The Almeida theatre has announced a spring season boasting the European premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner Ruined and the world premiere of Andrew Upton’s adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s Through A Glass Darkly.
Lynn Nottage’s Ruined, which plays from 15 April to 5 June, is a tale of life amid civil war, and sees Jenny Jules and Lucian Msamati return to the Almeida theatre to lead its cast. Set in the Democratic Republic of Congo, bar owner Mama Nadi is forced to reassess her rules, priorities and loyalties when two new girls, tainted with the stigma of their recent past, arrive.
Jules is fast becoming an Almeida regular, having recently performed in The Homecoming and Big White Fog. She has previously worked with Msamati at the Tricycle theatre, where they both appeared in Fabulation and Gem Of The Ocean. Msamati’s last performance at the Almeida came when he starred opposite Anthony Sher in ID.
Through A Glass Darkly follows Ruined, running from 10 June to 31 July. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s 1961 film, it is the story of Karin, a wife, sister and daughter who, when on a recuperative holiday with the three most important men in her life, decides to take control of her own destiny.
The production was originally staged by the Almeida as a rehearsed reading at the Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival earlier this year, with a cast including Ruth Wilson. Since then, Upton has further worked on the play to prepare it for a full staging to be directed by the Almeida theatre’s Artistic Director Michael Attenborough.
Ruined and Through A Glass Darkly follow the previously announced productions of Measure For Measure (12 February to 10 April), starring Rory Kinnear, Anna Maxwell Martin and Ben Miles, classic thriller Rope (10 December to 6 February) and Mrs Klein, which opens at the Islington venue next week.
MA