Press Release Tuesday 24 October 2017 AND ANNOUNCE FULL CASTING FOR

THE YORK REALIST

A Donmar Warehouse and Sheffield Theatres co-production By Peter Gill

Donmar Warehouse: Thursday 8 February – Saturday 24 March 2018 PRESS NIGHT: Tuesday 13 February 2018

Sheffield Theatres: Tuesday 27 March – Saturday 7 April

Director Robert Hastie Designer Peter McKintosh Lighting Designer Paul Pyant Sound Designer Emma Laxton Composer Richard Taylor

Full cast includes Jonathan Bailey, Ben Batt, Lucy Black, Brian Fletcher, Lesley Nicol, Katie West and Matthew Wilson.

The Donmar Warehouse and Sheffield Theatres today announce full casting for Donmar Associate Director and Sheffield Theatres Artistic Director Robert Hastie’s new revival of Peter Gill’s modern masterpiece The York Realist.

Jonathan Bailey joins the cast as John, opposite the previously announced Ben Batt who will play George. Full casting also includes Lucy Black, Brian Fletcher, Lesley Nicol, Katie West and Matthew Wilson.

‘I live here. I live here. You can’t see that, though. You can’t see it. This is where I live. Here.’

A cottage, 1960s Yorkshire. The York Mystery plays are in rehearsal. Farmhand George strains against his roots as a new world opens up to him.

Peter Gill’s influential play about two young men in love is a touching reflection on the rival forces of family, class and longing.

Donmar Associate Robert Hastie returns for this timely revival from one of our greatest living playwrights, following his previous productions and Splendour.

Making theatre accessible to as many people as possible remains at the heart of the Donmar’s mission. The York Realist has KLAXON tickets available throughout the run: an allocation of tickets, starting from £10, put on sale every Monday for performances in the following three weeks. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.

The Donmar’s YOUNG+FREE scheme, which provides free tickets to those aged 25 and under, will also continue throughout The York Realist with releases for tickets at the end of every month. YOUNG+FREE is made possible thanks to donations from Donmar audiences via PAY IT FORWARD. The Donmar has allocated almost 7,500 free tickets to those aged 25 and under since September 2016, thanks to their partnership with Delta Airlines and public donations.

Audiences can sign up to receive information about ticket releases on the Donmar's website www.donmarwarehouse.com

Jonathan Bailey (John) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. His theatre credits include (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Last Five Years (), American Psycho (), (National Theatre), South Downs (Chichester Festival Theatre/West End), The Girl with the Pearl Earring (West End), Beautiful Thing (Sound Theatre), and King John (RSC). Television credits include Jack Ryan, W1A, Chewing Gum, Hooten and the Lady, Crashing, , , Some Girls, Me & Mrs Jones and Leonardo. Jonathan’s film credits include The Mercy, Testament of Youth, St. Trinians and Five Children and It.

Ben Batt (George) returns to the Donmar Warehouse following his role in Making Noise Quietly. Theatre credits include Woyzeck (Old Vic), , (Royal Exchange, Manchester), and The Funfair (HOME, Manchester). Ben’s recent television credits include Prey, Barbarians Rising, From Darkness, The Go-Between, The Village (Series 2), From There to Here, Scott & Bailey, Prisoners Wives, Death in Paradise, and he will soon be seen in the BBC’s In The Dark. Film credits include The Windmill, Slapper and Me, Despite The Falling Snow, Coach, Electricity and A Running Jump.

Lucy Black (Barbara) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Lucy’s theatre credits include Strife (Chichester Festival Theatre), 3 Winters, Children of the Sun (National Theatre), Drawing the Line (Hampstead Theatre), A Taste of Honey (Edinburgh Lyceum), The Only True History Of Lizzie Fynn (Southwark Playhouse), Epsom Downs (Salisbury Playhouse), Cause Celebre (Old Vic), The Misanthrope, A Tender Player, How The Other Half Loves and Seed Of The Bauhinia (), Three Sisters and Mary Barton (Royal Exchange, Manchester), , , Othello, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Titus Andronicus and Three Sisters (Tobacco Factory),

One Minute (Bush Theatre), The Blind Bird and The Lesson (Gate Theatre). Television credits include The Durrells, The Level, Casualty, Jericho, Call the Midwife, Grantchester, EastEnders, Vera, Doctors, Holby City, , Waterloo Road, Wire In The Blood, The Royal, Bombshell and Murder In Mind.

Brian Fletcher (Jack) makes his Donmar Warehouse and professional theatre debut in The York Realist. For television his credits include Three Girls, Moving On, In the Dark, National Treasure, Vera, Cradle to Grave, Ordinary Lives, Home Fires, and The Passing Bells.

