Joining Gemma Arterton as Hilde Wangel and Stephen Dillane as Halvard Solness in The Almeida Theatre production of The Master Builder are Patrick Godfrey as Knut Brovik, Emma Hamilton as Kaja Fosli, Anastasia Hille as Aline Solness, John Light as Ragnar Brovik and Jack Shepherd as Doctor Herdal.
Directed by Travis Preston and in
Kenneth McLeish's translation of
Henrik Ibsen's original, The Master Builder previews from 12 November and runs until 8 January 2011, with press night on 18 November. Designs are by
Vicki Mortimer with lighting by
Paul Pyant and sound by
John Leonard.
Master Builder Halvard Solness has reached the pinnacle of his career. But at a cost; his family life is in ruins and he lives in fear that the next generation will rise up and brush him aside. When Hilde Wangel, a bewitching young woman, arrives to collect a decade-old debt, she breathes new life into his professional pride. As Halvard completes his architectural masterpiece, will Hilde be the Master Builder's ultimate downfall?
Gemma Arterton makes her Almeida debut as Hilde Wangel. Earlier this year she made her West End debut in The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick Theatre. She made her film debut in St Trinian's as Head Girl Kelly Jones and went on to play Bond girl Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace as well as Io in Clash of the Titans and Princess Tamina in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. She can currently be seen on screen playing the title role in Tamara Drewe. On stage she was also seen as Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. On television she played Elizabeth Bennett in Lost in Austen and Tess in Tess of the D'Urbervilles.
Stephen Dillane, who will play Master Builder Solness, was last at the Almeida in his one man Macbeth directed by Travis Preston. He has recently been at the Old Vic in
Sam Mendes' productions of The Tempest and As You Like It as part of The Bridge Project 2010. His award-winning theatre work includes Hamlet at the Gielgud Theatre and The Real Thing for the
Donmar Warehouse. For the
National Theatre his credits includeThe Coast of Utopia, Angels in America and Dancing at Lughnasa and at
The Royal Court Theatre he has been seen in Drunk Enough to Say I Love You, Our Late Night and Hush. His film credits include The Hours, Hamlet, Welcome to Sarajevo, The Greatest Game Ever Played and the Goal trilogy. On television his credits include
John Adams and The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall, for which he won the 2009 BAFTA for Best Actor.
Patrick Godfrey returns to the Almeida having previously been seen in Enemies, The Iceman Cometh and Galileo. He has recently been seen in The Crucible at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and at
The Globe Theatre in Love's Labour's Lost and The Frontline. His extensive work for the
National Theatre includes His Dark Materials, Three Sisters and
Mary Stuart. For the
Royal Shakespeare Company his many credits include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Barbarians. His many television credits include Doc Martin, Fallen Angel, Trial and Retribution and My Family.
Emma Hamilton's theatre credits include Twelfth Night for Birmingham Rep, The Glass Menagerie at the Royal Exchange Theatre and Northanger Abbey for Salisbury Theatre. On film she has been seen in Into The Storm and on television in The Tudors.
Anastasia Hille's theatre credits include Macbeth at the Barbican, Dido Queen of Carthage, Women of Troy, Waves and Dream Play, all for the
National Theatre, The Jewish Wife for the Young Vic, Forty Winks and Ashes to Ashes for the Royal Court and The Winter's Tale for the
Royal Shakespeare Company. Her film work includes The Awakening, Bloodline, Good and The Wisdom of Crocodiles and on television she has been seen in Lewis, Poirot, Foyles War, Big Women and Silent Witness.
John Light returns to the Almeida having previously been seen in Certain Young Men, The Cenci and The Tower. He has most recently been seen in A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine at Shakespeare's Globe, Apologia at the
Bush Theatre and Hedda Gabler at the Gate, Dublin. His
Royal Shakespeare Company credits include Julius Caesar and The Tempest. On television his work includes North and South, Cambridge Spies and Love in a Cold Climate and on film his credits include Scoop, Partition and Heights.
Actor, playwright and director
Jack Shepherd was a co-founder member, with
Ian McKellen and
Edward Petherbridge, of the Actors' Company. Later he became a member of
Bill Bryden's Company at the
National Theatre. Subsequently he has worked extensively for the Royal Court and
National Theatre and has most recently been seen on stage in a national tour of
Rupert Goold's production of Six Characters in Search of an Author. On television he is best known for playing the title role in the ITV series Wycliffe. His other screen credits include Waking The Dead, God on Trial, The Fixer, The Other Boleyn Girl and
Peter Ackroyd's London. His film credits include Churchill at War, c*ckand Bull Story and Charlotte Gray.
Travis Preston, Dean of the Center for New Performance at Cal Arts, the professional producing arm of California Institute of the Arts, is an internationally celebrated director of theatre and opera. He directed the acclaimed production of Macbeth with Stephen Dillane which opened at The Almeida Theatre in 2005 and then toured to Sydney and Adelaide, Australia with performances also taking place at the California Institute for the Arts.
The Almeida has previously presented Ibsen's The Lady From The Sea, Hedda Gabler, Rosmersholm and When We Dead Awaken.
For more information, visit
www.almeida.co.uk
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