Old Vic's CAUSE CÉLÈBRE Previews Tonight

Lucy Black, Timothy Carlton, Simon Chandler, Richard Clifford, Oliver Coopersmith, Niamh Cusack, Rory Fleck-Byrne, Freddie Fox, Jenny Galloway, Patrick Godfrey, Nicholas Jones, Tommy McDonnell, Lucy Robinson, Tristan Shepherd, Richard Teverson, Sarah Waddell, Michael Webber and Tristram Wymark will join the previously announced Anne-Marie Duff in Terence Rattigan's final play, Cause Célèbre, opening for previews on 17 March with a press night on 29 March 2011.

Directed by Thea Sharrock, this major new production of Rattigan's final play is the third production in The Old Vic's seventh season, and is sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The production, which will run until 11 June, is part of the 2011 centenary celebrations of Rattigan's birth.

Cause Célèbre is based on the true story of Alma Rattenbury (Anne-Marie Duff) who was put on public trial in 1935 with her 18-year-old lover for violently killing her husband. Condemned by the public, more for her seduction of a younger man than for any involvement she may have had in her husband's death, Alma's fate is left in the hands of the socially and sexually repressed jury forewoman, Edith Davenport (Niamh Cusack). Through these two women, this powerful play examines the role of passion, guilt and loyalty in a study of 1930s English sensibilities.

Terence Rattigan is one of England's greatest playwrights. His many plays include French Without Tears, After the Dance, Flare Path, Love In Idleness, While The Sun Shines, The Winslow Boy, The Browning Version, Harlequinade, Adventure Story, Who Is Sylvia?, The Deep Blue Sea, The Sleeping Prince, Separate Tables, Variation On A Theme, Ross, Man And Boy, A Bequest To The Nation, In Praise Of Love and Cause Célèbre. Rattigan also wrote numerous screenplays, including French Without Tears, The Way To The Stars, Journey Together, While the Sun Shines, The Winslow Boy, The Browning Version, The Prince And The Showgirl, Separate Tables, The Sound Barrier, The Man Who Loved Redheads, The Deep Blue Sea, The Final Test, The VIPs, The Yellow Rolls Royce, Goodbye Mr Chips, Conduct Unbecoming, A Bequest to the Nation, The Day Will Dawn, English Without Tears, Uncensored, Brighton Rock and Bond Street.

Thea Sharrock is currently directing Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit in the West End. Recent credits include the acclaimed production of Rattigan's After the Dance (National Theatre), The Misanthrope starring Keira Knightley (Comedy Theatre), Mrs. Klein (Almeida) and As You Like It (Globe). Thea also directed the critically acclaimed Equus starring Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths at the Gielgud Theatre and then on Broadway. Other West End credits include Heroes (Wyndham's) and A Voyage Round My Father (Donmar/ Wyndham's). She was Artistic Director of Southwark Playhouse from 2001 to 2003, where she directed A Doll's House, Mongoose, Trip's Cinch and The Sleepers' Den, and Artistic Director of The Gate Theatre between 2004 and 2007, where she directed The Chairs, The Emperor Jones and Tejas Verdes.

Niamh Cusack (Edith Davenport) is a highly accomplished actress who has worked extensively in theatre and in television. Her many theatre credits include Women, Power and Politics (Tricycle), Andersen's English (Hampstead Theatre and UK tour), Dancing at Lughnasa at The Old Vic, Sir Peter Hall's Portrait Of A Lady (Theatre Royal Bath), The Enchantment and Nicholas Hytner's His Dark Materials, both at The National Theatre. Her television credits include ITV's Fallen Angel with Emilia Fox, The Last Detective with Peter Davison and the hugely popular drama series Heartbeat. Niamh has also appeared in a number of films - 5 Minutes of Heaven, The Closer You Get, Playboys and Shadow Under The Sun.

Anne-Marie Duff (Alma Rattenbury) is an actress whose work spreads extensively over screen and stage. In 2007 Anne-Marie took The National Theatre by storm in the title role of Marianne Elliott's revival of Saint Joan, for which she won an Evening Standard Theatre Award, a South Bank Show Award, The Critics' Circle Award and was nominated for an Olivier Award. She was also nominated for an Ian Charleson Award for her role as 'Cordelia' in Richard Eyre's King Lear (National Theatre) and an Olivier Award for Howard Davies' Collected Stories (West End). Other theatre credits include Days of Wine and Roses (Donmar) and War and Peace (National Theatre). Anne-Marie was BAFTA nominated in 2005 for her role as 'Fiona' in Shameless (Channel 4) as well as in 2007 for her role as 'Elizabeth I' in Elizabeth -The Virgin Queen. Other television credits include Charles II, Dr Zhivago and Sinners. Film credits include The Last Station with Helen Mirren, Nowhere Boy, for which she won the Best Supporting Actress BIFA and received a BAFTA nomination, Margot, The Magdalene Sisters, French Film with Hugh Bonneville and Is Anybody There? with Michael Caine and David Morrissey.

Lucy Black (Joan Webster) will be making her West End stage debut in Cause Célèbre. Television work includes Holby, Waterloo Road and Wire in the Blood.