Lesley Nicol (Mother) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Further theatre credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Palace Theatre), MAMMA MIA! (Prince Edward Theatre), Our House (Cambridge Theatre) and East is East (Royal Court), for which Lesley also reprised her role in the BAFTA Award-winning adaptation of the play. Lesley is well known on television for her role as Beryl Patmore in Downton Abbey. Further television credits include The Catch, Shameless, Blackadder, Dinnerladies, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Inspector George Gently.

Katie West (Doreen) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Theatre credits include , Chamaco (HOME, Manchester), Lela & Co (Royal Court), Carmen Disruption (Almeida Theatre), , Blind-Sided, Blithe Spirit (Royal Exchange, Manchester), Macbeth (Manchester International Festival/Park Avenue Armory, New York), The Thrill of Love (New Vic Theatre), A Taste of Honey (Sheffield Crucible), 65 Miles (Hull Truck Theatre), Vote of Confidence (Theatre 503), Punk Rock (Hammersmith Lyric/Royal Exchange, Manchester) and Sense (Southwark Playhouse). Television credits include Inspector George Gently, Doctors, Without You and United. Katie has also appeared on film in Peterloo directed by Mike Leigh and Cinderella directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Matthew Wilson (Arthur) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in The York Realist. Theatre credits include Snack Family Robinson (Rose Theatre Kingston), The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd (New Vic Theatre), The God’s Weep and Othello (RSC), Home (Theatre Royal Bath), Psychogeography (Southwark Playhouse), Enemies (Almeida Theatre), The Romans in Britain (Sheffield Crucible), Fair (Finborough Theatre), and Rampage Season: There (Royal Court). His numerous TV credits include Broken, Call the Midwife, Unforgotten, Vera, Poldark, Arthur & George, Endeavour, Sherlock, and Mr Selfridge. For film, his credits include Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Inbetweeners.

Peter Gill (Writer) is a hugely influential and radical figure in British theatre; he is a renowned playwright and one of the most important directors of the last thirty years. Previous Donmar credits include Versailles, 2014 (writer and director), Making Noise Quietly, 2012 (director), Small Change, 2009 (writer) and Days of Wine and Roses, 2005 (director). Peter has directed over eighty productions in the UK, Europe and North America, and held a variety of established positions within the industry, including the post of Associate Director at the National Theatre (1980 - 1997) and Associate Director at the Royal Shakespeare (1964/1965 & 1970/1972).

Robert Hastie (Director) is Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse and the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres. For the Donmar he directed My Night with Reg, which transferred to the West End’s Apollo Theatre and was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Revival; conceived and

directed My Mark with writer Michelle Terry, a project dramatising interviews with primary school children across the country and coinciding with the 2015 and 2017 General Elections; and directed Splendour by Abi Morgan. As Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, his credits include (UK Theatre Awards nomination for Best Director), Of Kith and Kin, and the forthcoming The Wizard of Oz. His other theatre credits include Henry V at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Theatr Clwyd, A Breakfast of Eels by at the Print Room; Carthage by Chris Thompson and Events While Guarding the Bofors Gun by John McGrath at the Finborough Theatre; and The Hotel Plays by Tennessee Williams for Defibrillator at the Holborn Grange Hotel. As Associate Director for Sixty-Six Books, which opened the new Bush Theatre, Hastie directed the world premieres of In the Land of Uz by Neil LaBute, The Middle Man by Anthony Weigh, David and Goliath by Andrew Motion, Snow in Sheffield by Helen Mort and A Lost Expression by Luke Kennard. He was nominated for the Emerging Talent Award at the 2014 Evening Standard Awards.

ENDS

For further information, please contact: James Travis-Lever and Tess Shennan at Jo Allan PR [email protected] | [email protected] |0207 520 9392

DONMAR WAREHOUSE: LISTINGS

THE YORK REALIST

By Peter Gill Thursday 8 February – Saturday 24 March 2018 PRESS NIGHT: Tuesday 13 February 2018

Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, WC2H 9LX www.donmarwarehouse.com

Box Office: 020 3282 3808 (No booking fees, £1 postage fee may apply) Telephone Mon-Sat 10am-6pm In person Mon-Sat, 10am-curtain up (No booking fee) PERFORMANCE TIMES Evenings Mon – Sat: 7.30pm Matinees Thu & Sat: 2.30pm

TICKET PRICES Stalls £40, £30 Circle £30, £20, £10

PREVIEW PRICES Stalls £37.50, £27.50 Circle £27.50, £17.50

KLAXON TICKETS Allocations of tickets from £10 will be made available every Monday for performances within the following three weeks. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.

