The Donmar Warehouse has today announced two new productions in Josie Rourke’s penultimate season as Artistic Director: Brian Friel’s Aristocrats, directed by Lyndsey Turner; and Measure For Measure, in which Rourke will direct Hayley Atwell and Jack Lowden in alternating roles.
The latter production, which begins performances on Friday 28 September, sees Marvel Cinematic Universe actress Atwell, and the Olivier Award-winning stage and screen star Lowden, make their Donmar debuts. They will alternate the parts of the powerful Deputy and the powerless Novice at each performance.
In corrupt Vienna, who sins the most: the tempter, or the tempted? A play of power, sex and transgression, Rourke’s production of Measure For Measure imagines the play both in its original year of performance, 1604, and also in 2018. Performances conclude 24 November.
Preceding this, Olivier Award-winning director Lyndsey Turner will direct a revival of Brian Friel’s haunting play Aristocrats. Returning to the Donmar following Faith Healer, Fathers And Sons, and Philadelphia Here I Come!, Turner tells the tale of a family whose past, rooted in the grandeur of their family home, threatens to obliterate their future when they return.
Aritocrats will star Elaine Cassidy, David Dawson, David Ganly, Emmet Kirwan, Aisling Loftus, Ciaran McIntyre and Eileen Walsh. The show begins performances on 2 August, running until 22 September.
Full casting has been revealed for David Harrower’s adaptation of Muriel Sparks’ The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie (4 June – 28 July). Set in Marcia Blaine School for Girls, where teacher Miss Brodie leaves her mark, the show is directed by Polly Findlay.
Edward MacLiam joins the previously announced company of the show, which also includes Nicola Coughlan, Emma Hindle, Rona Morison, Grace Saif, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Lia Williams, Helena Wilson, Angus Wright and Kit Young.
It was also announced that Phyllida Lloyd’s internationally acclaimed, all-female Shakespeare Trilogy – comprising Julius Caesar, Henry IV and The Tempest – will be made available free to view on BBC iPlayer, following a BBC4 transmission of Julius Caesar this summer.
James Macdonald’s production of The Way Of The World – Congreve’s masterpiece Restoration comedy – is currently running at the Donmar Warehouse until 26 May.
For more information about the new season, including ticketing, visit the Donmar Warehouse website.