Theatre directors/Playwrights
Directors:
Ned Bennett – Directed Pomona at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2015, currently working on
Buggy Baby at the Yard Theatre (won the UK Theatre Award for Best Director)
Robert Icke – Directed Hamlet with Andrew Scott and currently working Oedipus for
Toneelgroup
Ellen McDougall – Directed Glass Menagerie at the West Yorkshire Playhouse
Bethany Pitts – Directed Brutal Cessation at Edinburgh Fringe
Blanche McIntyre – Directed the Seagull at Nuffield Southampton (won the Critics Circle award
for Most Promising Newcomer)
Writers:
Annie Baker – wrote ‘Body Awareness’ (won a Pulitzer Prize)
Katori Hall – wrote ‘The Mountaintop’ (won an Olivier Award for Best New Play)
Amy Herzog – wrote ‘400 miles’ (a finalist for a Pulitzer Price)
Penelope Skinner – wrote ‘The Village Bike’ (won the George Devin Award for Most Promising
Newcomer)
Ella Hickson – won the Carol Tambour Award (awarded to best play at Edinburgh Fringe) for her
debut play, ‘Eight’
Shows in the UK:
Extremism – JAM productions at Edinburgh Fringe 2018 (they got really good reviews for their
2017 performance)
Old Fools – Southwark Playhouse (written by Tristan Bernays, directed by Sharon Burrell,
starring Mark Arends, Frances Grey) – Closes 7th April apparently an incredible portrayal of a
couple dealing with dementia (one act play, only two cast members)
The Plough of Stars – Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith (written by Sean O’Casey, directed by Sean
Holmes, starring Ian Lloyd Anderson, Nial Buggy) – Closes 7th April
The York Realist – Donmar Warehouse (written by Peter Gill, directed by Robert Hastie, starring
Jonathon Bailey, Ben Batt, Lesley Nicol) – Moving onto Sheffield on 27th March
Julius Caesar – Bridge Theatre (directed by Nicholas Hytner, starring David Calder, David
Morrissey, Ben Whishaw) – Closes 15th April
Five Guys Named Moe – Marble Arch Theatre (directed by Clarke Peters, starring Edward
Baruwa, Ian Carlyle) – Closing 24th March
Girl from the North Country – Noel Coward Theatre (directed by Conor Mc Pherson, starring
Sheila Atim, Hannah Azuonye) – Closes 31st March
Network – Lyttelton Theatre, National (written by Lee Hall, directed by Ivo Van Hove, starring
Bryan Cranston, Michelle Dockery) – Closes 24th March has incredible reviews (you can even
sit on the stage and eat a meal but I am not sure if this would be good or ruin the performance..!)
The Inheritence – The Young Vic (written by Matthew Lopez, directed by Stephen Daldry,
starring Hugo Bolton, John Benjamin Hickey, Paul Hilton and Vanessa Redgrave) – Closes 5th
May has really good reviews with an incredible director and cast
Long Day’s Journey Into Night – Wyndham’s Theatre (directed by Richard Eyre, starring
Jeremy Irons, Lesley Manville) – closes 7th April apparently the cast is incredible in this,
especially Lesley Manville (the Stage says it can “Sweep you off your feet”)
Humble Boy – Orange Tree Theatre (directed by Paul Miller starring Jonathan Broadbent, Selina
Cadell, Rebekah Hinds, Belinda Lang, Christopher Ravenscroft) – Closes 7th April follows a
touching story of a mother and a son bonding after her husband/his father has died (Selina Cadell
is supposed to be incredible in this)
The Birthday Party – Harold Pinter Theatre (directed by Ian Rickson, starring Toby Jones, Zoe
Wanamaker) – Closes 14th April
Witness for the Prosecution – London County Hall (written by Agatha Christie, directed by
Lucy Bailey, starring Jack McMullen, David Yelland, Patrick Godfrey) – Closes 16th September
the setting was fantastic, as well as the plot and it was directed really well
Lady Windermere’s Fan – Vaudeville Theatre (directed by Kathy Burke, starring Jennifer
Saunders, Samantha Shapiro) – Closes 7th April not sure I would recommend
The Meeting – Minerva Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre (Written by Charlotte Jones) –
