THE BLINDING LIGHT Premieres Tonight at Jermyn Street Theatre

This month, Tom Littler launches his first season as Artistic Director of Jermyn Street Theatre with the world premiere of celebrated playwright Howard Brenton's The Blinding Light, a specially commissioned work about the life of Swedish dramatist August Strindberg.

Leading the cast in the production are Jasper Britton, known for numerous roles with the National Theatre and RSC including his critically hailed portrayals of Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew and The Tamer Tamed and Susannah Harker, who was nominated for a BAFTA award for her portrayal of Mattie Storrin in BBC's House of Cards and whose other roles include Jane Bennett in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

They are joined by rising stars Gala Gordon (Three Sisters - Young Vic, film: Kids in Love, TV: The Crown) and Laura Morgan (Deposit - Hampstead Theatre, TV: Joan of Arc in The Hollow Crown, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Dark Angel).

The Blinding Light charts Strindberg's notorious breakdown in Paris in 1896, known as his 'Inferno period'. Abandoning theatre, living a life of squalid splendour, Strindberg practises alchemy. In his hotel room, he attempts to make gold by finding the philosopher's stone, the secret of creation. As his grasp of reality weakens his first two wives visit him to bring him to his senses. But their interventions spin out of control. And - are they really his wives at all?

Tom Littler says; "What an honour to be opening my first season with Howard Brenton's new play. This is a spooky, 90-minute thriller - by turns funny, beautiful, and frightening. I'm delighted to have assembled such a talented cast."

Howard Brenton says: "Jermyn Street Theatre is a tiny furnace of creativity, radiating influence way beyond its size. I was so pleased to be commissioned to write the first play of Tom Littler's debut season, and thrilled about the casting of such terrific actors."

Following The Blinding Light, the autumn season continues with the world premiere of Judith Burnley's Anything That Flies, directed by rising star Alice Hamilton. Continuing the association of Howard Brenton and August Strindberg, Littler directs Miss Julie, in a new version by Brenton, in November, following its critically acclaimed run at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick this summer. A co-production with the English Theatre Frankfurt of The Hound of the Baskervilles, directed by Lotte Wakeham, rounds off the season as the theatre's Christmas show in December. Throughout the autumn are a number of literary and gala events on Sunday evenings.

Jermyn Street Theatre has a new ticketing policy. All previews are £15 and 100 £10 tickets for under-30s are available for each production. A £100 Escape Season Ticket includes a seat and a free drink at all of The Blinding Light, Anything That Flies, Miss Julie and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Jermyn Street Theatre is an arthouse theatre in the heart of the West End. A 70-seat studio, it opened in 1994, and this summer Anthony Biggs was replaced by Tom Littler as Artistic Director. Littler is relaunching the venue as a producing house. Jermyn Street Theatre is signed up to the Equity Fringe Agreement and has promised to achieve gender parity on and off stage.

IF YOU GO:

JERMYN STREET THEATRE presents
The World Premiere of
THE BLINDING LIGHT
By Howard Brenton
Directed by Tom Litter

September 6 - October 14 2017
Press performance September 12, 7.30pm
Monday to Saturday 7.30pm
Saturday matinees 3.30pm

At Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST

Tickets: £30; £20 concessions available for performances before Saturday 23 September; £15 all previews before Tuesday 12 September; Under 30 100 £10 tickets available before Saturday 23 September. £100 Escape Season Ticket: a full-price ticket to every show, plus a free drink with each ticket.

Box office: 0207 287 2875 and online at www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk

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