Carey Mulligan will make her West End debut in June when she stars in Stephen Daldry’s revival of David Hare’s Olivier Award-winning play Skylight.
The Great Gatsby star will appear alongside Billy Nighy and Matthew Beard in the production, which plays at the Wyndham’s Theatre from 6 June (press night 18 June) to 23 August.
Mulligan will take on the role of Kyra Hollis, a school teacher who on a cold evening in London receives an unexpected visit from former lover Tom Sergeant, whose wife has recently died. As the pair try to rekindle their once passionate relationship, they find themselves locked in a battle of opposing ideologies and mutual desires.
Best known for her on screen roles, which most recently include Drive, Shame, Never Let Me Go and Inside Llewyn Davis, Mulligan has previously been seen on the London stage in Forty Winks and The Seagull at the Royal Court. The BAFTA-winning star of An Education also appeared in the Broadway transfer of Chekhov’s classic, which earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination.
Nighy returns to the role of Tom after originating the part in the 1995 production at the National Theatre. The actor, who is a veteran of Hare’s work having previously appeared in Pravda, Map Of The World and The Vertical Hour, has also appeared extensively at the South Bank venue in productions including Blue/Orange, The Seagull and Arcadia. His film roles include Love Actually, The Boat That Rocked and Valkyrie.
Beard will make his stage debut in the production. The star of And When Did You Last See Your Father? previously appeared alongside Mulligan in hit films An Education and One Day. The actor is also soon to appear in the film adaptation of Laura Wade’s Posh, which has enjoyed two successful runs in the capital in recent years.
Skylight marks Olivier Award-winning director Daldry’s return to the West End following his hit production of Peter Morgan’s The Audience in 2013. The Billy Elliot The Musical director is joined in the creative team by designer Bob Crowley, who also worked on the regal tale.
The production adds to an eclectic 2014 season for the Wyndham’s Theatre. After the current run of Conor McPherson’s Olivier Award-winning Irish tale The Weir, acclaimed Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky will bring his Russian language productions of Three Sisters and Uncle Vanya to the venue in April.