On The Road star Tom Sturridge and Downton Abbey’s Zoe Boyle will lead the cast of Polly Stenham’s forthcoming drama No Quarter, the playwright’s third play to premiere at the Royal Court theatre.
Playing from 11 January in the venue’s bijoux but prolific Jerwood Theatre Upstairs space where Stenham’s hugely successful plays That Face and Tusk Tusk were also first seen, Sturridge will play Robin, a man who finds solace in the sanctuary of his remote family home but must decide how far he will go to save it when his kingdom begins to crumble around him.
Last seen at the venue in Simon Stephens’ Wastwater, Sturridge made his mark on the London stage when he appeared in Punk Rock at the Lyric Hammersmith in 2009, the role earning him a prestigious Critics’ Circle Outstanding Newcomer Award and an Evening Standard Award nomination. On screen he has starred in Richard Curtis’ The Boat That Rocked and indie romance Waiting For Forever.
Boyle will make her Royal Court theatre debut in Stenham’s philosophical new piece following theatre credits including Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Six Degrees Of Separation at the Old Vic theatre. The actress is arguably best known however for her appearance as Lavinia Swire in ITV’s hugely popular Downton Abbey.
The pair will be joined in the cast by Patrick Kennedy, whose numerous screen credits include Boardwalk Empire, Parade’s End and War Horse, Casualty’s Maureen Beattie, Taron Egerton (The Last Of The Haussmans, National Theatre), Joshua James (Love And Information, Royal Court), Jenny Rainsford (The Importance Of Being Earnest, Rose Theatre Kingston) and Alexa Davies, who makes her professional stage debut in the production.
No Quarter, which will be directed by Stenham’s regular collaborator Jeremy Herrin, will play at the venue following EV Crowe’s primary school-set drama Hero.