Comic Actor Line-up For Bruce Norris' Clybourne Park

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Comic Actor line-up for Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park at Royal Court Theatre

Clybourne Park
By Bruce Norris
Directed by Dominic Cooke
26 Aug – 2 Oct 2010
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs
Press Night, Thur 2 Sep 2010 7pm

Clybourne Park – the new play by The Pain and the Itch writer Bruce Norris – will open in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre on 2 Sep (previews from 26 Aug) with a cast that includes some of Britain’s best comedy actors from The Office, Gavin and Stacey and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

The cast includes Lorna Brown, Martin Freeman, Sarah Goldberg, Lucian Msamati, Steffan Rhodri, Sam Spruell and Sophie Thompson.

Bruce Norris’ satirical new comedy explores the fault line between race and property. Written in two parts, over two generations in 1959 and 2009, the company will play a different role in each act.

Clybourne Park first opened at the Playwrights Horizons in New York in February 2010. This production marks the play’s European premiere. Norris’ previous credits include The Pain and the Itch (Royal Court, 2007), The Infidel, Purple Heart and The Unmentionables.

“But you can’t live in a principle, can you? Gotta live in a house.
And so do they.
Not in this house they don’t”

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?

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 93.2 FM at the Royal Court. On television, she has appeared in Catherine Tate, The Bill as Leanne Samuels and French and Saunders.

Martin Freeman’s theatre credits include The Exonerated at Riverside Studios, Blue Eyes and Heels at the Soho Theatre and Kosher Harry at the Royal Court. On film, he has appeared in Hot Fuzz, Breaking and Entering, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Confetti and Love Actually. On television, he is best known for playing Tim in Ricky Gervais’ multi award-winning comedy The Office.

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.

Steffan Rhodri’s theatre credits include The Father at Chichester Festival Theatre, Suddenly Last Summer, The Birthday Party and Trolius and Cressida at the Clwyd Theatr Cymru and Abigai’s Party at Hampstead Theatre and the West End. On television, his credits include playing Dave ‘Coaches’ in the BBC’s multi award-winning comedy Gavin and Stacey, Belonging for BBC Wales and Doctors.

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 will direct 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 credits elsewhere include Arabian Nights and Noughts and Crosses, both for the RSC, as adapter and director.

Clybourne Park will be designed by Robert Innes Hopkins with lighting by Paule Constable and sound by David McSeveney.

Clybourne Park will run in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from 26 August – 2 October 2010. Tickets available online at www.royalcourttheatre.com or from the Box Office on 020 7565 5000. – ends –
(13/07/10)

Notes to Editors:

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

Listings information

26 Aug – 2 Oct 2010
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs
Mon-Sat 7.30pm
Thu mats 3.30pm (23 & 30 Sep) Sat mats 3.30pm (from 4 Sep)
Press night Thu 2 Sep 7pm
No performance Mon 30 Aug
Post-show discussion Tue 21 Sep
Captioned performance Tue 28 Sep, 7.30pm
Audio described performance Sat 18 Sep, 3.30pm
Age guidance 14+
Tickets £25, £18, £12
Mondays all seats £10
Concessions £5 off top two prices* (avail. in advance for all perfs until 4 Sep incl. and
all mats. For all other perfs, avail. on a standby basis on the day)
25s and under Limited free tickets available for 25s and under through the Arts
Council national scheme A Night Less Ordinary. £6* tickets also available.
School and HE Groups of 8+ 50% off top two prices (avail. Tue-Fri)
Groups of 6+ £5 off top price (avail. Tue-Fri)
Access £12 (plus a companion at the same rate)

• ID required, not bookable online. All discounts are subject to availability.

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

Cast includes:
Lorna Brown Francine/Lena
Martin Freeman Karl / Steve
Sarah Goldberg Betsy / Lindsey
Lucian Msamati Albert / Kevin
Steffan Rhodri Russ / Dan
Sam Spruell Jim / Tom
Sophie Thompson Bev / Kathy