Sheffield Theatres Announces Casting Updates For The David Hare Season

Sheffield Theatres has today announced some of the cast for The David Hare Season. In February and March 2011, all three of Sheffield Theatres' performance spaces will be given over to Hare's work. Actors including Malcolm Sinclair and Matthew Cottle perform in Racing Demon and Hattie Morahan will play Susan Traherne in Plenty.

This major retrospective of the works of David Hare is a hugely ambitious undertaking. Racing Demon will be directed by Sheffield Theatres' Artistic Director Daniel Evans and staged in the Crucible Theatre, Thea Sharrock will direct Plenty in the Studio Theatre and Peter Gill will direct The Breath of Life in the Lyceum Theatre.

Daniel Evans, commented:

'David Hare is one of the most significant figures of post-war British drama and I'm delighted that for the first time ever at Sheffield Theatres, we will celebrate the work of one writer on all three of our stages simultaneously. To have Thea Sharrock and Peter Gill direct two of the plays in the Hare Season is a great honour, and I'm thrilled to welcome some of the country's finest actors and designers to Sheffield for these plays.'

Alongside the work on stage, the Theatres will also present a series of readings, workshops and events as part of the Season. We have also teamed up with local independent cinema, The Showroom, to screen some of Hare's TV and film work.

Racing Demon

In a poor inner city parish, Lionel Espy leads a team of eccentric vicars who are wholly intent on the welfare of their parishioners.

But the churches are empty.

Tony Ferris, the new evangelical curate who joins the team, longs for a full church.

The day of judgement is coming.

The full cast is: Matthew Cottle (Donald 'Streaky' Bacon), Jonathan Coy (Charlie Southwark, Bishop of Southwark), Estella Daniels (Stella Marr), Ian Gelder (Rev Harry Henderson), Emma Hamilton (Frances Parnell) Mark Leadbetter (Tommy Adair), Jamie Parker (Tony Ferris), Paul Rattray (Ewan), Malcolm Sinclair (Lionel Espy), Mark Tandy (Gilbert Hefferman, Bishop of Kingston) and Jane Wymark (Heather Espy).

Malcolm Sinclair plays Lionel Espy. His theatre credits include The Habit of Art, The History Boys and The Power of Yes (National Theatre) Ivanov (Donmar Warehouse) Rosmersholm (Almeida) Richard III (RSC). For television Foyle's War, Falling and Making Waves. For film his credits include Casino Royale and V for Vendetta.

Matthew Cottle plays Donald 'Streaky' Bacon. His theatre credits include The Habit of Art (National Theatre), Taking Steps (Orange Tree Richmond), Absurd Person Singular (UK Tour), Noises Off (Liverpool Playhouse) and Private Fears in Public Places (The Royal Theatre, Northampton). For television Sex and the City and Me and as series regular in Life Begins and Game On.

Artistic Director Daniel Evans directs. Evans previously directed An Enemy of the People on the Crucible stage - the opening production of his inaugural season.

Design is by Tom Rogers, with lighting by Tim Mitchell and music and sound by Ben and Max Ringham.
Plenty

Stationed behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France, Susan Traherne lived for the moment - her every hour filled with danger, intrigue and exhilaration. But back in Britain, Susan's string of dead-end jobs and destructive relationships drives her to the very brink of madness.

Spanning three decades, David Hare's play is a powerful comment on post-war England, where ideals collapse and values collide.

Hattie Morahan plays Susan. Her theatre credits include The Family Reunion (Donmar Warehouse), Iphigenia At Aulis, Time and The Conways and Three More Sleepless Nights (National Theatre), Twelfth Night (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The City (Royal Court) and most recently, The Real Thing (Old Vic).

Thea Sharrock directs. Her recent credits include After the Dance, Happy Now? and Emperor Jones (National Theatre), Equus (Gielgud Theatre & Broadway), The Misanthrope (Comedy Theatre), Mrs Klein, Cloud Nine (Almeida Theatre), Heroes (Wyndham's Theatre & Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles), Voyage Round My Father (Donmar Warehouse & Wyndham's Theatre). Sharrock was previously the Artistic Director of The Gate and Southwark Playhouse.

Design is by Lucy Osborne with lighting by James Farncombe and music by Adrian Johnston.

David Hare is an Olivier Award winning playwright and Academy Award nominated screenwriter. As a playwright his work includes Slag (Hampstead Theatre, Royal Court, New York Shakespeare Festival), The Great Exhibition (Hampstead), Brassneck (with Howard Brenton, Nottingham Playhouse), Knuckle (Comedy Theatre), Fanshen (Hampstead & ICA, National Theatre), Teeth 'n 'Smiles (Royal Court, Wyndham's Theatre), Plenty (National Theatre, NYSF & Broadway), A Map Of The World (National Theatre, NYSF), Pravda (with Howard Brenton, National Theatre), The Bay At Nice (National Theatre), The Secret Rapture (National Theatre, NYSF & Broadway), Racing Demon (National Theatre, Broadway), Murmuring Judges (National Theatre), The Absence Of War (National Theatre), Skylight (National Theatre, Wyndham's, Vaudeville & Broadway), Amy's View (National Theatre, Aldwych, Garrick, & Broadway), The Blue Room (Donmar, Broadway and Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Judas Kiss (Playhouse & Broadway), Via Dolorosa (Royal Court, Almeida, Duchess & Broadway), My Zinc Bed (Royal Court), The Breath Of Life (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Permanent Way (Out of Joint & National Theatre), Stuff Happens (National Theatre & NYSF), The Vertical Hour (Broadway & Royal Court Theatre), Gethsemane (National Theatre), Berlin/Wall (National Theatre, Royal Court & NYSF) and The Power Of Yes (National Theatre).

His adaptations for theatre include The Rules of The Game - Pirandello (National Theatre & Almeida), The Life Of Galileo - Brecht (Almeida & National Theatre), Mother Courage & Her Children - Brecht (National Theatre), Ivanov - Chekhov (Almeida & Broadway), Platonov - Chekhov (Almeida Theatre), The House Of Bernarda Alba - Lorca (National Theatre) and Enemies - Gorky (Almeida Theatre).

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