Clybourne Park transfers to the West End

WEST END TRANSFER FOR
ROYAL COURT’S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED CLYBOURNE PARK

Clybourne Park
By Bruce Norris

Directed by Dominic Cooke

Opens at Wyndham’s Theatre

on 8 February 2011
with previews from 28 January 2011

Following widespread critical acclaim and a sell out record breaking run, Bruce Norris’ satirical comedy Clybourne Park will transfer from the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court to the West End, for a limited 14 week season, opening for previews at Wyndham’s Theatre on 28 January 2011 with a press night on 8 February.

Directed by Dominic Cooke, Artistic Director of the Royal Court, the West End transfer will see Lorna Brown, Sarah Goldberg, Michael Goldsmith, Lucian Msamati, Sam Spruell and Sophie Thompson reprising their roles in “the funniest play of the year” (Evening Standard). Clybourne Park is the latest transfer from the Royal Court, after successes with both ENRON and Jerusalem earlier this year.

In 1959 Russ and Bev are selling their desirable two-bed at a knock-down price. This enables the first black family to move into the neighbourhood, creating ripples of discontent amongst the cosy white urbanites of Clybourne Park. In 2009, the same property is being bought by Lindsey and Steve whose plans to raze the house and start again is met with a similar response. Are the issues festering beneath the floorboards actually the same fifty years on?

Norris’ hilarious satire explores the fault line between race and property. Written in two parts, over two generations in 1959 and 2009, the company play a different role in each act. Clybourne Park was originally staged at the Playwrights Horizons in New York in February 2010.

This new Royal Court production has been described by critics as “Genius as Miller meets Ayckbourn” (The Times); “sparky satire on modern race manners” (Daily Mail); and “a troublingly funny play” (The Guardian).

Bruce Norris’ previous credits include The Pain and the Itch (Royal Court, 2007), The Infidel, Purple Heart and The Unmentionables.

Lorna Brown’s theatre credits include Short Fuses at the Bristol Old Vic, Once on this Island at Hackney Empire, Things of Dry Hours at the Royal Exchange and 93.2FM at the Royal Court. On television, she has appeared in Catherine Tate, The Bill as Leanne Samuels and French and Saunders.

Sarah Goldberg’s credits include Miss Lilly Gets Boned at the Finborough, Six Degrees of Separation at The Old Vic, Apologia at the Bush Theatre and the Wallace Shawn readings at the Royal Court Theatre.

Lucian Msamati’s theatre credits include Ruined at the Almeida, Death and the King’s Horseman and The Overwhelming at the National Theatre, Pericles at the RSC, The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui at the Lyric Theatre and Fabulation at the Tricycle. On screen, he has appeared in Ashes to Ashes, The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and Spooks.

Sam Spruell’s theatre credits include The Caretaker at Theatre Royal Bath, Pornography at the Birmingham Rep and Traverse Theatre. On film, he has appeared in The Hurt Locker, Defiance, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and London to Brighton. On television, he has appeared in Luther, The Fixer, Ashes to Ashes, Foyle’s War and Spooks.

Sophie Thompson’s theatre credits include Measure for Measure at Shakespeare’s Globe, Into the Woods at the Donmar Warehouse, for which she received an Olivier Award for Best Actress In A Musical, Company at the Donmar Warehouse and Wildest Dreams at the RSC for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award. On television, she played Stella Crawford in EastEnders and also appeared in May Contain Nuts, A Room with a View, The Railway Children and Persuasion.

Artistic Director of the Royal Court Dominic Cooke directs after collaborating with Norris on The Pain and the Itch in 2007 – his first production in post at the Royal Court. Other credits at the Royal Court include Aunt Dan and Lemon, The Fever, Seven Jewish Children, Wig Out!, Now or Later, Rhinoceros and two plays in Mark Ravenhill’s epic play cycle Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat. His recent credits elsewhere include Arabian Nights and Noughts and Crosses, both for the RSC, as adapter and director. He won the Olivier award for Best Director and Best Revival for The Crucible.

Dominic Cooke Director
Robert Innes Hopkins Designer
Paule Constable Lighting
David McSeveney Sound

Cast includes:
Lorna Brown Francine/Lena
Sarah Goldberg Betsy / Lindsey
Michael Goldsmith Kenneth
Lucian Msamati Albert / Kevin
Sam Spruell Jim / Tom
Sophie Thompson Bev / Kathy
Further casting to be announced.

Produced by Royal Court Theatre Productions, Sonia Friedman Productions and
Old Vic Productions.

For production enquiries please contact:
Jo Allan PR on 020 7243 6176
Jo Allan: jo@joallanpr.com or 07889 905 850
Anna Dawson: anna@joallanpr.com or 07545 131 539

BOX OFFICE INFORMATION
Box office number 0844 482 5120
www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk

Tickets are also available via the Royal Court Theatre box office in person, by phone and online
020 7565 5000/www.royalcourttheatre.com

Performances: Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm and Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm

Ticket prices: £50.50, £40.50, £30.50, £20.50
All prices include a £1 theatre restoration levy

Front row day seats available in person from the theatre box office: £26. The first ten day seats can be purchased at £10 each

Standing: £13.50

Groups (8+): £35 Mon – Thu performances

School groups (10+): £17.50 best available Tues eves and Thursday mats

Seniors: £25 Thurs matinee in advance