Cast Announced for Simon Stephens' New Play Wastwater

Published on Mon 7 Feb 2011
The cast has been announced for Simon Stephen's new play Wastwater at the Royal Court Theatre from 31 March. The play will unite playwright Simon Stephens with director Katie Mitchell for the first time.

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 7 February 2010

Wastwater
By Simon Stephens
Directed by Katie Mitchell
31 March – 7 May 2011
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs
Press Night, Tuesday 5 April 2011, 7pm

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR SIMON STEPHENS’ NEW PLAY WASTWATER DIRECTED BY KATIE MITCHELL

The cast has been announced for Simon Stephen’s new play Wastwater at the Royal Court Theatre from 31 March (press night 5 April). The play will unite playwright Simon Stephens with director Katie Mitchell for the first time.

The cast includes Linda Bassett, Amanda Hale, Jo McInnes, Paul Ready, Tom Sturridge and Angus Wright.

“You make one decision. It stays with you. It’s like the consequences of it get into your bones.”

Set on the edges of Heathrow Airport, Wastwater is an elliptical triptych – a snapshot of three different couples who make a choice that will define the fallout of their future.

Harry is on the point of leaving England. Frieda knows she will never see him again.
Lisa and Mark are on the point of a sexual betrayal that takes them into a place darker than they ever thought possible.
Sian has a terrifying deal for Jonathan. She isn’t going to take no for an answer.

Linda Bassett plays Frieda. She last appeared at the Royal Court in The Stone and Lucky Dog, for which she won the TMA Award for Best Actress. Other theatre credits include Pericles and The Winter’s Tale at the RSC. On screen, she has appeared in Larkrise to Candleford, Sense and Sensibility and films Cass, Kinky Boots, Calendar Girls, The Hours and East is East, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA.

Amanda Hale plays Sian. She last appeared at the Royal Court in The City. Her credits include Elektra at the Young Vic, Our Class and After Dido at the National Theatre, King Lear at the Young Vic and Pornography at the Traverse.

Jo McInnes plays Lisa. She last appeared at the Royal Court in Fleshwound, 4.48 Psychosis and Bluebird. Her other credits include House of Bernard Alba at the National Theatre, M.A.D at the Bush, On Blindness and dirty butterfly at Soho Theatre.

Paul Ready plays Mark. He last appeared at the Royal Court in Forty Winks, Black Milk, Crazyblackmuthaf*Ingself and Terrorism. His other theatre credits include London Assurance, Three More Sleepless Nights and Time and the Conways, Major Barbara, Waves, Attempts on Her Life and Saint Joan at the National Theatre.

Tom Sturridge plays Harry. He made his theatre debut in 2009 in Simon Stephens’ 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 Being Julia, Like Minds and The Boat that Rocked.

Angus Wright plays Jonathan. His theatre credits include Design for Living at the Old Vic, The Cat in the Hat, Mrs Affleck, War Horse, Saint Joan, The Seagull, Measure for Measure and Stuff Happens at the National Theatre and The Merchant of Venice at the RSC.

Simon Stephens’ last play at the Royal Court was Motortown in 2006. His previous plays for the Royal Court include Country Music, Herons and Bluebird. His plays elsewhere include Punk Rock at the Royal Exchange, Manchester and Lyric Hammersmith, Pornography at the Edinburgh Festival, Harper Regan at the National Theatre and On the Shore of the Wide World at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.

Director Katie Mitchell’s recent work includes Martin Crimp’s The City for the Royal Court, After Dido for English National Opera and the Young Vic, and Pains of Youth,…some trace of her, Waves, Three Sisters and The Seagull at the National Theatre

The production is designed by Lizzie Clachan, with lighting by Lucy Carter and sound by Gareth Fry.

Wastwater is a co-production with the Wiener Festwochen (Vienna).

Wastwater is at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court from
31 March – 7 May. Tickets £10 – £28 available online at www.royalcourttheatre.com or from the Box Office 0207 565 5000.

– ends –

(07/02/11)

Wiener Festwochen (Vienna)

The Wiener Festwochen (Vienna) was established in 1951. With Luc Bondy as its artistic director the Wiener Festwochen is now one of the world’s leading cultural festivals.
Each year, the Wiener Festwochen create or collaborate on a series of cultural events presented within six weeks in May and June which combine the highest artistic standards with socially relevant issues and objectives. The Wiener Festwochen are not only a mirror of the city’s enthusiasm for culture but also an offer of openness towards other cultures and spheres. As an innovative and international metropolitan festival, Wiener Festwochen offers a modern and multilingual program that covers the whole range from tradition to avant-garde, with a rich variety of plays, music dramas, concerts, performances, lectures, installations, films and video shows. The calendar features about 45 productions with 200 performances and 70 concerts. Each year the festival is attracting approx.180,000 visitors.

For further information see www.festwochen.at.

Cast:
Linda Bassett Frieda
Amanda Hale Sian
Jo McInnes Lisa
Paul Ready Mark
Tom Sturridge Harry
Angus Wright Jonathan

Creative Team:
Director Katie Mitchell
Designer Lizzie Clachan
Lighting Designer Lucy Carter
Sound Designer Gareth Fry

Listings Information

Wastwater
By Simon Stephens
Directed by Katie Mitchell
Thursday 31 March – Saturday 7 May 2011
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS
Monday- Saturday 7.30pm,
Thurs mats 3.30pm (from 14 April), Sat mats 3.30pm (from 9 April)
Press night Tuesday 5 April, 7pm
Post-show Talk Tuesday 12 April
Captioned Performances Tuesday 19 April 7.30pm,
Audio described performance Saturday 7 May 3.30pm

Tickets £28, £20, £12,
Mondays all seats £10
Concessions £5 off top two prices* (available in advance for all performances until 9 April inclusive and all matinees. For all other performances, available on a standby basis on the day)
25s and under £8*
School and HE Groups of 8+ 50% off top two prices (available Tuesday-Friday)
Groups of 6+ £5 off top price (available Tuesday-Friday)
Access £12 (plus a companion at the same rate)
– ID required, not bookable online. All discounts are subject to availability.

For further information please contact Anna Evans in the Royal Court Press Office on
020 7565 5063 or e-mail annaevans@royalcourttheatre.com.