PRESS RELEASE

A Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Northern Stage co-production in association with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse

WORLD PREMIÈRE The Lovely Bones By Adapted by Directed by Melly Still

• ALICE SEBOLD’S GLOBAL BEST-SELLING BOOK, THE LOVELY BONES, IS BROUGHT TO LIFE ON STAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME

• THE LOVELY BONES RECEIVES ITS WORLD PREMIÈRE IN A CO-PRODUCTION BETWEEN BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE, ROYAL & DERNGATE AND NORTHERN STAGE IN ASSOCIATION WITH LIVERPOOL EVERYMAN & PLAYHOUSE

• ADAPTED BY BRYONY LAVERY, DIRECTED BY MELLY STILL AND COMMISSIONED BY BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE

• DESIGNED BY ANA INÉS JABARES-PITA WITH ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSED BY DAVE PRICE, LIGHTING DESIGN BY MATT HASKINS AND SOUND DESIGN BY HELEN SKIERA

• CHARLOTTE BEAUMONT TO PLAY SUSIE SALMON, IN A CAST INCLUDING PETE ASHMORE, EMILY BEVAN, BHAWNA BHAWSAR, SUSAN BOVELL, NATASHA COTTRIALL, KEITH DUNPHY, KARAN GILL, JACK SANDLE AND AYOOLA SMART

The full cast and creative team have been confirmed for the world première of The Lovely Bones, one of the best-selling novels of the 21st century. Adapted for the stage by Bryony Lavery from Alice Sebold’s story and directed by Melly Still, it will open at Royal & Derngate, Northampton on 1 September 2018 before transferring to partner theatres Everyman Liverpool, Northern Stage, Newcastle and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. The show will also tour to The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich.

Alice Sebold’s coming-of-age tale captured the hearts of readers throughout the world when it was first published in 2002. An unforgettable story about life after loss, The Lovely Bones achieved critical acclaim and became an international best-seller. It won the Indies Choice Book Award for Adult Fiction 2003.

The Lovely Bones tells the story of young Susie Salmon, who is just like any other girl. She wants to be beautiful, adores her charm bracelet and has a crush on a boy from school. There’s one big difference though – Susie is dead. Susie can only observe while her family cope with their grief in their different ways. Her father, Jack, is obsessed with identifying the killer. Her mother, Abigail, is desperate to create a different life for herself. And her sister, Lindsay, is discovering the opposite sex with experiences that Susie will never know. Susie is desperate to help them and there might be a way of reaching them.

In the 10-strong ensemble cast, the part of Susie Salmon will be played by Charlotte Beaumont, well known for her role as Chloe Latimer in TV series Broadchurch, with recent theatre credits including Three Winters at the National Theatre. Jack Salmon will be played by Jack Sandle (War Horse, National Theatre; Running Wild, UK tour), Emily Bevan (The Haunting of Hill House, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse) as Abigail Salmon, with Ayoola Smart (Othello, Unicorn Theatre; The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare’s Globe) as sister Lindsay. Keith Dunphy (The Rivals, Bristol Old Vic) takes the role of Mr Harvey. The cast is completed by Pete Ashmore as Len Fenerman/Samuel, Bhawna Bhawsar as Ruana Singh/Franny, Susan Bovell as Lynn/Cop/Mrs Flanagan, Natasha Cottriall as Ruth Connors/Buckley Salmon and Karan Gill as Ray Singh/Principal Caden.

Playwright Bryony Lavery’s acclaimed work includes the Tony Award-nominated Frozen (revived in the West End in spring this year), Stockholm (Frantic Assembly), Kursk (Young Vic) and Beautiful Burnout (National Theatre of Scotland and Frantic Assembly). Her other adaptations include A Christmas Carol (Birmingham Repertory Company), Treasure Island (National Theatre), Brideshead Revisited (York Theatre Royal/ETT) and most recently Brighton Rock (Pilot Theatre).

Bringing The Lovely Bones to life on stage is director Melly Still, whose credits include the acclaimed Olivier and Tony Award-nominated production of Coram Boy (National Theatre and Broadway), My Beautiful Friend (Rose Theatre Kingston) and several recent productions for Glyndebourne, the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The production is designed by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita whose credits include Wish List (Royal Exchange and Royal Court) and The Driver’s Seat (National Theatre of Scotland), with lighting design by Matt Haskins (Death of a Salesman, Royal & Derngate UK tour; Turn of the Screw, Opera North), sound design by Helen Skiera (Instructions for Correct Assembly, Bodies, Royal Court) and movement direction by Mike Ashcroft (The Christmas Truce, Henry IV parts 1 & 2, RSC). Music will be composed by Dave Price whose original scores include From Morning to Midnight (National Theatre) and Cymbeline (RSC).

#LovelyBones18

ENDS

For more information, images, interviews and press tickets please contact Amanda Howson on 01604 655719 or email [email protected].

