After days of speculation it has been confirmed that Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan will make her theatrical debut this autumn, starring in Lindsay Posner’s revival of David Mamet’s Speed-The-Plow.
The actress, who first came to fame as a child star appearing in Disney films including The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday, will appear in the play at the Playhouse Theatre from 24 September.
The surprise casting will see Lohan play Karen in the satirical portrayal of Hollywood, a place that has led Lohan to attract more than her share of newspaper inches over the last decade with films including Tina Fey’s Mean Girls and Emilio Estevez’s Bobby keeping her firmly in the limelight.
Telling the story of film producers Bobby Gould and Charlie Fox, Speed-The-Plow centres on Karen’s exploits as she persuades Bobby to dump what should be a sure-fire hit in exchange for a story that can only be described as box office poison. As her hold on Bobby is revealed, Charlie is forced to resort to desperate measures.
According to the New York Times, the Ugly Betty actress, who is arguably as famous for her much reported-on life off screen as she is for her work, told reporters that she had been in London for some months in preparation for the play, commenting: “It’s the first time I’ve done a stage play or anything like that. I’m nervous but I’m excited.”
Although the show will mark Lohan’s theatrical debut, she will be in good hands under the direction of Posner whose long theatre career has seen him direct a host of actors best known for their work on screen including Julia Stiles, Matthew Perry and Juliette Lewis.
While the director’s most recent credits include West End productions of The Winslow Boy, Uncle Vanya and Abigail’s Party, he is well-known for his high-profile Mamet productions having directed Romance, Oleanna, Sexual Perversity In Chicago, A Life In The Theatre and American Buffalo.
Speed-The-Plow will run until 29 November with further casting to be announced.