The Welkin is at the National Theatre from 15th January until 28 March, with further performances to be announced, and will be streamed as part of National Theatre Live on Thursday 21 May.
Take a look at rehearsal photos from the production below!
Rural Suffolk, 1759. As the country waits for Halley's comet, Sally Poppy (Ria Zmitrowicz) is sentenced to hang for a heinous murder. When she claims to be pregnant, a jury of 12 matrons are taken from their housework to decide whether she's telling the truth, or simply trying to escape the noose. With only midwife Lizzy Luke (Maxine Peake) prepared to defend the girl, and a mob baying for blood outside, the matrons wrestle with their new authority, and the devil in their midst.
The Welkin reunites Maxine Peake (Black Mirror, Funny Cow) and Ria Zmitrowicz (The Doctor) after they starred together in the BAFTA-winningThree Girls on BBC One in 2017.
The cast also includes Natasha Cottriall, Daneka Etchells, Jenny Galloway, Haydn Gwynne, Zainab Hasan, Aysha Kala, Wendy Kweh, Philip McGinley, Cecilia Noble, Laurence Ubong Williams, Dawn Sievewright, June Watson, Shaofan Wilson, Hara Yannas and Brigid Zengeni.
In the Lyttelton this January, it is directed by James Macdonald (John, Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp, The Children).
Photo Credit: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg
James Macdonald, Zainab Hasan and Cecilia Noble
Haydn Gwynne and Lucy Kirkwood
Jenny Galloway, Maxine Peake and June Watson
Maxine Peake and Ria Zmitrowicz
Maxine Peake, Wendy Kweh, Hara Yannis
Ria Zmitrowicz
The Company
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