Listings Information:

Royal & Derngate, Guildhall Road, Northampton NN1 1DP National Press Night: Friday 7 September at 7.45pm Dates: Saturday 1 to Saturday 22 September 2018 Times: Evenings 7.45pm (except Wednesday 5 September 7pm) Matinees – Thursday and Saturday 2.30pm (excl. Saturday 1 September) No performances on Sundays Tickets: From £11* Box Office: 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk * A charge of £3 applies for all transactions of £15 and over. Does not apply to Groups, Friends or Disabled Patrons, and is per-transaction, not per-ticket.

Everyman Liverpool, Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BH Dates: Tuesday 25 September to Saturday 6 October 2018 Press Night: Wednesday 26 September Tickets: Tickets from £10 Box Office: 0151 709 4776 or online at www.everymanplayhouse.com

Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RH Press Night: Tuesday 9 Oct, 7.30pm Dates: Tuesday 9 October until Saturday 20 October 2018 Times: Evenings 7.30pm, Thursday 11 October, 6pm Matinees Wednesday 10,Saturday 13 & Saturday 20 October 2pm No performances on Sundays Tickets from £10 Box Office: 0191 230 5151 or online at www.northernstage.co.uk

Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP Dates: Tuesday 30 October until Saturday 10 November 2018 Times: 7.30pm Monday – Saturday, apart from 7pm on Wednesday 31 Oct. Matinees at 2pm on Thursday 1, Saturday 3, Thursday 8 and Saturday 10 November Tickets: From £10 (subject to availability) Box Office: 0121 236 4455 or online at www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

New Wolsey Theatre, Civic Drive, Ipswich IP1 2AS Dates: Tuesday 13 November until Saturday 17 November 2018 Times: 7pm Tuesday, 7.45pm Wednesday to Saturday, 2.30pm Matinees Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 and Saturday 17 November Tickets: From £10 (subject to availability) Box Office: 01473 295900 or online at wolseytheatre.co.uk

Royal & Derngate, Northampton

Royal & Derngate, Northampton, is the main venue for arts and entertainment in Northamptonshire, with audience members and participants last year numbering more than 500,000 in Northampton and beyond. As one of the major producing venues in the country, Royal & Derngate was named Regional Theatre of the Year by the inaugural Stage 100 Awards in 2011, an accolade for which it was nominated again in 2016. The theatre also won the Management Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre in the 2015 UK Theatre Awards for its Made in Northampton work. The Herbal Bed (a co-production with English Touring Theatre and Rose Theatre Kingston) won the 2016 UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production. Other recent highlights include nationwide tours of The Jungle Book, Death of a Salesman and King Lear, starring Michael Pennington, and Soul, a new play by Roy Williams about Marvin Gaye. Previous acclaimed touring productions have included Shakespeare’s King John, world premieres of Arthur Miller’s The Hook and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. The theatre also runs a wide-ranging Get Involved participatory programme which reached 21,000 people last year, through projects in schools, within the community and at the theatre.

Made in Northampton is sponsored locally by Michael Jones Jeweller. www.royalandderngate.co.uk @royalderngate

Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company is one of Britain’s leading producing theatre companies. Its mission is to inspire a lifelong love of theatre in the diverse communities of Birmingham and beyond. As well as presenting over 60 productions on its three stages every year, the theatre tours its productions nationally and internationally, showcasing theatre made in Birmingham.

The commissioning and production of new work lies at the core of The REP’s programme and over the last 15 years, the company has produced more than 130 new plays. The theatre’s outreach programme engages with over 7000 young people and adults through its learning and participation programme, equating to 30,000 individual educational sessions. The REP is also committed to nurturing new talent through its youth theatre groups and training for up and coming writers, directors and artists through its REP Foundry initiative. The REP’s Furnace programme unites established theatre practitioners with Birmingham’s communities to make high quality, unique theatre. birmingham-rep.co.uk @BirminghamRep

Northern Stage

Northern Stage, in Newcastle, makes ambitious, intelligent, enjoyable theatre. The company has a reputation for reviving classic plays in fresh adaptations and creating bold new work. It has been one of the UK’s most popular national touring companies for the last 20 years. Alongside its own work, Northern Stage presents the best regional, national and international theatre. Its extensive Creative Residencies programme supports local and national theatre-makers to develop their work at Northern Stage and a year-round programme of projects and events encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to take part in making theatre. northernstage.co.uk

Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Two Great Theatres. One Creative Heart.

We are two distinct theatres, almost a mile apart, which together make up a single artistic force.

For over 10 years we have been driven by our passion for our art-form, our love of our city and our unswerving belief that theatre at its best can enhance lives. While our two performance bases could hardly be more different, they are united by our commitment to brilliant, humane, forward- thinking theatre that responds to its time and place.

Our mission is to reflect the aspirations and concerns of our audiences, to dazzle and inspire them, welcome and connect with them, nurture the artists within them and fuel their civic pride. Wherever these connections happen – whether in our theatres, in the community, in schools, or outside Liverpool – we hope to ignite the imagination, explore what it is to be human and always to exceed expectation.

To find out more about the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse work, both on and off stage, call 0151 709 4776, visit everymanplayhouse.com or follow @LivEveryPlay on Twitter.

Supported by Liverpool City Council and the Arts Council England