Casting has been announced for the West End transfer of Hand to God, which opens at the Vaudeville Theatre next year.
The hit Broadway show will star Olivier Award-winning actress Janie Dee and stage and screen actor Harry Melling, who are joined in the cast by Neil Pearson, Jemima Rooper and Kevin Mains. The production will make its UK premiere at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End on 5th February 2016.
‘If Book of Mormon and Avenue Q had a baby, it would be Hand of God.’ This new American comedy play is the story of shy teenager Jason and his sock puppet named Tyrone, who comes to life and shakes a small Texas town to its core with his outrageous but truth-telling personality.
Written by playwright Robert Askins, Hand to God originally premiered Off-Broadway at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in October 2011 and was later produced at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in March 2014. It made its Broadway debut at the Booth Theatre on 7th April 2015 (previews from 14th March) to rave reviews and was subsequently nominated for five Tony Awards, including ‘Best Play’. The Broadway production is due to play its final performance on 3rd January 2016, with actor/comedian Bob Saget joining the cast as Pastor Greg for the last eight weeks of the show’s run.
Hand to God is directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. It also has scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Sydney Maresca, lighting design by Jason Lyons, sound design by Jill BC Du Boff, puppet design by Marte Johanne Ekhougan and fight direction by Robert Westley.
Janie Dee was most recently seen in the Open Air Theatre production of The Seagull. She won the Olivier Award for ‘Best Supporting Performance in a Musical’ for her role as Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel (National Theatre), and the Olivier Award for ‘Best Actress’ for her role as Jacie Triplethree in Comic Potential (Stephen Joseph Theatre/ Lyric Theatre/Manhattan Theatre Club). Her other stage credits include Blithe Spirit (Gielgud Theatre), Hello Dolly! (The Curve, Leicester), Noises Off (Old Vic/Novello Theatre), Twelfth Night (Open Air Theatre) and My One and Only (Chichester Festival Theatre/Piccadilly Theatre)
Harry Melling is best known for playing the role of Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter film series. He made his stage debut in the National Theatre’s 2009 revival of Mother Courage and her Children. His other stage credits include Women Beware Women (National Theatre), When Did You Last See My Mother? and The Hothouse (Trafalgar Studios), I Am A Camera(Southwark Playhouse) and The Angry Brigade (National Tour).
Neil Pearson has previously appeared on stage in Noises Off (UK Tour) and Arcadia (Duke of York’s Theatre). His television credits include All the Small Things and Waterloo Road, and his film credits include Fever Pitch and Bridget Jones’ Diary.
Jemima Rooper played Elvira in Blithe Spirit at the Gielgud Theatre in 2014 and reprised the role for the US production at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles earlier this year. Her other stage credits include Breeders (St James Theatre), One Man, Two Guvnors (National Theatre), Me and My Girl (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield), All My Sons (Apollo Theatre), The Power of Yes and Her Naked Skin (National Theatre). Her television credits include As If, Hex and Lost in Austen. She made her Hollywood film debut in The Black Dahlia.
Kevin Mains’ stage credits include Million Dollar Quartet (Noel Coward Theatre).
Hand to God is produced by Kevin McCollum. The West End production will run at the Vaudeville Theatre from 5th February to 11th June 2016.
Vaudeville Theatre
From 5th February 2016 to 11th June 2016