Timothy Carlton's (Francis Rattenbury) stage work includes Beethoven's Tenth (Vaudeville), Run for Your Wife (Criterion) and Noises Off (Savoy). Television and film includes A Family at War, The House of Elliot, Heartbeat, Murphy's Law, Poirot, Lewis, Foyle's War and Bridget Jones's Diary.

Simon Chandler (John Davenport) can currently be seen in The King's Speech with Colin Firth. Recent theatre work includes One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (West End), Democracy (West End) and Women, Power and Politics Season at The Tricycle Theatre.

Richard Clifford (Croom-Johnson) is soon to appear in the new Richard Curtis film My Week with Marilyn starring Emma Watson. Other film work includes The Edge of Love and As You Like It. Recent theatre credits include The Apple Cart at The Theatre Royal Bath directed by Sir Peter Hall and The Tempest at the Sheffield Crucible directed by Michael Grandage.

Oliver Coopersmith (Christopher) appeared in The Globe's recent productions of Henry IV Part 2 and The Merry Wives of Windsor as well as Blue Heaven at the Finborough Theatre.

Rory Fleck-Byrne (Randolph Brown/Montague) will be making his West End stage debut in Cause Célèbre, having recently graduated from RADA in 2010. Recent theatre work includes Antony and Cleopatra at The Liverpool Playhouse with Kim Cattrall.

Freddie Fox (Tony Davenport) can currently be seen on The Old Vic stage in John Mortimer's translation of Feydeau's farce A Flea in Her Ear. Freddie recently completed filming for The Three Musketeers with Milla Jovovich and Orlando Bloom and also appeared in St Trinian's: The Legend of Fritton's Gold. Television work includes the BBC biopic Worried about the Boy with Marc Warren and Douglas Booth, Shadow Line (BBC), Any Human Heart (Channel 4) and This September with Charles Dance, due for transmission later this year.

Jenny Galloway's (Irene Riggs) recent theatre credits include After The Dance at The National Theatre directed by Thea Sharrock, The Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2, Les Misérables (Broadway), Mary Poppins (Broadway) and Madame de Sade (Donmar at Wyndhams). Jenny has also won two Olivier Awards for her performances in Mamma Mia! and The Boys from Syracuse. Film credits include About a Boy and Johnny English.

Patrick Godfrey (Judge) is a familiar face from stage and screen. Recent theatre includes The Crucible (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Love's Labours Lost and Timon of Athens (Globe), Enemies (Almeida), His Dark Materials (National) and The Iceman Cometh (The Old Vic and Broadway).Television and film work includes Doc Martin, Trial and Retribution, My Family, The Duchess and The History Boys.

Nicholas Jones (O'Connor) last appeared on The Old Vic stage in Inherit the Wind. Previous stagework includes Antony and Cleopatra (Globe), Hamlet (The Old Vic) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (RSC). Television and film includes Waking the Dead, The Shadowline and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.

Tommy McDonnell (George Wood) will be making his professional stage debut in Cause Célèbre. Hehas recently appeared on screen in Garrow's Law and Law and Order.

Lucy Robinson's (Stella Morrison) recent theatre credits include Blithe Spirit at the Nottingham Playhouse, Happy Now? at the Gate and The Memory of Water (UK tour). Film and television credits include two series of Suburban Shootout, Lewis, U Be Dead and New Tricks.

Tristan Shepherd (Clerk of the Court) will be making his West End stage debut in Cause Célèbre. Theatre credits include As You Like It and Hayfever (West Yorkshire Playhouse).

Richard Teverson (Caswell) most recently appeared in The National Theatre's production of After the Dance directed by Thea Sharrock. Theatre credits also include The Thirty Nine Steps (Criterion), The Lion King (Lyceum) and Private Lives. Television and film includes Upstairs Downstairs and Brideshead Revisited.

Sarah Waddell's (Warder in Court) theatre credits include Girl's Night (UK tour), The Full Monty (New Players Theatre) and The York Realist (Riverside Studios). Film and television includes Deadpan Valentine and Thicker than Water.

Michael Webber (Sgt Bagwell) will be making his West End debut in Cause Célèbre. Television and film includes Silent Witness, Law and Order, Stormbreaker and Hysteria.

Tristram Wymark's (Porter) theatre credits include various productions at The National Theatre, most recently Phédre (also US tour) and Much Ado About Nothing as well as David Copperfield at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Television includes Getting Out Alive and Midsommer Murders.

Director Thea Sharrock
Designer Hildegard Bechtler
Lighting Bruno Poet
Music Adrian Johnston
Sound Ian Dickinson

For production enquiries please contact:
Jo Allan: jo@joallanpr.com / 07889 905 850 / + 44 (0)20 7243 6176
Anna Dawson: anna@joallanpr.com / 07545 131 539 / + 44 (0)20 7243 6176

A Flea in Her Ear
By Georges Feydeau
Translation by John Mortimer
Georges Feydeau's classic comedy, directed by Richard Eyre and booking until 5 March
Mon - Sat 7.30pm; Sat & Wed 2.30pm

The Bridge Project
Richard III
William Shakespeare
Sam Mendes directs Kevin Spacey in Richard III, previewing at The Old Vic from 18 June, with a press night on 29 June, prior to embarking on an international tour.
Tickets on sale from 31 January 2011

BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

Box Office 0844 871 7628
www.oldvictheatre.com
The Old Vic, The Cut, London SE1 8NB