Bertie Carvel and JJ Feild will head the cast of The Pride, by Alexi Kaye Campbell, when it opens in the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs on 26 November (previews from 21 November).
Set over a period of 50 years, The Pride examines changing attitudes to sexuality, looking at intimacy, identity and the courage it takes to be who you really are. In 1958 Philip is in love with Oliver, but married to Sylvia. In 2008, Oliver is addicted to sex with strangers. Sylvia loves them both.
Carvel (Oliver) was Laurence Olivier Award-nominated for his performance as convicted murderer Leo Frank in the musical Parade at the Donmar Warehouse in 2007. He has worked frequently at the National Theatre in productions of The Man Of Mode, The Life Of Galileo and Coram Boy.
Feild (Philip) was last seen on the London stage in the energetic dual role of Hugo and Frederic in Ring Round The Moon at the Playhouse earlier this year. Feild is a familiar face on television where his credits include Northanger Abbey, Ruby In The Smoke and Shadow In The North. He also appears in forthcoming film Telstar.
They are joined in the cast by Lyndsey Marshal, who plays Sylvia. Marshal has previously appeared at the Royal Court in Fireface, and has numerous London stage credits including A Matter Of Life And Death (National Theatre), Absurdia (Donmar Warehouse) and The Hypochondriac (Almeida). She was also seen on television in the mini-series Rome.
The cast, which is completed by Tim Steed, is directed by Jamie Lloyd, an Associate Director at the Donmar Warehouse where he recently directed the revival of Piaf, which has just transferred to the Vaudeville. His other work includes The Lover & The Collection at the Comedy theatre and a UK tour of the Donmar’s Guys And Dolls.
The Pride follows Faces In The Crowd and I Come From There into the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs and plays until 20 December.
CB