Cast Announced for Vera Vera Vera

PRESS RELEASE

CASTING ANNOUCED FOR VERA VERA VERA

Vera Vera Vera by Hayley Squires is the second full production to open in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court as part of the 2012 Young Writers Festival.

The fresh young cast of new talent include Danielle Flett, Daniel Kendrick, Tommy McDonnell, Abby Rakic-Platt and Ted Riley.

‘Bobby’s dead and you’re still breathing. That’s a fucking walking talking tragedy that is.’
The boy who comes back from a war far away in a wooden box is glorified and called a hero.

As the funeral plans are made in a small Kent town, his siblings squabble over who he was.

Maybe the fanfare isn’t needed for this heroic martyr.

Vera Vera Vera is a blackly comic play about what we are willing to fight for, looking at violence, neglect and apathy.

Hayley Squires is an actor. This is her first play and her first submission to the Royal
Court.

Director Jo McInnes most recently directed Red Bud at the Royal Court, as well as
appearing in Wastwater by Simon Stephens as an actor. Her directorial credits also
include The Verdict on BBC1, the world premiere of Marine Parade by Simon
Stephens at the Brighton Festival and most recently Kaleidoshow at the Old Market, Hove.

The production will be designed by Tom Piper, with lighting by Stephen Andrews and
sound by David McSeveney.

Vera Vera Vera is part of the Young Writers Festival 2012, which since its inception in 1973, has become one of the premier showcases of young writing talent from across Britain, launching writers such as Simon Stephens (winner of the 2005 Olivier award for Best Newcomer), Christopher Shinn (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 2008), Bola Agbaje (winner of the Olivier Award in 2008), Leo Butler, Andrea Dunbar, DC Moore, Michael Wynne and Chloe Moss.

This year’s festival is the biggest in its history, featuring two full productions of new plays, four staged readings, ten short plays and a series of free workshops, talks and ‘afterdark’ late night events in the bar. Alongside the free events programme, there will be a pay-what-you-like-night for Vera Vera Vera on Friday 23 March.

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

Vera Vera Vera
By Hayley Squires
Directed by Jo McInnes
Thursday 22 March – Saturday 14 April 2012
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS
Monday-Thursday 7.45pm
Friday 23 March 7.45pm
Friday 30 March and 13 April 8.30pm
Saturday 24 March and 7 April 7.45pm
Saturday 31 March and 14 April 8.30pm
Saturday Matinees 3.30pm (from 31 March)
Thursday Matinees 5 April and 12 April 3.30pm
There will be no performances on Good Friday or Easter Monday.
Press Night Monday 26 March 2012 7pm
Post-show talk Tuesday 3 April
Captioned performance Friday 13 April
Tickets £20 Monday all seats £10 (available from 9am, online)
Concessions £15 (available in advance until Saturday 31 March incl, and all matinees.
For all other performances, available on a standby basis on the day)
Pay What You Like Night: Friday 23 March. Tickets available in person from 10am
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.

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.

Vera Vera Vera is part of the Royal Court’s Jerwood New Playwrights programme, which aims to discover and support the next generation of world class playwrights. Supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation.

The Jerwood Charitable Foundation is dedicated to imaginative and responsible revenue funding of the arts, supporting emerging artists to develop and grow at important stages in their careers. The aim of their funding is to allow artists and arts organisations to thrive; to continue to develop their skills, imagination and creativity with integrity. They work with artists across art forms, from dance and theatre to literature, music and the visual arts. For more information visit www.jerwoodcharitablefoundation.org

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