John Goodman, Damian Lewis and Tom Sturridge Star in AMERICAN BUFFALO, Starting Tonight in the West End

John Goodman and Tom Sturridge will join Damian Lewis in the major new revival of David Mamet's gripping 1975 playAmerican Buffalo. Directed by Daniel Evans, American Buffalo will play at Wyndham's Theatre for a strictly limited run from tonight 16 April - 27 June 2015.

Winning the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for best play, Mamet's explosive drama examines the fickle nature of honour among thieves. As three small-time crooks, Walter "Teach" Cole (Damian Lewis), Don Dubrow (John Goodman) and Bobby (Tom Sturridge), plan one big-time heist, a tragedy of errors spins this razor-sharp and darkly funny play into a blistering account of divided loyalties, insatiable greed and a coveted Buffalo nickel.

John Goodman said "I'm delighted to be returning to the stage, and to be making my West End debut, in such a fantastic project with two brilliant British actors both of whom I've admired for some time. David Mamet is a writer I have loved throughout my career and so I'm thrilled to be bringing his work alive on stage."

Tom Sturridge said "It's a deep privilege to be offered the chance to do this play with Damian and John under Daniel's direction. I think the play is dangerous and delicate, funny and frightening. American Buffalo is special. I can't wait to fight to make an audience feel about it as I do."

Considered a classic of the American canon and recognised as one of Mamet's masterpieces, American Buffalo premiered at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago and opened on Broadway on 16 February 1977. The play was also adapted into a 1996 film starring Dustin Hoffman (Teach), Dennis Franz (Don), and Sean Nelson (Bobby).

JOHN GOODMAN is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner and internationally renowned American actor. Goodman first came to prominence for his Golden Globe winning role on Rosanne in which he played Dan Conner and subsequently has become well-known for his frequent collaborations on screen with the Coen Brothers in films such as Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski and O Brother Where Art Thou? John most recently starred in Paramount's remake of 1974's The Gambler and he is currently starring in season 2 of Amazon's Alpha House. His upcoming films include Bad Robot's thriller Valencia and Jay Roach's Trumbo.

Goodman's recent stage credits have included his critically acclaimed performance as Pozzo in Waiting for Godot (Studio 54, New York), in which he starred alongside Nathan Lane and Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (The Public Theatre, New York).

Goodman's innumerable film credits have included Ben Affleck's Academy Award winning film Argo, the multi-award winningThe Artist, Inside Llewyn Davis and Monuments Men. In addition to his roles on film, John's television credits include performances in Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Dancing on the Edge. Goodman is also well-known for his voice work in Disney's Monsters, Inc. series in which he stars as Sulley alongside Billy Crystal, The Emperor's New Groove and The Princess and the Frog.

TOM STURRIDGE is a Tony nominated English actor who is well known for his work on stage and film. In 2013 Tom won Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World awards and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the Broadway play Orphans in which he starred alongside Alec Baldwin and Ben Foster. Sturridge made his theatre debut in Simon Stephens' Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith & Manchester Royal Exchange) for which he received Critics Circle Best Newcomer and Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards as well as being nominated for the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. He subsequently went on to star in Simon Stephens' Wastwater and Polly Stenham's No Quarter for which he was long listed as Best Actor at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards (both Royal Court Theatre).

Sturridge's film credits include roles in Istvan Szabo's Being Julia, Richard Curtis' The Boat That Rocked, Emma Thompson'sEffie Gray, and Walter Salles' adaptation of iconic novel On the Road. In 2015, Tom will star in Thomas Vinterberg's new film adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel Far from the Madding Crowd alongside Carey Mulligan as well as Terence Malick's untitled new feature with Ryan Gosling and Michael Fassbender. Sturridge is also set to play Henry VI alongside Dame Judi Dench and Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC's next Hollow Crown series.

American Buffalo is produced in the West End by Matthew Byam Shaw, Nia Janis and Nick Salmon for Playful Productionsand Jeffrey Richards.

DETAILS:

AMERICAN BUFFALO
16 April - 27 June 2015
Press night 27 April 2015
Wyndham's Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0DA

www.AmericanBuffaloThePlay.com

Monday - Saturday 7:30pm
Wednesday & Saturday 2:30pm
No Wednesday matinees W/E 19 April & W/E 26 April
Tickets from £15

CAST & CREATIVE BIOGRAPHIES

DAMIAN LEWIS OBE won unanimous international acclaim for his role in Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning dramaHomeland. Lewis starred as 'Sergeant Nicholas Brody' opposite Claire Danes and was awarded the 2013 Golden Globe for 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series' and a 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series' among other accolades for his role. With an expansive list of diverse film, theatre and television credits Damian Lewis has evolved into one of this generation's most respected and sought-after actors.

