sign in sign up
<<
Home , Eve Best, Richard Jones (director)

Press Release 16 September 2015

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

THE HAIRY APE

By Eugene O’Neill Directed by Richard Jones

Previews from 17 October 2015, press night 29 October

Eugene O'Neill's timeless classic of class and identity

The Old Vic announces the full cast to join Bertie Carvel in Richard Jones’ new production of The Hairy Ape, the second production in ’ opening season as Artistic Director. The Hairy Ape opens on 29 October, with previews from 17 October, and will see theatre transformed back to its original proscenium arch layout.

A classic expressionist masterpiece by Nobel prize-winner Eugene O'Neill, The Hairy Ape tells the story of Yank (Bertie Carvel), a labourer who revels in his status as the strongest stoker on a transatlantic ocean liner. But when Yank is called a ‘filthy beast’ by the overbred daughter of a steel merchant, he experiences an awakening of consciousness that leads him on a journey through the wealthy neighbourhoods and disenfranchised underbelly of New York society. Searching for a way to belong, Yank is forced to confront primal questions about his true place in the world.

Directed by the acclaimed, multi award-winning director Richard Jones, The Hairy Ape is an iconic piece of American drama brought to the stage by a visionary of British theatre.

Adam Burton plays Secretary. Adam returns to The Old Vic stage having performed alongside Eve Best in . His extensive theatre credits include Everyman (National Theatre), The Drowned Man (Punchdrunk), A Life of Galileo, Julius Caesar, King Lear and The Winter’s Tale (RSC), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare's Globe). His film credits include Other Side of the Game, and the upcoming film Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass.

Bertie Carvel plays Robert Smith ‘Yank’. Bertie recently starred in the BBC television drama Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and he will soon be seen in the five-part BBC One drama Doctor Foster. On stage, he is best known for creating the role of ‘Miss Trunchbull’ in Matilda The Musical (RSC, West End, Broadway) for which he won an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, a , a and was nominated for a Tony Award. His other theatre credits include Bakkhai (),Revelations (Hampstead Theatre), The Life of Galileo, The Man of Mode (National Theatre) and Parade (Donmar Warehouse). Other recent television work includes the role of Nick Clegg in Coalition, Babylon and The Wrong Mans.

Buffy Davis plays Aunt. Buffy’s extensive credits for the theatre include Uncle Vanya (St James’ Theatre), School for Scandal (Park Theatre), (Old Vic), The Government Inspector and Annie Get Your Gun (), and The Rose Tattoo (National Theatre). Television credits include What Remains, Doc Martin, Silk, and Mutual Friends. She has also appeared on film in Anna Karenina, Hyde Park on Hudson, and in Stephen Frears’ feature film Florence Foster Jenkins.

Callum Dixon plays Long. Callum’s recent theatre credits include Between Us (Arcola), The Complaint (Hampstead Theatre), Hamlet and The Government Inspector (Young Vic), The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other, Market Boy and Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads (National Theatre), Mojo (Royal Court), and Edward II and Richard III (RSC). On television he has appeared in A Touch of Cloth, Random, and The Armando Iannucci Show, and on film, credits include The Kid and Telstar.

Steffan Rhodri plays Paddy. His recent theatre credits include The Mentalists (Wyndham's), Posh (Duke of York's), Absent Friends (), Abigail’s Party (Hampstead Theatre), The Kitchen Sink (Bush), Clybourne Park (Royal Court Theatre), and It's A Mad World My Masters and Candide (RSC). Steffan's extensive television credits include Henry IV The Hollow Crown: Henry IV, part 2, Under Milk Wood, Cucumber, and Gavin and Stacey; and on film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Rosie Sheehy plays Mildred. The Hairy Ape marks Rosie’s professional stage debut. She is a recent graduate from RADA, where her theatre credits include , Sweet Charity and Mrs Warren’s Profession.

Nicholas Karimi plays Second Engineer. He is currently playing in Everyman at the National Theatre. Other recent theatre credits include Lardo (Old Red Lion), The Kite Runner (Nottingham Playhouse / Liverpool Playhouse), Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare’s Globe), Game of Life (The Yard Theatre), Outward Bound, The Fear of Breathing (Finborough Theatre), The Double, (Theatre Royal Bath), and (National Theatre).

Also joining the cast are Christopher Akrill, Charlie Cameron, Okorie Chukwu, Phil Hill, Ben Lee, Oliver Llewellyn-Jenkins, Luke Murphy and Elan James.

