The complete cast has been confirmed for the second production in the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company season, Edward Bond’s The Sea, which runs from 17 January-19 April. Joining Eileen Atkins, David Haig and Marcia Warren are David Burke, Mariah Gale, Harry Lloyd, William Chubb and Russell Tovey, plus Sarah Annis, John Branwell, Selina Griffiths, Emma Noakes, Philippa Urquhart and Jem Wall.
The Sea is part farce, part social satire, part tragedy. Set in a small East Anglian seaside village in 1907, it depicts the consequences of a wild storm, which sets off a series of events that change the lives of all its residents.
As previously announced, multi-award-winning actress Atkins – currently seen in the BBC’s Cranford – leads the cast as Mrs Rafi, with Haig continuing his residency at the Haymarket (he plays Pinchwife in The Country Wife, which runs until 12 January) as Hatch, and Warren as Jessica Tilehouse.
Burke joins them to play Evens. His many London theatre credits include Mary Stuart at the Donmar Warehouse, The Wind In The Willows at the Royal Opera House, Three Sisters at the Playhouse, Richard II and Coriolanus at the Almeida and many productions with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Lloyd (Willy Carson) is familiar to television viewers as Will Scarlett in the BBC’s Robin Hood. On stage, he appeared in Neil LaBute’s Bash at Trafalgar Studios earlier this year and has just joined the cast of The Family Plays at the Royal Court.
Tovey (Hollarcut) played Rudge in the original cast of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys at the National, recreating his performance on Broadway and in the film adaptation. Also for the National, he appeared in His Dark Materials, His Girl Friday, Howard Katz and Henry V. Other credits include the title role in Herge’s Adventures Of Tintin at the Barbican.
Gale (Rose) was last seen in London in the Young Vic’s production of Vernon God Little, and has also worked at the Southwark Playhouse, the Open Air, the Arcola and Shakespeare’s Globe.
Chubb (Vicar) has London stage credits including Hay Fever, also at the Haymarket, The History Boys at the Wyndham’s and A Raisin In The Sun at the Young Vic.
The cast is directed by Jonathan Kent, former Artistic Director of the Almeida, who has established this year-long season of works at the Haymarket. The Sea follows The Country Wife and precedes a new musical Marguerite, the third production in the Company’s first season, running from 6 May-1 November 2008.CB