Ben Chaplin will replace Rhys Ifans in the cast of The Old Vic‘s play Mood Music, with the latter regretfully withdrawing from the production due to family reasons.
Chaplin will now assume the lead role of Bernard, a record producer, in Joe Penhall’s exciting new play, which explores the dark side of the music industry. He will be joined by Seána Kerslake (Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope, BBC3) in the role of Cat, a recording artist, along with Pip Carter (Consent, National) as Ramsay, Kurt Egyiawan (Othello, Globe) as Miles, Jemma Redgrave (Holby City, Doctor Who, BBC) as Vanessa, and Neil Stuke (Silk, BBC) as Seymour.
Chaplin’s previous stage credits include Consent and The Reporter at the National Theatre, alongside a 2004 Tony nomination for Best Actor for Retreat From Moscow, and a 1996 Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for The Glass Menagerie.
Ben Chaplin
Mood Music is set in a high-pressured London recording studio, where a battle between a young songwriter Cat (Kerslake) and her producer Bernard (Chaplin) is underway. Their lawyers and psychotherapists go to toe-to-toe over who owns a hit song, in a sly and wry exploration of the music industry.
It’s the latest hit play-in-the-making from Joe Penhall, the Olivier Award-winning writer of Sunny Afternoon and Blue/Orange. Mood Music is directed by Roger Michell, who returns to Th Old Vic following Marya.
Mood Music previews from 21 April, with press night on 2 May.