CONCESSIONS For over 60s, £40 tickets reduced to £32.50 and £30 tickets reduced to £25 (matinees only). £20 for disabled customers. Must be booked in advance and proof of eligibility must be shown on collection. Phone bookings only. A booking fee of £1 will be applied for delivery by post.

STANDING TICKETS £10 standing tickets available every day from 10am in person at the box office (except 18 October).

YOUNG+FREE YOUNG+FREE tickets are accessible to anyone aged 25 or under. Tickets will be released on the last Friday of each month at noon for the following month. For an opportunity to secure free tickets and for more information, sign up to the mailing list: http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/visit/young- and-free

ACCESS The Donmar Warehouse is fully wheelchair accessible. Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome in the auditorium. There is an infrared system in the main auditorium and there is also a hearing loop in the box office.

ASSISTED PERFORMANCES Tickets cost £20. To book call 020 7845 8573 or email [email protected] For all other access enquiries or bookings call 0844 871 7624

CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES – 7.30PM (captioned by Stagetext) Monday 12 March 2018, 7:30pm

AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE - 2.30PM (audio-described by Vocaleyes) (TOUCH TOUR AT 1.30PM) Saturday 17 March 2018, 2:30pm

TRANSPORT & PARKING Tubes: Covent Garden, Leicester Sq, Charing Cross, Holborn, Tottenham Court Road Buses: Destination Leicester Sq.14, 19, 24, 29, 38, 176 Parking: Masterpark As part of its commitment to sustainability, the Donmar encourages audiences to use public transport where possible.

ABOUT THE DONMAR WAREHOUSE

The Donmar Warehouse is the home for leading artists to make world-class theatre that engages, inspires and entertains. We share our work with as broad an audience as possible.

Our intimate space offers actors and audiences a theatrical experience unlike any other, whilst our transfers, tours, and digital distribution enable audiences to enjoy our work worldwide.

The theatre we make is always in conversation with the world today. We celebrate variety on our stage, re-energising the canon, reviving modern classics, and commissioning great new work. We always prize diversity and freedom of expression, and with each new production we seek to innovate and spark debate.

Our exceptional education work empowers young people and cultivates a new generation of artists, audiences and active citizens, whilst our creative development programme invites the best established and emerging artists to push themselves and the boundaries of theatre-making.

The Donmar Warehouse is a registered charity number 284262.

Principal Sponsor and supporter of Donmar Dryden Street

CRUCIBLE THEATRE Tuesday 27 March – Saturday 7 April 2018

PERFORMANCE TIMES Evenings Tue – Sat: 7.30pm Matinees: 2.30pm

ABOUT SHEFFIELD THEATRES Sheffield Theatres is the largest producing theatre complex outside of London, home to three theatres: the Crucible, the Studio and the Lyceum. In recognition of its success in creating new work, its bold approach to new classics and accessible ticketing policy, the Theatre was named Regional Theatre of the Year 2017, by The Stage, for an unprecedented third time, adding to wins in 2013 and 2014. Sheffield Theatres has also celebrated exceptional success at the UK Theatre Awards over the last three years, winning a total of 12 awards. The 2017 UK Theatre Awards included two wins for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: Best Musical Production and Best Performance in a Musical for John McCrea.

The company produces a diverse programme of work, spanning a range of genres: classical revivals, new work, large-scale musicals and innovative and immersive theatre experiences. It presents the best shows currently on tour in the UK and works with theatre artists locally and nationally to nurture and develop new creative talent.

In 2017, the Theatre has produced Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Robert Hastie’s inaugural production as Artistic Director, Julius Caesar, Sheffield People’s Theatre’s production What We Wished For, the regional première of Nina Raine’s Tribes, Eugene O’Neill’s haunting tragedy Desire Under The Elms, new play Of Kith and Kin with the Bush Theatre and Uncle Vanya with Theatr Clwyd. Christmas productions include the technicolor classic The Wizard of Oz and Mother Goose which marks 10 years of co-production with Evolution Pantomimes.

Sheffield Theatres’ spring 2018 season includes the first British production of Frost/Nixon since its 2006 debut and acclaimed film adaptation, The York Realist in co-production with the Donmar Warehouse and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Combining classic and contemporary programming with a bold and ambitious approach, Sheffield Theatres has firmly established itself as one of the country’s leading theatres.

Crucible Lyceum Studio 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA Box Office 0114 249 6000 - Mon - Sat 10.00am to 8.00pm On non-performance days the Box Office closes at 6.00pm. sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Twitter: @crucibletheatre @SheffieldLyceum Instagram: sheffieldtheatres Facebook: Sheffield Theatres