Royal Court Theatre Presents INGREDIENT X, Previews May 20

Ingredient X, the new play by Nick Grosso, will open at the Royal Court Theatre from 26 May (previews from 20 May) with a cast including James Lance, Lesley Sharp and Indira Varma.

A tough new comedy about addiction, the play opens in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs and will be directed by Deborah Bruce, designed by Ben Stones, with lighting by Matt Drury and sound by David McSeveney.

James Lance plays Frank, a recovering alcoholic. His theatre credits include Henry IV at the Donmar and has worked extensively at the Bush Theatre. On television, his credits include Boy Meets Girl, I'm Alan Partridge, Saxondale and Teachers.
Lesley Sharp plays Rosanna, Frank's next-door neighbour and X factor addict. Her theatre credits include Ghosts, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice; Harper Regan, Mother Courage and Uncle Vanya at the National Theatre and God of Hell at the Donmar Warehouse. At the Royal Court, she appeared in Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, Our Country's Good and The Recruiting Officer. On television Lesley's credits include Bob and Rose, Red Riding, Moving On: The Butterfly Effect and The Diary of Anne Frank and on film, she appeared in Vera Drake, The Full Monty and Inkheart.

Indira Varma plays Frank's wife Katie. Her theatre credits include The Vertical Hour at the Royal Court, Twelfth Night and The Vortex at the Donmar Warehouse. On television she is soon to appear in Luther alongside Idris Elba and Ruth Wilson, a new crime thriller on the BBC later this year. Her other credits include Hustle, Torchwood and the HBO series of Rome

‘I've always said I'll stop just as soon as The X Factor stops. The X Factor stops I stop that's the deal.'

It's Saturday night and the judges are gathering for their prime-time slot, feeding the nation their weekly fix. Except the harshest critics are sitting on your sofa and the mute button doesn't seem to work.

Nick Grosso came through the Royal Court's Young Writers Programme and his monologue Mama Don't (1993) was produced by the Royal Court and staged at the Commonwealth Institute. His subsequent plays at the Royal Court include his debut, Peaches (later made into a film), Sweetheart, Real Classy Affair and Kosher Harry.

Deborah Bruce's credits include Scarborough and Made of Stone at the Royal Court, Blame at the Arcola, My Own Show at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and The Unexpected Man and In Praise of Love at the Theatre Royal Bath.

Ingredient X previews from 20 May until 19 June in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre. Tickets £10 - £15 available online at www.royalcourttheatre.com or from the Box Office on 020 7565 5000.

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