Prior to his role in Homeland, Lewis first came to the attention of international audiences in 2001 with his Golden Globe-nominated performance in the award-winning HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Tom Hanks. He also starred as Soames Forsyte in the acclaimed British production of The Forsyte Saga and Charlie Crews in Life. Lewis will star as Henry VIII in Wolf Hall opposite Mark Rylance in the upcoming 2015 BBC Two television miniseries adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Booker-Prize winning novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies.

American Buffalo marks Lewis's return to the stage since he starred as Alceste in Martin Crimp's 2009 adaptation of The Misanthrope opposite Keira Knightley. After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (alongside director Daniel Evans), Lewis joined the British theatre community and appeared in a number of plays between 1993-98, primarily as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. During that time, he starred as Laertes in Jonathan Kent's Broadway production of Hamlet opposite Ralph Fiennes. In 2003, Lewis returned to the London stage opposite Helen McCrory in Five Gold Rings at the Almeida Theatre. In 2005 he starred in the National Theatre's production of Ibsen's Pillars of the Community.

In addition to his illustrious work on stage, Lewis has recently appeared on film in Julian Fellowes' recent adaptation ofRomeo and Juliet which starred Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld in the titular roles, The Sweeney and David Gordon Green's Your Highness. Lewis has recently completed production on a number of films due for release in 2015 which include Werner Herzog's Queen of the Desert opposite Nicole Kidman, the adaptation of John le Carré's novel Our Kind of Traitoralongside Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard and Naomie Harris and The Silent Storm which received its world premiere in October 2014 at the BFI London Film Festival.

DAVID MAMET is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, screenwriter and director who won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for American Buffalo. His acclaimed plays include the Pulitzer Prize winning Glengarry Glen Ross, Oleanna, Boston Marriage, Speed-the-Plow, Edmond, Race and The Cryptogram (which had its world premiere in London). His upcoming new play China Doll will make its world premiere on Broadway in 2015 starring Al Pacino. He is a member of New York's Atlantic Theater Company, which he founded in 1985 with William H. Macy.

A two-time Academy Award nominee for The Verdict and Wag the Dog, Mamet's further film credits include Phil Spector which starred Al Pacino and Helen Mirren and State and Main which starred Philip Seymour Hoffman and William H. Macy. His nonfiction work includes the New York Times best seller The Secret Knowledge.

DANIEL EVANS is an Olivier Award-winning and Tony nominated British actor and director who is currently the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres. Evans succeeded Samuel West as the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres in 2009 and has enjoyed critical acclaim for his tenure which has resulted in Sheffield Theatres receiving The Stage's Best Regional Theatre Award in 2013 and 2014. Whilst at Sheffield Theatres Evans has directed acclaimed productions of Oliver!, The Full Monty(currently embarking on a UK tour), My Fair Lady starring Dominic West and Cole Porter's Anything Goes. His further directorial credits include Ibsen's An Enemy of the People and David Hare's Racing Demon (both Sheffield Theatres).

As an actor Evans won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2001 for his role in Merrily We Roll Along and again in 2005 for Sunday in the Park with George. In 2008, Sunday in the Park with George transferred to Studio 54 on Broadway and was nominated for 9 Tony Awards including Best Actor in a Musical for Evans. His extensive theatre work includes roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar Warehouse, Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre.

PAUL WILLS - SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER
Recent theatre credits include: A Human Being Died That Night (BAM), Di and Viv and Rose (Hampstead Theatre / Vaudeville Theatre, West End), Howie the Rookie (Dublin, London, New York), Our Few and Evil Days (Abbey Theatre, Dublin), A Human Being Died That Night (Hampstead Theatre / Fugard Theatre South Africa), The Two Gentleman of Verona (RSC), Afterplay and My Fair Lady (Sheffield Theatres), Once a Catholic (Tricycle Theatre), Secret Theatre, Blasted and Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith), Routes, The Acid Test and Breathing Corpses (Royal Court), Barnum (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Lightning Child and Doctor Faustus (Shakespeare's Globe), Making Noise Quietly and Anna Christie (Donmar Warehouse), A Number (Menier Chocolate Factory).

MARK HENDERSON - LIGHTING DESIGNER
Theatre credits in the West End and on Broadway include: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Iceman Cometh, The Judas Kiss,Copenhagen, Democracy, Hamlet, The History Boys (also in Los Angeles), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Les Parents Terribles, The Real Thing, Rowan Atkinson in Revue (also World tour), Enron, One Man, Two Guvnors.

Theatre credits in the West End include: The Bodyguard, The Sound of Music (also in Toronto and UK tour), Marguerite (also in Tokyo), Grease is the Word (also UK and world tours), Amy's View, Our House, Up for Grabs, On An Average Day, Tonight's the Night, West Side Story (also UK tours), Spend Spend Spend, Neville's Island, Follies, Mutiny, Passion, A Few Good Men, As You Desire Me, All My Sons, When We Are Married, Hay Fever, The King's Speech, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Sweeney Todd and Private Lives.