London’s Donmar Warehouse have announced three new productions for their late 2017-2018 season.
James Norton (Happy Valley, Grantchester) and Imogen Poots (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) will star in the UK premiere of American playwright Amy Herzog’s acclaimed drama Belleville.
This twisting tale of friendship and lies is set in a bohemian quarter of Paris, with Poots and Norton playing New York newlyweds seemingly living the perfect expat life.
The cast also features Faith Alabi (The Rolling Stone, Orange Tree Theatre) and Malachi Kirby (Rough Cuts, Royal Court).
Award winning Michael Longhurst (Caroline, or Change, Constellations) will direct the production with design by Tom Scutt, lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound and compositions by Ben and Max Ringham. Belleville runs from 7 December 2017 until 3 February 2018.
Belleville is followed by a revival of Peter Gill’s modern classic, The York Realist which stars Ben Batt (Woyzeck, Old Vic) and Lesley Nicol, best known as Mrs Patmore in ITV series Downton Abbey.
Peter Gill’s influential play about two young men in love is a touching reflection on the rival forces of family, class and longing.
Donmar Associate Robert Hastie (My Night with Reg, Splendour) directs with design by Peter McKintosh, lighting by Paul Pyant and sound by Emma Laxton.
A co-production between Donmar Warehouse and Sheffield Theatre, The York Realist will run from 8 February 2018 until 24 March 2018.
The season concludes with a new production of William Congreve’s Restoration comedy The Way of the World starring Linda Basset.
Set in the 1700s, Congreve’s glorious ensemble of characters battle it out in this exposing, satirical comedy where everyone needs to win just to get by.
The production is directed by James MacDonald (Roots) with design by Anna Fleischle (Hangmen), lighting by Peter Mumford and sound by Max Pappenheim. The Way of the World runs from 29 March 2018 until 26 May 2018.
Artistic Director Josie Rourke said “I am delighted to share with you the Donmar’s new season: a premiere of an American play, a revival of a modern classic, and one of the great Restoration comedies. With this season the Donmar aims to bring audiences world-class artists and essential stories for our times told within the intimate setting of our Covent Garden home.”
The Donmar’s current season includes Yaël Farber’s production of David Harrower’s haunting Knives in Hens which is followed by a new version of Ibsen’s The Lady from the Sea by Elinor Cook , directed by incoming Young Vic Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah.
