James Dreyfus to Star in HARVEY at Birmingham Rep; Play Eyes West End Transfer

According to the Daily Mail, James Dreyfus will play 'Elwood P. Dowd' in HARVEY at Birmingham Repertory Theatre next year before the show launches a UK tour to Richmond, Bromley and Malvern. Mary Chase's play (which recently appeared on Broadway starring Jim Parsons) is being produced by Don Gregory, who told the Mail he plans on transferring the production to the West End.

HARVEY centers on Dowd, a man who has befriended an imaginary, six-foot-tall rabbit named Harvey. Dowd proceeds to embarrass his family and friends by introducing Harvey to everyone he meets.

The play premiered on Broadway in 1944, directed by Antoinette Perry and starring Frank Fay. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1945. The work's first London appearance was in 1949. HARVEY has since been adapted several times for film and television; James Stewart starred in the 1950 movie version.

Dreyfus most recently appeared in the West End as the 'Emcee' in CABARET. Before that, he starred as 'Carmen Ghia' in THE PRODUCERS and 'Russell Paxton' in LADY IN THE DARK, for which he won an Olivier Award in 1998. That same year, he appeared in JULIUS CAESAR at Birmingham Rep.

Among his other recent theatre credits are DONKEYS' YEARS at the Comedy Theatre, THE COMMON PURSUIT at Menier Chocolate Factory, and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY's at Theatre Royal, Haymarket.