PORTIA COUGHLAN and KING LEAR Come to the Almeida Theatre in 2023/24

The Almeida Theatre has announced two new productions for 2023/24: 

• Carrie Cracknell (Oil; The Deep Blue Sea) returns to the Almeida to direct Alison Oliver (Women, Beware the Devil; Best Interests) in Marina Carr's modern Irish classic Portia Coughlan. 
• Following his acclaimed performance in Hymn at the Almeida in 2021, Danny Sapani (Killing Eve; Les Blancs) takes the title role in King Lear, directed by Yaël Farber (The Tragedy of Macbeth; Blood Wedding). 

 

Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold said, “I first saw Danny Sapani at the Almeida in the extraordinary Big White Fog in 2007 – for me, it remains one of the defining performances in our theatre. Then in 2021, at the peak of the third Covid lockdown, he moved and inspired us in Lolita Chakrabarti's live streamed Hymn, alongside Adrian Lester. Next year, Danny returns to the Almeida as King Lear – one of our greatest stage actors in one of the greatest stage roles. 

  

“Before then, we welcome back Alison Oliver to play the eponymous Portia Coughlan in Marina Carr's breathtaking, haunting play. Alison is an incredible talent – this year alone she has received acclaim for Women, Beware the Devil here at the Almeida, Dancing at Lughnasa at The National Theatre and on TV in the BBC's Best Interests. 

  

“Helming these productions are two visionary directors – two years ago Yaël Farber gave us a spectacular Macbeth and Carrie Cracknell directs her first Almeida show since the epic Oil in 2016.” 

Portia COUGHLAN

by Marina Carr 

 

Directed by Carrie Cracknell 

 

Tuesday 10 October – Saturday 18 November 2023 

Press night: Tuesday 17 October 7pm

 

There's a wolf tooth growin in me heart and it's turnin me from everywan and everthin I am.  

 

A young woman unravelling.
A twin reappearing. 

A family torn asunder by the living and the dead.  

 

Today is Portia's birthday. But it's not a day for family and celebrations. Because Portia is making terrible choices, lurching between past and present, and wondering if the hand of fate has already set her course. 

 

Tormented by her dead twin Gabriel, who disappeared into the depths of the Belmont River 15 years ago, she wreaks havoc on all she loves in a desperate bid to save herself. 

  

Carrie Cracknell (Oil; The Deep Blue Sea) returns to the Almeida to direct Alison Oliver (Women, Beware the Devil; Best Interests) in Marina Carr's heart-wrenching modern Irish classic about destructive families and obsession. 

KING LEAR 

by William Shakespeare

Directed by Yaël Farber 

 

Thursday 8 February – Saturday 30 March 2024 

Press night: Thursday 15 February 7pm

 

Nothing shall come of nothing. 

  

We all must face the moment of truth that we won't live forever.   

   

Lear, father and king of unquestioned power, must divide his realm between his three daughters. The first two quickly declare the love he is desperate to hear, yet his favourite Cordelia shuns the performative circus. “Nothing” she answers, when asked to speak. And towards that nothing Lear's world begins to slide.  

   

As the new generation unleashes the consequences of their father's choices, Lear takes us into the eye of the storm and its trail of destruction.  

   

Following her Olivier Award-nominated The Tragedy of Macbeth, Yaël Farber directs Danny Sapani (Killing Eve; Hymn) as King Lear in Shakespeare's poignant, morally ambiguous, and subversive epic.  

 

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