Hampstead Theatre Announces THE PHLEBOTOMIST By Ella Road As Its Next Main Stage Show

Ella Road's debut play, The Phlebotomist transfers to the Hampstead Theatre Main Stage, following a sold out run Downstairs in 2018, with Jade Anouka reprising her role as Bea.

Bea meets Aaron. He's intelligent, handsome, makes her laugh and, most importantly, has a high rating on his genetic profile. What's not to like? Char has two degrees and is on the brink of landing her dream job but her rating threatens it all... In a ratist world where health, wealth and happiness depend on a single blood test - dictating everything from bank loans to dating prospects - phlebotomy reigns supreme. So how far will people go to beat the system?

Ella Road's debut play is a powerfully provocative vision of a dystopian future, questioning the value we place on one another, whether knowledge really is power, and if love truly can conquer all.

Ella Road is an English graduate and trained as an actor at the Oxford School of Drama. The Phlebotomist is her first play. It ran at Hampstead Downstairs in the spring of 2018. She is currently writing new commissions for Hampstead Theatre, The Almeida, and Theatre Royal Plymouth and is one of the Bush Theatre's 'Emerging Writers' of 2018/19. She is also developing a number of projects for Television and Film, including an adaption of The Phlebotomist. Her screenwriting work includes The Wyrd, and the latest Stand Up to Cancer video campaign for RSA Films. Her work for radio includes Road to Oxford for Radio 4 and the upcoming adaptation of The Phlebotomist for Radio 3. As an actor, Ella also works across theatre, screen and radio. She is co-founder of the new writing company Flux Theatre, which aims to champion new voices in the arts, create socially engaging work and build a supportive network of theatre-makers.

Sam Yates makes his Hampstead Theatre Main Stage directorial debut. His theatre credits include Incantata (Galway International Arts Festival); Glengarry Glen Ross starring Christian Slater (Playhouse/UK tour); Murder Ballad (Arts Theatre); Cymbeline (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse/Shakespeare's Globe - Ian Charleson Award commendation); East Is East (West End/UK tours); The El. Train starring Ruth Wilson (Hoxton Hall); Outside Mullingar (Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal, Bath); Billy Liar (Manchester Royal Exchange); Cornelius (Finborough/59E59 Theatres, New York - nominated for four Off West End Theatre Awards) and Mixed Marriage (Finborough). Film work includes The Hope Rooms (winner of the Rhode Island International Film Festival 2016 Grand Prize Filmmaker of the Future Award); Cymbeline, All's Well That Ends Well and Love's Labour's Lost (The Complete Walk, Shakespeare's Globe) and music videos, Emeralds and Auld Wives for the Ivor Novello Award-nominated band Bear's Den (Communion Music).

Jade Anouka plays Bea. Her theatre work includes Queen Margaret (Royal Exchange); The Phlebotomist (Hampstead Downstairs); Cover My Tracks (The Old Vic); Shakespeare Trilogy (Donmar at King's Cross); Doctor Faustus (West End); Julius Caesar, Henry IV and The Tempest (all Donmar/St. Ann's Warehouse, NY); So Here We Are (Royal Exchange/Hightide); Chef (Soho Theatre); The Vote (Donmar); Omeros (Sam Wanamaker); Clean (Traverse/59E59, NY); Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet (both Shakespeare's Globe); Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (National Theatre); Romeo and Juliet (Bolton Octagon); Wild Horses (Theatre503); Love's Labour's Lost (Shakespeare's Globe/US tour); Blood Wedding (Southwark Playhouse); Twelfth Night (York Theatre Royal); The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice (both RSC); The Penelopiad (RSC/NAC, Canada) and Handa's Surprise (Little Angel Theatre). Film work includes Fisherman's Friends, The Rhythm Section, Baby Gravy, A Running Jump and The Dark Channel. Television work includes Cleaning Up, Turn Up Charlie, Trauma, Chewing Gum, Lucky Man, The Vote, Shakespeare Uncovered, Doctor Who, Secrets and Words and Law & Order: UK.

Further casting to be announced.

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