FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE’S NEW FAMILY SHOW: SKELLIG

• Winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year adapted for theatre by author David Almond
• National Theatre regular Sam Swann to play leading role as Michael
• Nottingham Playhouse’s Holes star Edward Harrison returns to the stage to play Skellig

NOTTINGHAM Playhouse has announced the full cast for the stage adaptation of award-winning children’s book Skellig – the show will be directed by Lisa Blair, fresh from her acclaimed revival of Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem.

Michael’s (Sam Swann) life has been turned upside down. Not only has he had to move across town to an old crumbling house, but now the 12 year old’s little sister has fallen seriously ill after being born prematurely.

Lonely, fed up and frightened, Michael begins to explore his new surroundings, including the derelict shed at the bottom of the garden where he makes an unusual discovery. Behind the piles of dust-covered junk, Michael discovers Skellig (Edward Harrison), a strange, emaciated creature hidden among the debris.

Together, with his new friend Milna (played by Kate Okello), Michael decides to help Skellig by keeping him hidden while he returns to full health. But with his school friends, Coot (Tanya Vital) and Leakey (Lauren Waine) growing suspicious, will he succeed? And can the mysterious creature help him in return?

Michael’s mother, played by local actor and Nottingham Playhouse Amplify member Tina Harris, and Michael’s father played by Simon Darwen are joined on stage by Philip Correia, who plays their real estate agent Mr. Stone. Luke Grant, who starred in Nottingham Playhouse’s Wreck, plays Michael’s science teacher Rasputin.

Taking on a number of roles including narrator and student Lucy Carr is Gillian Kirkpatrick.

Following the success of Holes in the 2018 programme, artistic director Adam Penford has continued his programming of titles aimed at schools and family audiences.

This family friendly production retells David Almond’s modern classic through a hauntingly beautiful theatre adaptation. Winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year and Carnegie Medal, Skellig captures the imagination of both adults and children, taking them on a journey of friendship and self-discovery suitable for those aged eight and up.

Adam said: “I am delighted with the cast that has been assembled for Skellig. Having heard Lisa’s plans for the production it will be visually stunning and hugely inventive. David Almond’s modern classic is a beautiful story which will capture the imagination of audiences of all ages.”

Skellig runs from Friday 22 March through to Sunday 7 April 2019.

Tickets are priced £30.50 – £8.50.

For more information about Nottingham Playhouse visit www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

Full cast biographies:

Sam Swann – Jerusalem (The Watermill Theatre); Prom Kween (Edinburgh Film Festival); OIL (Almeida Theatre); Dr Korczak’s Example, A Winter’s Tale (Unicorn Theatre); The Kitchen, Greenland (National Theatre); Anne and Zef (Salisbury Playhouse), The Exclusion Zone (Southwark Playhouse); Wendy and Peter (RSC).

Edward Harrison – Shakespeare in Love (UK tour); Holes (Nottingham Playhouse); Baskerville (Liverpool Playhouse) Constellations (Singapore Repertory Theatre); All my Sons (Rose Theatre, Kingston); Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies (Royal Shakespeare Company, Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway); UK Tour Genius (Fox21/NatGeo) Doctor Who (BBC); Doctors (BBC) Brandoing (Virgin Short Finalist); The Present, Dante, Breathing Room, Oska Bayte, Dorian Gray, Doctor Who: Nightshade and Vienna: Retribution (Big Finish).

Kate Okello – The Savage (Live Theatre); Stan and Ollie (Film); Home Front (BBC); Braids (Royal Court); Leaving (National Tour).

Tanya Vital – Nine Days They Fell (RADA; Urban Grimshaw and the Shed Crew (Red Ladder Theatre); Up ‘n’ Under (New Wolsey & tour); Doctors, Casualty, Ideal  (BBC); Emmerdale, Brief Encounters (ITV); Banana (Red Productions); Red Sparrow (Film).

Lauren Waine – The War of The Worlds (Northern Stage and Tour); Wormtown (The Customs House and Alphabetti Theatre); Dr Faustus (The Sam Wanamaker Festival, The Globe); Pericles (Brighton Open Air Theatre); RENT! (Paul McCartney Auditorium); Three Jumpers (Edinburgh Fringe); Fee (The Dumping Ground, CBBC/BBC, Season 7); Molly (Vera, ITV, Season 8); Petra (The Infirmary, Audible/Amazon).

Tina Harris – Abigail’s Party; ‘Allo ‘Allo; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Lit; Frankie & Johnny ;Coronation Street, Cleaning Up (ITV); Red Dwarf, Danny and the Human Zoo, Happy Valley, Silent Witness, Doctors, Cradle to Grave (BBC); Hollyoaks (Channel 4).

Simon Darwen – The Here & This & Now (Plymouth Drum); The Pitmen Painters (New Vic); Our Country’s Good (Out of Joint); Lizzie Siddal (Arcola); Catch 22 (Northern Stage); Virgin (Watford Palace); King Lear (Theatre Royal Bath); Mad About The Boy (Young Vic); Love Love Love (Paines Plough); The Merchant of Venice, The Tragedy of Thomas Hobbes, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC); Fanny & Faggot  (Trafalgar Studios); Years and Years (BBC); Britannia (Sky Atlantic); Call the Midwife, Silent Witness (BBC); The Bletchley Circle, The Bill (ITV).

Philip Correia – Othello (Oxford Playhouse & Tour); Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe); Holy Warriors, Antony And Cleopatra (Globe Theatre); Casualty, George Gently (BBC); Vera, Lewis (ITV); Bliss! (Film); The Hunters (Film).

Luke Grant – Henry V (Bath Ustinov, Tobacco Factory & UK Tour); Wreck (Nottingham Playhouse); Away from Home (The Crescent Theatre).

Gillian Kirkpatrick – Say It With Flowers (Sherman Theatre); Chess (Union); Sweeney Todd (Chichester Festival Theatre & Adelphi); Hairspray (Original UK Tour) Inside Balmoral (Channel 5); EastEnders, Holby City (BBC); River City (BBC Scotland).

Listings:

Friday 22 March through to Sunday 7 April 2019.

Matinees: 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:00pm

Evenings: 5:00pm, 7:00pm

Please visit www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk for full performance run.

Nottingham Playhouse

Box Office Information:

Nottingham Playhouse

http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

Box office 0115 941 9419