CASTING UPDATE FOR OF KITH AND KIN, DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS AND UNCLE VANYA – AS PART OF ROBERT HASTIE’S INAUGURAL SEASON AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres Robert Hastie today announces casting for three productions in his inaugural season – Of Kith and Kin, Desire Under the Elms and Uncle Vanya.
Hastie renews his collaboration with playwright Chris Thompson for the world première of Of Kith and Kin – they previously worked together on Thompson’s first full length play Carthage at the Finborough Theatre. Of Kith and Kin is a co-production with the Bush Theatre, and the production will run there after performances at Sheffield Theatres. Hastie directs Joanna Bacon (Lydia and Carrie), Donna Berlin (Arabelle), James Lance (Daniel), Chetna Pandya (Priya) and Joshua Silver (Oliver).
Director Sam Yates makes his Sheffield Theatres debut with Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms. He directs a cast including Me’sha Bryan (Young Girl), Emma Darlow (Fiddler), Aoife Duffin(Abbie), Matthew Kelly (Ephraim), Theo Ogundipe (Peter), Sule Rimi (Simeon) and Michael Shea(Eben).
Tamara Harvey returns to Sheffield Theatres to direct Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya in a new version byPeter Gill. This is a co-production with Theatr Clwyd where Harvey is Artistic Director and will open in Wales ahead of its run in Sheffield. She directs Jamie Ballard (Vanya), alongside Robert Blythe(Telyegin), Oliver Dimsdale (Astrov), Sharon Morgan (Mariya), Sian Owens (Worker), Shanaya Rafaat (Elena), Veronica Roberts (Marina), Rosie Sheehy (Sonia) and Martin Turner (Serebryak).
Studio
World Première
A Sheffield Theatres & Bush Theatre co-production
Of Kith and Kin
By Chris Thompson
Thu 14 September – Sat 7 October
Press night: Tue 19 September at 7.45pm
Cast: Joanna Bacon (Lydia and Carrie), Donna Berlin (Arabelle), James Lance (Daniel), Chetna Pandya (Priya), Joshua Silver (Oliver)
Directed by Robert Hastie; Designed by James Perkins; Lighting Design by Prema Mehta
Sound Design by Ella Wahlström; Casting by Vicky Richardson
‘He can’t call you both Dad. One of you should be Dad and the other one Daddy, surely?’
You can choose your friends… Chris Thompson’s gripping new dark comedy takes us to the heart of what happens when we choose our family too.
Crucible
Desire Under the Elms
By Eugene O’Neill
Wed 20 September – Sat 14 October
Press night: Mon 25 September at 7.00pm
Cast includes: Me’sha Bryan (Young Girl), Emma Darlow (Fiddler), Aoife Duffin (Abbie Putnam),Matthew Kelly (Ephraim), Theo Ogundipe (Peter), Sule Rimi (Simeon), Michael Shea (Eben),
Directed by Sam Yates; Designed by Chiara Stephenson; Lighting Design by Jon Clark
Composer Alex Baranowski; Sound Design by Nick Greenhill; Video Design by Luke Halls;
Movement by Kim Brandstrup; Casting by Vicky Richardson
‘If I could, in my dyin’ hour, I’d set it afire an’ watch it burn…’
Ephraim Cabot’s sons work from morning till night, believing his farm will one day be theirs. But everything changes when the old man returns from town with a new wife. This haunting and erotic tragedy is one of the great American plays from Nobel Prize-winning playwright Eugene O’Neill.
Studio Theatre
A Sheffield Theatres & Theatr Clwyd co-production
Anton Chekhov’s
Uncle Vanya
in a new version by Peter Gill
Wed 18 October – Sat 4 November
Press night: Thu 19 October
Cast: Jamie Ballard (Vanya), Robert Blythe (Telyegin), Oliver Dimsdale (Astrov),
Sharon Morgan (Mariya), Sian Owens (The Worker), Shanaya Rafaat (Elena), Veronica Roberts(Marina), Rosie Sheehy (Sonia), Martin Turner (Serebryak)
Directed by Tamara Harvey; Design by Lucy Osborne; Lighting Design by Ric Mountjoy
Sound Design and Music by Jared Zeus; Casting by Stuart Burt CDG
‘My life has gone completely off course…’
To what, and to whom, do we devote our lives? And what happens when we ask, was it worth it?