Further Casting Announced For Theatre Royal Bath's Summer Season 2018

Jonathan Church, Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Bath's Summer Season, today announces further casting for the 2018 summer programme with actors Ralf Little (The Royle Family, Ugly Lies the Bone) and Nigel Lindsay (Victoria, Four Lions) joining the previously announced Elizabeth McGovern and Amanda Abbington in the 10th anniversary production of Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage.

Olivier Award winner Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey, Requiem) is also today announced to join David Suchet in the 50th anniversary production of Arthur Miller's The Price, and Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey, Lovejoy) will star as Patricia Highsmith in the UK Premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith's thriller Switzerland. The new artists will also join Tara FitzGerald, Robert Lindsay and Ben Hall in a diverse season of new work and renowned classics at Theatre Royal Bath, with further casting still to be announced.

Brendan Coyle's extensive television credits include John Bates in Downton Abbey, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA and an Emmy Award, the 2018 BBC series Requiem, Murdoch Mysteries, Starlings and Blue Murder. He won the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for his performance in The Weir (Royal Court) and has also appeared in Mojo (Harold Pinter Theatre), The Late Henry Moss (Almeida) and Buried Child (National Theatre). His film credits include Me Before You and Mary Queen of Scots.

Nigel Lindsay's numerous television credits include the ITV series Victoria, Spooks and White Gold. On film he has appeared in Four Lions, for which he was nominated for Best British Comedy Performance in Film at the British Comedy Awards, and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa. His many stage credits include the title role in Shrek the Musical for which he was nominated for the Oliver Award for Best Actor in a Musical, Guys and Dolls (West End), Harrogate (Royal Court), A Small Family Business (National Theatre), Broken Glass (Tricycle Theatre) and Awake and Sing (Almeida).

Ralf Little is an actor and writer best known for his roles as Antony in The Royle Family and Jonny in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. His theatre credits include Ugly Lies the Bone (National Theatre) and Dead Funny (Vaudeville Theatre) and he has also appeared in several films including Underdogs and The Waiting Room.

Phyllis Logan is well-known for her role as Mrs Hughes in ITV's Downton Abbey and as Lady Jane Felsham in Lovejoy. Her extensive television credits include Girlfriends, The Good Karma Hospital, Bones, Wallander, Silent Witness and Vera. Her film appearances include Secrets & Lies and Another Time Another Place for which she won the BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer to Film and the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress. Her theatre credits include Richard III (Crucible Theatre), The Case of David Anderson Q.C. (Traverse Theatre) and Marvin's Room (Hampstead Theatre).

HENRY V
Ustinov Studio
Thursday 21 June - Saturday 21 July
Press night: Thursday 28 June

Innovative theatre company Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory will launch their brand new production of Henry V at the Ustinov Studio prior to a UK Tour. Directed by Elizabeth Freestone, Shakespeare's play is a thrilling examination of the nature of power, the burden of leadership and the myth of heroism.

Ben Hall (The Durrells, Coriolanus) will star in the title role. He will be joined by Rosie Armstrong, Alice Barclay, Melody Brown, Alan Coveney, Chris Donnelly, Luke Grant, Heledd Gwynn, Joanne Howarth, David Osmond, Zachary Powell, Amy Rockson and Corey Montague-Sholay.

AN IDEAL HUSBAND
Main House
Wednesday 18 July - Saturday 4 August

An Ideal Husband, directed by Jonathan Church will transfer direct from a critically acclaimed West End season at the Vaudeville Theatre. Oscar Wilde's sharp and witty drama explores corruption, blackmail and honour when a damning secret threatens to ruin ambitious politician Sir Robert Chiltern's career and marriage.

The production will star real-life father and son duo, BAFTA winner Edward Fox (The Audience, The Day of the Jackal) and Freddie Fox (The Judas Kiss, Cucumber). They are joined by Susan Hampshire (The Forsyte Saga, Monarch of the Glen), Olivier Award winner Nathaniel Parker (Wolf Hall, This House), Frances Barber (Silk, Antony and Cleopatra) and Sally Bretton (Not Going Out, King Lear).

SWITZERLAND
Ustinov Studio
Wednesday 1 August - Saturday 1 September
Press night: Thursday 9 August

Lucy Bailey will direct the UK premiere of Joanna Murray Smith's award-winning psychological thriller Switzerland. The play paints a portrait of one of the great writers of the 20th century, Patricia Highsmith, famed for writing The Talented Mr Ripley, Strangers On A Train and The Price of Salt. Phyllis Logan will star as the renowned author, with further casting to be announced in due course.

When a mysterious gentleman visits Patricia to persuade her to pen one final instalment of the bestselling Tom Ripley series it soon becomes clear the stranger has a far more sinister mission.

Switzerland premiered in Australia in 2015 where it won Best New Australian Work at the Sydney Theatre Awards.

THE PRICE
Main House
Thursday 9 August - Saturday 25 August
Press night: Wednesday 15 August

Jonathan Church will direct the 50th anniversary production of Arthur Miller's riveting drama The Price in Theatre Royal Bath's Main House. One of Britain's most celebrated actors, David Suchet, will star as furniture dealer Gregory Solomon with Olivier Award winning actor Brendan Coyle playing Victor Franz, with further casting to be announced.

The play tells the story of two long-estranged brothers, Victor and Walter Franz, meeting in their former childhood home following the death of their father. When Gregory Solomon, a silver-tongued used furniture dealer, arrives to close a deal he hasn't counted on the brothers being there to confront each other.

First seen on Broadway in 1968, The Price was nominated for two Tony Awards including Best Play. It was most recently revived in New York in 2017, starring Mark Ruffalo and Danny DeVito.

GOD OF CARNAGE
Main House
Wednesday 29 August - Saturday 15 September
Press night: Wednesday 5 September

Ten years on from its world premiere in London's West End, Lindsay Posner directs Yasmina Reza's award-winning farce God of Carnage. Starring much-loved actors from hit television series, Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), Amanda Abbington (Sherlock), Ralf Little (The Royle Family) and Nigel Lindsay (Victoria). The play is a ruthlessly comic study of middle-class parenting.

When eleven-year-old Ferdinand hits eleven-year-old Bruno in a playground punch-up and knocks out two of his teeth, the combatants' enlightened parents decide to meet to talk things over civilly. But once the niceties are done with and the drink starts flowing, it is the parents who turn into spoiled brats.

Originally written in French, God of Carnage was translated by Christopher Hampton in 2008. The production went on to win the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and the Tony Award for Best New Play.

IN PRAISE OF LOVE
Ustinov Studio
Wednesday 3 October - Saturday 3 November
Press night: Monday 15 October

Jonathan Church will make his Ustinov Studio directorial debut with Terence Rattigan's final play In Praise of Love. Olivier Award and Tony Award winner Robert Lindsay (My Family, Me and My Girl) and Tara FitzGerald (Waking the Dead, Hamlet) will star in the closing production of Church's season.

A perceptive and powerful drama about the concealed truths and veiled emotions in a marriage, In Praise of Love sees a series of heart-breaking revelations change a couple's relationship forever.

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