Nick Dear’s new play receives its world premiere at the Almeida theatre, directed by former Director of the National Theatre Richard Eyre.

Set in the Hampshire countryside, The Dark Earth And The Light Sky delves into the life of Edward Thomas, a disaffected husband and tormented writer who struggles to scrape a living. But when Edward meets American poet Robert Frost in 1913, everything changes. As their friendship blossoms, Edward begins to write, emerging from his cocoon of self-doubt into one of the most influential poets of the 20th century. On the verge of success, he makes the drastic decision to enlist, confounding his friends and family.

Dear’s adaptation of Frankenstein received critical acclaim when it premiered at the National Theatre in 2011. His other work includes the screenplay for Jane Austen’s Persuasion, for which he won a BAFTA, and stage adaptations of Maxim Gorky’s Summerfolk and Molière’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, which were staged at the National Theatre.

Eyre returns to the Almedia theatre having previously directed David Hare’s The Judas Kiss at the Islington venue. His other theatre credits include productions of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Noel Coward’s Private Lives on Broadway and the world premieres of Nicholas Wright’s Vincent In Brixton and The Reporter at the National Theatre.