Former History Boy Russell Tovey, who was hotly tipped to replace David Tennant as Doctor Who, is to lead the cast of new play A Miracle when it opens at the Royal Court in March.
Tovey stars in the debut play by Royal Court Young Writers Programme Graduate Molly Davies, alongside Sorcha Cusack, Gerard Horan and Kate O’Flynn.
Set in East Anglia, A Miracle is a play about wanting a better life, and explores the trials of love and life in a rural community.
Tovey is widely regarded as one of British acting’s hottest young talents, making his name with screen performances in Little Dorrit, Being Human and in the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special Voyage Of The Damned. On stage he appeared in both The History Boys and His Dark Materials at the National Theatre, The Sea at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and as the eponymous detective in the Young Vic/Barbican production of Hergé’s Adventures Of Tintin.
Another young star, O’Flynn has already turned heads with performances in the Mike Leigh film Happy Go Lucky and in royal drama The Palace.
Horan and Cusack lend experience to the cast. Horan’s screen credits include Lark Rise To Candleford, Kingdom, London’s Burning and The Singing Detective, while Cusack, who recently appeared in the National Theatre production of The Five Wives Of Maurice Pinder, is a veteran of shows including Coronation Street and Judge John Deed.
A Miracle, which is directed by Lyndsey Turner, is the second play in the Royal Court’s Young Writers Festival 2009, following Alia Bano’s Shades, which is currently running at the Sloane Square venue.
MA