Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with Maxine Peake & More for HOW TO HOLD YOUR BREATH at Royal Court

The first pictures are released today for How to Hold Your Breath, a new play by Zinnie Harris. Directed by the Royal Court's Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone, the cast includes Christine Bottomley, Neil D'Souza, Peter Forbes, Maxine Peake, Siobhán McSweeney, Maxine Peake, Danusia Samaland Michael Shaeffer.

Starting with a seemingly innocent one night stand, How To Hold Your Breath is a darkly witty and magical play. Zinnie Harris dives into our recent European history, providing an epic look at the true cost of our principles and how we live now. The production is directed by Vicky Featherstone, designed by Chloe Lamford, with lighting by Paul Constable, music by Stuart Earl, sound design by Gareth Fry and movement by Ann Yee.

Artistic Director of the Royal Court Vicky Featherstone directs. Since she started at the Royal Court, her credits have included Dennis Kelly's The Ritual Slaughter of George Mastromas, Abi Morgan's The Mistress Contract and Molly Davies's God Bless the Child. She opened her first season at the Royal Court with Open Court - a festival of plays, ideas and events, chosen by over 140 writers. At National Theatre of Scotland, her credits included Enquirer (co-directed with John Tiffany), Appointment With The Wicker Man and 27. Prior to Scotland, Vicky was Artistic Director of Paines Plough.

Zinnie Harris' credits at the Royal Court include Nightingale and Chase. Her play The Wheel for the National Theatre of Scotland, directed by Vicky Wicker Man and 27. Prior to Scotland, Vicky was Artistic Director of Paines Plough. Featherstone, won a Fringe First Award, jointly won an Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Theatre Award and was shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Her other recent credits include The Message on the Watchand The Panel at the Tricycle and A Doll's House at the Donmar (adapt.). Her 2000 play Further than the Furthest Thing won the Peggy Ramsay Foundation Award, a Fringe First, and the John Whiting Award. On television, she has written extensively for Spooks and is currently writing Tommy and Tuppencebased on the Agatha Christie series for David Walliams on BBC1.

Photos by Manuel Harlan