Opening 13th July Charlotte Jones wrote Humble boy and this play (about a daughter who has
spent her life caring for her deaf mother is desperate for a voice of her own) is supposed to be just
as touching and brilliant
The Trench – Southwark Playhouse (by Les Enfants Terribles, written by Oliver Lansley,
directed by James Seager and Oliver Lansley) (inspired by a true story about a man in the war
that gets entombed underground in a collapsed tunnel and discovers a ‘new world’ – features
physical theatre, puppetry, mime) an incredible company that create stunning Artaudian pieces of
theatre (everything that I have seen from them is phenomenal), started by performing at
Edinburgh Fringe, were nominated for an Olivier Award in 2015
Fatherland – Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith (by Frantic Assembly, written by Scott Graham, Karl
Hyde and Simon Stephens, directed by Scott Graham) – Opening 25th May another incredible
company, depicts the complexities and contradictions of modern fatherhood and is supposed to be
just as amazing as their other productions
A Very Very Very Dark Matter – The Bridge Theatre (written by Martin McDonagh, directed
by Matthew Dunster, starring Jim Broadbent) – Opening 10th October I am sure that this will
be amazing due to the amazing playwright, director and actor!
Company – The Gielgud Theatre (directed by Marianne Elliott, starring Patti LuPone, Rosalie
Craig) – Opening 26th September again, due to the cast and director, I am sure this will be very
good (also very interesting as they are recasting the main character ‘Bobby’ to a female lead,
‘Bobbi’)
The Lehman Trilogy – Lyttelton Theatre, National (directed by Sam Mendes, starring Adam
Godley, Ben Miles, Simon Russell Beale) – Opens 1st July Another play that I think will be
great due to the people involved
The Lieutenant of Inishmore – Noel Coward Theatre (directed by Michael Grandage, starring
Adrian Turner) – Opening 23rd June
Fun Home – The Young Vic (directed by Sam Gold) – Opening 18th June won 5 Tony awards
when it was on Broadway and Sam Gold (the original director that won a Tony for best director
for this play) is directing this revival.
Things I Know To Be True by Frantic Assembly (finished last month) I don’t know if it will
ever be performed again but it was the most incredible piece of theatre I have ever seen, dealing
with such difficult topics and using their incredible technique of frantic theatre (I think this may
be a link to watch it online but you have to subscribe to get through to the page so I am not sure if
it does actually show you the whole thing or just a trailer/featurette? -
https://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/education/things-i-know-to-be-true)
Shows in US:
Angels in America – Neil Simon Theatre (written by Tony Kushner, directed by Marianna
Elliott, starring Nathan Lane, Andrew Garfield) – Closes 1st July was in the National and is
supposed to be an incredible show, dealing with a very hard hitting subject matter
Three Tall Women – John Golden Theatre (written by Edward Albee, directed by Joe Mantello,
starring Glenda Jackson, Alison Pill, Laurie Metcalf) – Closes 24th June Laurie Metcalf is
supposed to be amazing in this (“potentially her best work”!)
Straight White Men – Hayes Theatre (written by Young Jean Lee, directed by Anna D. Shapiro,
starring Armie Hammer) – Opens 23rd July
My Fair Lady – Vivian Beaumont Theatre (directed by Bartlett Sher, starring Lauren Ambrose,
Harry Hadden-Patton, Norbert Leo Butz) – Opens 19th April
The Iceman Cometh – Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (directed by Eugene O’Neill, starring Denzel
Washington) – Closes 1st July
Fire in Dreamland – Anspacher Theatre, Public Theatre (written by Rinne Groffe, directed by
Marissa Wolf) – Opens 16th July
Casting – Three Women by Katy Brand:
“The three of them couldn’t look more different.”
Eleanor:
Age: 65
Appearance: “Elegant and well put together”
Character: Disappointed in her and her daughter’s life, sees everything as a competition and
wishes her daughter had that drive, has a façade of seeming well put together but an alcoholic,
although she hides it very well (drank as she was bored of domestic life – was never promoted as
caught drunk at work while teaching 12 year olds), “emotionally absent” and has a superior air to
her, disapproving of pretty much everything: her daughter’s appearance, career, fiancé and just
general life choices (thinks her only achievement is Laurie); Laurie’s style, views on gender and
relationship, refuses to see her own faults until the very end of the play when she apologises to
Suzanne.
Good character for someone better known to play (well-rounded character with depth and quite
fun to play)
- Someone like Sigourney Weaver (has a very ‘polished’ appearance, is very good as acting as a
superior, disapproving mother that is disappointed in her child’s life choices but would also be
able to display the slightly ‘unravelling’ aspect of Eleanor’s personality)
- Lesley Manville? she is the right age and look and would be able to act as the disapproving
mother (can she do the alcoholic side?)
- Victoria Tennant? does she look too old? (would bring in an older crowd that remember her
for her earlier stuff)
- Jane Seymour? does she look too young? (would bring in an older crowd that remember her
for her earlier stuff)
Suzanne:
Age: 40
Appearance: “Soft and scruffy”
Character: A free spirit (believes in crystals, smokes week, freelance “anything that will pay” as she
wishes to remain “flexible”/does not enjoy being tied down to a normal job as it is not her passion),
desperately wishes to be normal (doesn’t really want to strive for success), has a mountain of debt, fed up
with her mother (a lot of tension between them) – doesn’t respect her and despises the way she treats her
and her life choices, very close with her daughter (wishes to be the polar opposite of her mother and be
the type of mother that is encouraging of anything she wishes to be/do, raised her to be accepting of
everyone).
Who to play?
- Like Lauren Graham? (Relationship with daughter and mother similar to role in Gilmore girls but
not “soft and scruffy” enough)
- Look exactly like Geraldine James but about 20 years younger…!
- Find someone that is British that has a lot of experience on the stage (difficult part to play)
- Rebecca Front? A little bit too old, does she have the right look?
Laurie:
Age: 18
Appearance: “Androgynous but with a delicate beauty, ideally mixed race”
Character: A very modern woman: doesn’t define herself by “hetero-normative traditions”; doesn’t
believe in gender or biological sex; believes in the future babies will be grown in external, artificial
wombs; in an virtual, open relationship with James (who is transitioning from being Jane), very close
with her mother, attracted to Rufus.
Someone like: https://actors.mandy.com/uk/actor/profile/olivia-
dlima?_ga=2.84904857.1488719914.1521633409-1500050755.1521633409
- Not very androgynous but has “delicate beauty” with short hair and is mixed raced, could be
styled to look more androgynous
Or https://actors.mandy.com/uk/actor/profile/lily-frazer?_ga=2.185549993.1488719914.1521633409-
1500050755.1521633409
- Doesn’t look as young but is more experienced and has “delicate beauty” with short hair and is
mixed raced
- Find someone that has a bit of TV presence
Rufus:
Age: Never specified but probably around the same age as Laurie
Appearance: “A bit androgynous and quite striking”
Character: Charming but very polite to guests.
Someone like: https://actors.mandy.com/uk/actor/profile/curt-faulkner-
1?_ga=2.79561748.1488719914.1521633409-1500050755.1521633409
- Androgynous but not as striking (doesn’t need much experience due to small role?)
Or https://actors.mandy.com/uk/actor/profile/jimmy-gorniak?_ga=2.75402002.1488719914.1521633409-
1500050755.1521633409
- Striking but not as androgynous (doesn’t need much experience due to small role?)
Or https://actors.mandy.com/uk/actor/profile/james-le-
lacheur?_ga=2.72681363.1488719914.1521633409-1500050755.1521633409
- Androgynous with more experience but not as striking
