RITA SIMONS AND JOE MCFADDEN STAR IN PETER JAMES’
THE HOUSE ON COLD HILL AT RICHMOND THEATRE
Monday 8 – Saturday 13 April
Following the success of Not Dead Enough (2017), Dead Simple (2015) and The Perfect Murder (2014), multi-million selling author Peter James returns to Richmond Theatre with THE HOUSE ON COLD HILL from Mon 8 – Sat 13 Apr. This new adaptation stars Rita Simons and Joe McFadden in a nail-biting story based on the author’s own real-life experience in a haunted house.
The Harcourt family – Ollie, Caro and daughter Jade – move into the house of the dreams that has been empty for the last forty years. However, their dream home quickly turns into the stuff of nightmares, as they begin to sense that they aren’t the only residents at Cold Hill… THE HOUSE ON COLD HILLis a modern-day ghostly thriller that will send shivers down your spine and make you think twice about returning home to a dark, empty house after the show!
Rita Simons is best known for playing ‘Roxy Mitchel in BBC’s Eastenders, having won numerous awards for her role. Her other credits include Mile High, Dream Team and Legally Blonde. In Spring 2012, Rita was the subject of a major documentary film Rita Simons: My Daughter, Deafness and Me made by Leopard Films for primetime BBC1. Most recently Rita rave reviews for her performance as Lisa Prescott in the film The Krays: Dead Man Walking, an untold chapter from the notorious legend of the Kray Twins. In November 2018, Rita was a contestant on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Outta Here! Finishing in 8th place.
Simons says, “I am really thrilled to be starring in the House on Cold Hill alongside such great actors as Joe, Charlie, Persephone and the rest the cast. I could not put it down when I first read the script – it’s a brilliant and modern day supernatural thriller that had me totally gripped and occasionally jumping out of my seat! I can’t wait to see audiences hopefully have the same reaction to it, in theatres around the UK.”
BAFTA nominated actor Joe McFadden is perhaps best known for playing series regular Raf di Lucca in BBC1’s Holby City from 2014 – 2017, and as ‘P C Joe Mason’ in Heartbeat from 2010 – 2014. Other acclaimed TV roles include Sex, Chips and Rock n Roll, The Crow Road (for which he received a BAFTA nomination), Cranford and Take The High Road. His extensive theatrical credits include working with John Tiffany and the National Theatre of Scotland on The Missing, touring the UK with Alan Ayckbourn’s Haunting Julia, Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Rent at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End and Rainbow Kiss at the Royal Court. Last year he partnered with Katya Jones in BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing and captured the nation’s hearts, eventually winning the series to become the 2017 Strictly Champion.
McFadden says, “It’s a real honour to be entrusted with the character of Ollie and the words of skilled wordsmith, Peter James. He’s created a story that is both chilling and an interesting portrayal of modern family life and will definitely make you think twice about buying that sprawling dream pad in the country!”
They will be joined by Charlie Clements (EastEnders, Casualty, The Bill) and Persephone Swales-Dawson (Hollyoaks) with THE HOUSE ON COLD HILLmarking her professional stage debut.