Cast Announced for Polly Stenham's No Quarter

PRESS RELEASE

Friday 23 November

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR POLLY STENHAM’S NO QUARTER
AT ROYAL COURT THEATRE

The cast of Polly Stenham’s third play at the Royal Court No Quarter has been announced. Opening in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from 11 January (press night 16 January), the cast is Maureen Beattie, Zoe Boyle, Alexa Davies, Taron Egerton, Joshua James, Patrick Kennedy, Jenny Rainsford and Tom Sturridge.

The production is directed by Jeremy Herrin, designed by Tom Scutt, with lighting by Philip Gladwell, sound by Fergus O’Hare and music by Paul Englishby.

“You were brought up on mythology. That’s why you’re all stuck, all angry, a prince in the wrong story. A prince with a black eye.”

Fleeing a world he has rejected, Robin finds solace in his music and the sanctuary of his remote family home. But as his kingdom begins to crumble around him, how far will he go to save it and at what cost?

Polly Stenham returns with an anarchic twist on the drawing room drama. Following That Face and Tusk Tusk, her new play asks what is the right way to live?

Maureen Beattie plays Lily. Her credits include The Enquirer for National Theatre of Scotland, Maureen then starred in The List at the Edinburgh Festival, which won both a Fringe First and a Herald Angel, The Master Builder at Chichester Festival Theatre and This Wide Night for Clean Break at Soho Theatre. On film, her credits include most recently The Decoy Bride and she is also well known for playing Nurse Sandra Nicholl in Casualty.

Zoe Boyle plays Scout. Her credits include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Six Degrees of Separation at the Old Vic. On screen, she played Lavinia Swire in ITV’s Downton Abbey.

Alexa Davies plays Coby and will be making her professional stage debut.

Taron Egerton plays Tommy. His credits include The Last of the Haussmans at the National Theatre.

Joshua James plays Arlo. His credits include Love and Information at the Royal Court.

Patrick Kennedy plays Oliver. His credits include The Glass Menagerie for Shared Experience, Measure for Measure at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. On television, his credits include Murder on the Home Front (NBC), Boardwalk Empire, Parade’s End and on film, War Horse and Pirates of the Caribbean and Atonement.

Jenny Rainsford plays Esme. Her credits include The Importance of Being Earnest at the Rose Theatre Kingston

Tom Sturridge plays Robin. He last appeared at the Royal Court in Wastwater. Other credits include Punk Rock at the Lyric Hammersmith for which he won a Critics’ Circle Outstanding Newcomer Award and was nominated for an Evening Standard Award. On film, he appeared in The Boat that Rocked and On the Road.

Polly Stenham’s debut play That Face, written when she was just 19, received its world premiere in 2007 at the Royal Court, having been developed through the Royal Court’s Young Writers Programme, before transferring to the West End. She went on to win both the Evening Standard’s Award and Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright as well as the TMA Award for Best Play. Her second play Tusk Tusk played to sold out houses and critical acclaim in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in 2009.

Jeremy Herrin is Associate Director at the Royal Court, where he directed Polly’s first two plays That Face and Tusk Tusk. His other credits at the Royal Court include Hero, Haunted Child, The Heretic, Kin, Spur of the Moment, Off the Endz, The Priory and The Vertical Hour. Credits elsewhere include This House at the National Theatre, Children’s Children (Almeida), Absent Friends (West End), Uncle Vanya (Chichester), Death and the Maiden (West End), Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe), South Downs (Chichester and West End).

No Quarter is supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

No Quarter
By Polly Stenham
Directed by Jeremy Herrin
Fri 11 Jan – Sat 9 Feb 2013
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS
Monday-Saturday 7.45pm
Saturday Matinees 3.30pm (from 19 Jan)
Thursday Matinees 3.30pm (from 17 Jan)
Press Night Wednesday 16 January, 7pm
Post Show Talk Wednesday 6 Feb
Captioned Performance Friday 8 February, 7.45pm
Age Guidance 14+
Tickets £20 Mondays all seats £10
Concessions £15* (available in advance until 19 Jan incl, and all matinees. For all other performances, available on a standby basis on the day)
School and HE Groups of 8+ £10 (avail. Tue-Fri and mats)
Access £12 (plus a companion at the same rate)
*ID required. All discounts are subject to availability.
Box Office 0207 565 5000 www.royalcourttheatre.com

Cast
Maureen Beattie Lily
Zoe Boyle Scout
Alexa Davies Coby
Taron Egerton Tommy
Joshua James Arlo
Patrick Kennedy Oliver
Jenny Rainsford Esme
Tom Sturridge Robin

Creative Team
Director Jeremy Herrin
Designer Tom Scutt
Lighting Designer Philip Gladwell
Sound Designer Fergus O’Hare
Composer Paul Englishby

ends
(23/11/12)

For more information, please contact Anna Evans on 0207565 5063 annaevans@royalcourttheatre.com

Notes to Editors

Coutts is the Principal Sponsor of the Royal Court Theatre

Coutts is the UK private banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland. Coutts has a long history of supporting the arts going back 200 years, having looked after the financial affairs of many famous clients connected with the arts such as Bram Stoker, Charles Dickens and Chopin. In 1816, Thomas Coutts married Harriot Mellon, a popular actress of her day, and together they became partners of a number of London Theatres, including the Drury Lane and the Royal Opera House. Coutts has even featured in a number of artistic works including The Gondoliers by Gilbert and Sullivan, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In the new millennium, this tradition has continued not only through managing the finances of many of today’s top writers, actors and musicians, but also through our arts sponsorship programme and we are delighted to support The Royal Court and its diverse range of ground-breaking performances.

No Quarter is supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the leading medical authority on mental health in the United Kingdom and is the professional and educational organisation for doctors specialising in psychiatry. As a College, we
• set standards and promote excellence in psychiatry and mental healthcare
• lead, represent and support psychiatrists
• work with patients, carers and their organisations.
Public education is at the heart of our activities and is an essential component of everything we do. www.rcpsych.ac.uk