Richard Jones is a theatre and opera director. Theatre credits include Too Clever By Half (Olivier Award), The Illusion, and A Flea in Her Ear (The Old Vic), Six Characters Looking for an Author, Hobson’s Choice, The Good Soul of Szechuan, Annie Get Your Gun, The Government Inspector, and Public Enemy - a version of The Enemy of the People (all Young Vic), (Phoenix Theatre, West End - Oliver Award), Tales from the Vienna Woods (National Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Shakespeare Company, Yale and Salamanca Festival) and Holy Mothers (Ambassadors Theatre / Royal Court ), Rumpelstiltskin - David Sawer (Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Spitalfields Festival London). In New York - La Bete (Eugene O’Neill Theater - Tony nominated), Titanic (Lunt Fontaine Theater), Black Snow (American Repertory Theatre), All’s Well that Ends Well (Public Theater).

Opera credits include Der Ring des Nibelungen, Anna Nicole (world premiere), Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, L’Heure espagnole/Gianni Schicchi, The Gambler, Il trittico and Gloriana (all ), The Girl of the Golden West, Rodelinda, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, The Trojans, Lulu, and (), Wozzeck, Hänsel und Gretel, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (, the latter a South Bank Show Award winner), Der Rosenkavalier (Glyndebourne Festival). Opera credits outside the UK include Ariodante (Aix-en-Provence Festival), Lohengrin (Munich Opera), Billy Budd (Frankfurt Opera), Peter Grimes (La Scala, Milan), Un Ballo in Maschera, La bohème (Bregenz Festival), L’enfant et les Sortilèges, Der Zwerg, Julietta (Paris Opera), Mazeppa, Der Fliegende Holländer, Jenufa, The Cunning little Vixen, Billy Budd (Amsterdam Opera), Wozzeck (Komische Opera Berlin). He has won Olivier awards for The Trojans, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and Hansel and Gretel. In 2015 he was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and also won 2 Olivier Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Opera and best New Opera production for The Mastersingers at ENO.

Full Cast: Christopher Akrill, Adam Burton, Charlie Cameron, Bertie Carvel, Okorie Chukwu, Buffy Davis, Callum Dixon, Phil Hill, Nicholas Karimi, Ben Lee, Oliver Llewellyn-Jenkins, Luke Murphy, Elan James, Steffan Rhodri, Rosie Sheehy

Director Richard Jones Design Stewart Laing Choreography Aletta Collins Lighting Mimi Jordan Sherin Sound Sarah Angliss Casting Jessica Ronane CDG

PRESS CONTACTS

For production press enquiries: Jo Allan | E [email protected] | M 07889 905 850 | T 020 7520 9392 Kitty Greenleaf | E [email protected] | M 07545 131 539 | T 020 7520 9392

BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

Box Office 0844 871 7628 | oldvictheatre.com

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube @oldvictheatre

The Old Vic, The Cut, London SE1 8NB

THE HAIRY APE Sat 17 Oct – Sat 21 Nov Mon–Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm

Captioned Performance Thu 12 Nov 7.30pm Audio Described Performance Tue 10 Nov 7.30pm, touch tour 6pm

TICKETS: £12, £16, £21, £30, £45, £55 For information regarding Premium Seats please call the box office

CONCESSIONS PwC £10 Previews: Half of all seats priced at £10 for the first 5 previews of every production, released 5 weeks in advance. Excluding Jekyll & Hyde, Rise and The Old Vic Variety Nights oldvictheatre.com/pwcpreviews Senior Citizens Best available seats for £26 for all matinee performances only. School Groups 10+ £10 for Mon - Wed eves & Wed matinees Disabled Patrons Top 3 prices reduced to £21 for all performances

All concessions are limited and subject to availability. All 2015/16 ticket prices (apart from the PwC £10 Previews tickets & schools tickets) include a £1 restoration levy

NOTES TO EDITORS

About RBC Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is Canada’s largest bank, and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalisation. It employs over 78,000 full and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients in 41 countries.

RBC has a long history in Europe and has operated in the region since 1910 to serve corporate, institutional and high-net worth clients. Today, it provides a significant array of financial products and services, which are delivered by over 6,000 employees from offices in the UK, the Channel Islands, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Spain. RBC delivers financial products and services in Europe under the global brands RBC Capital Markets, RBC Wealth Management, RBC Investor & Treasury Services, RBC Global Asset Management and BlueBay Asset Management.

RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2014, we contributed more than C$111 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than C$76 million and C$35 million in sponsorships. Learn more at www.rbc.com/community-sustainability.

About PwC

PwC firms help organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. We’re a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 195,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more and by visiting us at www.pwc.com/uk. PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. ©2015 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved.