Labour of Love at the Noel Coward Theatre

James Graham’s Labour of Love at the Noel Coward Theatre starring Martin Freeman

The Michael Grandage Company and Headlong present the world première of James Graham’s new play Labour of Love.

A razor sharp political comedy about the Labour Party, set in the party’s traditional northern heartlands where the clash and divide between party philosophy, class and culture couldn’t be more divided.

Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Sherlock, Fargo) will play Labour MP David Lyons with Tamsin Greig (Episodes, Green Wing) playing his constituency agent Jean Whittaker.

Labour of Love runs from 25 September 2017 until 2 December 2017 at the Noel Coward Theatre.

STORY

“Labour MP David Lyons cares about modernisation and “electability”… his constituency agent, Jean Whittaker cares about principles and her community. Set away from the Westminster bubble in the party’s traditional northern heartlands, this is a clash of philosophy, culture and class against the backdrop of the Labour Party over 25 years as it moves from Kinnock through Blair into Corbyn… and beyond?”

CAST

The cast features Martin Freeman, Tamsin Greig, Rachael Stirling, Kwong Loke, Dickon Tyrrell and Susan Wokoma.

CREATIVE TEAM

Written by James Graham with direction by Michael Grandage.

REVIEWS

★★★★ Copious quantities of wit..Greig makes even low-level back-chat soar to comic heights. – Daily Telegraph
★★★★ Sharp and funny political rom-com hits upon a winning combination – The Times
★★★★ it’s a play about love – of party, friends, country – Time Out
★★★★ Martin Freeman and Tamsin Greig give sparkling performances – Guardian

Show Information

Cast Highlights

Martin Freeman

Tamsin Grieg

Venue Information

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Tamsin Greig replaces Sarah Lancashire in Labour of Love

Tamsin Greig has stepped in to replace Sarah Lancashire in Labour of Love. Greig will take on the role of community minded constituency agent Jean Whittaker, opposite Martin Freeman in James Graham's new political play. Best known for her television roles in Episodes, Green Wing and Love Soup, the Olivier Award winning actress was most recently seen in Simon Godwin's production of Twelfth Night at the National Theatre playing Malvolia, a traditionally male role. Other theatre credits include Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre), Much Ado about Nothing (RSC), Jumpy (Royal Court/Duke of York’s), Gethsemane (National Theatre) and God of Carnage, opposite Ralph Fiennes at The Gielgud. Labour Of Love was previously due to start previews at the Noel Coward Theatre on 15 September, with press night on September 25. However, it will now preview from 27 September 27, with press night on 3 October 2017. Greig will star alongside Martin Freeman, Rachael Stirling, Kwong Loke, Dickon Tyrrell and Susan Wokoma in the production, which is directed by Jeremy Herrin. Set against the back drop of the last 25 years of the Labour Party, Graham's play follows Labour MP David Lyons (Freeman) and his constituency agent Jean Whittaker (Greig) as they clash in the party's northern heartlands. Happy Valley actress Sarah Lancashire has withdrawn from the production on 'doctors advice'. Buy ticket to Labour of Love Labour of Love runs from 25 September 2017 until 2 December 2017 at the Noel Coward Theatre.

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Full casting announced for James Graham’s Labour of Love

James Graham's new political comedy will see Rachael Stirling, Kwong Loke, Dickon Tyrrell and Susan Wokoma join Martin Freeman and Sarah Lancashire when it opens at the Noel Coward Theatre next month. The co-production between Headlong and the Michael Grandage Company will see Labour Of Love directed by Jeremy Herrin, who also directed Graham's acclalimed This House. Martin Freeman (Fargo, Sherlock, The Office) plays modernising Labour MP David Lyons opposite Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) as his principled and community minded constituency agent Jean Whittaker. Rachael Stirling (Medea, Headlong; The Recruiting Officer, Donmar Warehouse) plays Elziabeth Lyons, Kwong Loke (You For Me For You, Royal Court) plays Mr Shen, Dickon Tyrrell (Anatomy of a Suicide, Royal Court) plays Len Prior, Susan Wokoma (Hotel, National Theatre) plays Margot Midler. Buy tickets to Labour of Love Labour of Love runs from 15 September 2017 until 2 December 2017 at the Noel Coward Theatre.

