical Hall), Elegies for Angels, Ragin Queens (King’s Head Theatre) and Brilliant The Dinosaur (Chichester Festival Theatre). His television credits include Ted Lasso (Primetime Emmy Award Nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series), The Canterville Ghost, Pennyworth, Agatha Raisin, Mount Pleasant, Hoff The Record, I Want My Wife Back, Houdini and Doyle, Babylon, Siblings, Toast of London, Black Mirror, Being Human, Boy Meets Girl, No Heroics, Top Buzzer, People Like Us, Saxondale, The Book Group, The Upper Hand, Sensitive Skin, Teachers, The Impressionists, The Famous Five, Smack the Pony and Absolutely Fabulous; and for film, Northern Soul, Marie Antoinette, Bel Ami, Hounded, Me Myself and Di, Late Night Shopping, The Search for John Gissing and Bronson.

Andrew Richardson plays Astrov. His previous theatre credits include Guys and Dolls – Evening Standard Theatre Award Nomination for Emerging Talent (Bridge Theatre), The Rover, The Three Muskateers (Carnegie Mellon), Othello, The 39 Steps (Harvey Theater) and The Taming of the Shrew (Chautaqua Institution). His television credits include Extrapolations, Triage, and The Last O.G; and for film, Daughter of the Bride, The Independent, Killer Among Us, Martin Eden and A Call to Spy.

Lily Sacofsky plays Elena. Her theatre credits include The Mighty Waltzer (Royal Exchange Theatre) and Three Days in the Country (National Theatre). Her television credits include McDonald and Dodds, Sanditon, Dangliesh, Summer of Rockets and Bancroft.

Susan Tracy plays Maria. Her theatre credits include Our Church (The Watermill Theatre), About Leo (Jermyn Street Theatre), Cyril’s Success, Dream of Perfect Sleep, Variation on a Theme (Finborough Theatre), A Day By The Sea (Southwark Playhouse), The Wars of the Roses (Rose Theatre Kingston), A Chorus of Disapproval (Harold Pinter Theatre), Playhouse Creatures, Rattigan’s Nijinsky, The Deep Blue Sea (Chichester Festival Theatre), Inherit the Wind, Richard 11, 900 Oneonta (The Old Vic), Gone With the Wind (Gillian Lynne Theatre), Anything Goes (Theatre Royal Drury Lane, National Theatre), Denial (Bristol Old Vic), The Old Country (English Touring Theatre, Trafalgar Studios), Runaway, The Merry-Go-Round (Royal Court Theatre), Eurydice (Trafalgar Studios), His Lordship’s Fancy (Gate Theatre), Favourite Nights (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), The Relapse, Bartholemew Fair, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, Heresies, Mephisto, No Limits to Love, Anna Christie, Othello, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Suicide, Three Sisters (RSC), Zack, The Rivals, Much Ado About Nothing, Loot (Royal Exchange Theatre), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Ambassadors Theatre) and Long Day’s Journey into Night (Cambridge Theatre, UK tour). Her television credits include Ted Lasso, Manhunt: The Night Stalker, Piss Off, I Love You, The Trial, Silk, The Cry, Goodnight Sweetheart, Minder/Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Playing the Field; and for film, The Death and Life of John F Donovan.

Trevor Nunn was Artistic Director of the National Theatre from 1997 to 2003, where his productions included The Merchant of Venice, Summerfolk and The Cherry Orchard, as well as Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady and Anything Goes. He was also the longest serving Artistic Director of the RSC, from 1968 to 1986, directing much of the Shakespeare canon, as well as Nicholas Nickleby and Les Misérables. He has directed the world premieres of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia and Rock ’n’ Roll, Cats, Starlight Express, Sunset Boulevard and The Woman in White. Other theatre includes, Timon of Athens and Skellig (Young Vic), The Lady from the Sea (Almeida), Hamlet, Richard II and Inherit the Wind (Old Vic), A Little Night Music (London/New York), Cyrano de Bergerac and Kiss Me, Kate (Chichester Festival Theatre), Flare Path, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Tempest and The Lion in Winter (Theatre Royal, Haymarket), A Chorus of Disapproval (West End), Beckett’s All That Fall (London/New York), Relative Values and Agnes Colander (Bath Theatre Royal/West End), Schikaneder (Vienna), Love in Idleness, Fiddler on the Roof (West End).  Opera includes, Idomeneo, Porgy and Bess, Così fan tutte and Peter Grimes (Glyndebourne and Salzburg) and Katya Kabanova and Sophie’s Choice (Royal Opera House).  His television credits include, Antony and Cleopatra, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, Three Sisters, Othello and King Lear; and for film, Hedda, Lady Jane, Twelfth Night and Red Joan.

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