Dearbhla Molloy and Joseph Marcell lead the casts of two forthcoming productions at the Tricycle. Molloy plays Sister Aloysius in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt, while Marcell stars in the premiere of Kwame Kwei-Armah’s new play Let There Be Love.
Tricycle Artistic Director Nicolas Kent directs Molloy in Doubt, which runs from 22 November-12 January. The actress plays the strong-minded nun Sister Aloysius who works at a Bronx Catholic school in 1964 and has doubts about the enigmatic Father Flynn. As her suspicions grow about his inappropriate behaviour with the school’s first black student, a verbal battle of wills begins and she instigates a relentless campaign to remove the priest.
Molloy was recently in the cast of In Celebration at the Duke Of York’s. Her previous London stage credits include Hinterland, On The Ledge and The Cripple Of Inishmaan at the National, Arcadia at the Haymarket, Juno And The Paycock at the Donmar Warehouse and The Plough And The Stars at the Young Vic. She has also appeared on Broadway in Dancing At Lughnasa, for which she received a Tony Award nomination, and A Touch Of The Poet. Her extensive screen credits include the film Tara Road and television series Sex And The City, 55 Degrees North and New Tricks.
Molloy is joined in the cast of Doubt by Nikki Amuka-Bird as Mrs Muller, Padraic Delaney as Father Flynn and Marcella Plunkett as Sister James.
In Let There Be Love, which is both written and directed by Kwei-Armah, Marcell plays West Indian pensioner Alfred Morris. Kicked out of his daughter’s Croydon house, he returns home to find he has been gifted a ‘Polish cleaner/home help’, Maria, who is eager to learn the ways of her new land. The cantankerous and xenophobic Alfred realises that he may indeed still have a role in life – he could teach Maria to be British.
Marcell was part of the Tricycle’s 2006 African American season, appearing in the productions Walk Hard Talk Loud and Gem Of The Ocean. His other London stage credits include Coriolanus and Under The Black Flag at Shakespeare’s Globe last year. He is also well-known for his television roles including Geoffrey the butler in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air and more recently, Aubrey in EastEnders.
No further casting has been announced for Let There Be Love, which runs from 17 January-16 February 2008.
Currently at the Tricycle is Ron Hutchinson’s comedy about the making of Gone With The Wind, Moonlight And Magnolias, which runs until 3 November.
CB