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James Graham’s Ink to transfer to the Duke of York’s Theatre

James Graham's Ink will reportedly transfer to the Duke of York's Theatre later this year. The gripping drama about the birth of The Sun newspaper opened to critical acclaim at the Almeida Theatre in June. Rupert Goold's production stars Bertie Carvel (The Hairy Ape, Matilda) as a young Rupert Murdoch, perennial outsider, who decides to take on the Fleet Street establishment by giving the people what they wanted. Richard Coyle (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Coupling) plays The Sun's revolutionary first editor Larry Lamb, the man responsible for the ground-breaking page 3 models. Read our round-up of reviews Negotiations are reportedly ongoing, however Ink is likely to run from 9 September 2017 until 6 January 2017 at the Duke of York's Theatre. With his forthcoming political comedy Labour of Love starring Martin Freeman and Sarah Lancashire running at the Noel Coward Theatre from September, James Graham will have the enviable position of having 2 plays running in the same street. Buy tickets for INK

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James Graham’s This House will tour the UK in 2018

James Graham's acclaimed political drama This House will embark on a UK tour in 2018. The tour will open in Leeds at the West Yorkshire Playhouse on 22 February 2018 before touring to Cambridge (12 to 17 March), Bath (19 to 24 March), Edinburgh (27 to 31 March), Nottingham (10 to 14 April), Birmingham (16 to 21 April), Salford (24 to 28 April), Plymouth (1 to 5 May), Norwich (7 to 12 May), Malvern (15 to 19 May), Guildford (21 to 26 May) and Sheffield (29 May to 2 June). The play is set in Westminster between 1974 and 1979, with a hung parliament and an impending vote of no confidence, the Labour and Tory whips become embroiled in a war of attrition. Directed by Jermey Herrin (People, Places & Things, Wolf Hall) the production opened to critical acclaim at the National Theatre in 2012, followed by runs in Chichester and most recently the Garrick Theatre in London's West End, where it was nominated for Best Revival at the 2017 Olivier Awards. James Graham's latest play Ink  -  about the founding of The Sun newspaper as a sensationalist tabloid -  has just opened to rave reviews at the Almeida Theatre starring Bertie Carvel and Richard Cole.  His next play, Labour of Love, a political drama features Martin Freeman and Sarah Lancashire and will open at the Noel Coward later this year.

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Reviews round-up: Ink at the Almeida

A reviews round-up for Ink at the Almeida Theatre James Graham's much anticipated drama about the founding of The Sun newspaper has opened to overwhelmingly positive reviews at the Almeida Theatre. Starring Bertie Carvel (Matilda, The Hairy Ape) as the 'Dirty Digger' Rupert Murdoch and Richard Coyle (Coupling) editor of the Sun Larry Lamb, the production is applauded for not only the nuanced performances of the actors but also for allowing audiences to draw their own conclusions about press ethics. Following the success of This House and now Ink, James Graham has firmly established himself as a first rate political dramatist. Read our round-up of reviews below. Ink runs until 5 August 2017 at the Almeida Theatre.

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Martin Freeman & Sarah Lancashire to star in new James Graham play

Martin Freeman and Sarah Lancashire will star in the world premiere of James Graham's new play Labour of Love Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the show is a political comedy about the Labour Party, set in the northern heartlands where the clash and divide between party philosophy, class and culture couldn't be more extreme. Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Sherlock, Fargo) will play Labour MP David Lyons with Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Coronation Street) playing his constituency agent Jean Whittaker. Graham's work includes the forthcoming Almeida production of Ink starring Bertie Carvel and Richard Coyle, the award winning production of This House and The Vote. The show is produced by The Michael Grandage Company and Headlong. Labour of Love will from 15 September 2017 until 2 December 2017 at the Noel Coward Theatre. Click here to book tickets

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