Hollywood actress Thandie Newton is to appear in the West End this autumn in Ariel Dorfman’s play Death And The Maiden at the Comedy Theatre.
Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Court Jeremy Herrin will direct the play, which starts its run on 13 October 2011.
Thandie Newton will play former political prisoner Paulina Salas, who suffered at the hands of a captor whose face she never saw, but whose voice and mannerisms she recalls with terrifying clarity.
The role was originated by Juliet Stevenson in 1990 when the play premiered at the Royal Court before transferring into the West End. A 1994 movie was shot by Roman Polanski.
Thandie Newton won a BAFTA for Paul Haggis’ Oscar-winning movie Crash. Other films include 2012, Beloved, Mission Impossible II, The Pursuit of Happyness, Run Fat Boy Run, Oliver Stone’s W, Huge and forthcoming movie Good Deeds.
Newton, who is an ambassador for the Rambert Dance Company, has been looking for a West End project for some time.
Tickets for Death and the Maiden go on sale on Monday.
