Northern Stage And Sheffield Theatres Co-Produce VIRGINIA WOOLF, 3/16-4/30

Northern Stage (formerly Newcastle Playhouse) and Sheffield Theatres today announce their first collaboration, a new production of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". The production will be directed by Northern Stage's Artistic Director Erica Whyman. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" will play at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre (Wednesday 16 March - Thursday 7 April) and then continue to Northern Stage (Tuesday 12 April - Saturday 30 April).

Northern Stage's Artistic Director Erica Whyman said: "The characters in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? are real people; both flawed and fascinating - it is a very passionate and compelling evening at the theatre. Daniel Evans and I think in quite a similar way about our theatres and our audiences. I've been very inspired by Daniel's programming and his commitment to developing ambitious new work in Sheffield, and we wanted instinctively to work together."

Sheffield Theatres' Artistic Director Daniel Evans said: "I'm delighted that we have established a co-producing partnership with Northern Stage. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, a great American classic, will be an explosive addition to the Crucible season. I'm a great admirer of Erica Whyman's work and I'm really looking forward to welcoming her and the team to our building."

Award-winning and Olivier-nominated actress Sian Thomas plays Martha, Lorna Beckett plays Honey, Jasper Britton plays George and John Hopkins plays Nick.

Set in the early 1960s, Edward Albee's explosive play captures the mood of a society on the brink of massive change. Ferociously funny and emotionally raw, this is a compelling rollercoaster ride into the darkest depths of love and marriage. Fifty years after the original play was set, the emotive issues raised are as relevant now as they were then. The 1960s were classed as a sexual, political and musical revolution, when risks were taken and groundbreaking changes evolved. This new production will provide a sexy, sassy, and stirring look into the volatile world of relationships.

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" originally opened on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theatre in 1962. The production won both the Tony Award and the New York Drama Critics' Circle for Best Play, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. The 1966 film version won 5 Academy Awards from its thirteen nominations.

Edward Albee (b. 1928) is an American playwright whose plays include The Zoo Story, The Death of Bessie Smith, The Sandbox, The American Dream, A Delicate Balance (Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award), All Over, Seascape (Pulitzer Prize), Listening, Finding the Sun, Marriage Play, Three Tall Women, Fragments, The Play About the Baby, The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? (Tony Award), Occupant and Me, and Myself, & I.

Erica Whyman returns to Sheffield Theatres after previously directing The Birthday Party at the Crucible. Her credits for Northern Stage include The Wind in the Willows (adapted for the stage by Alan Bennett), Son Of Man by Dennis Potter, Ruby Moon by Australian Matt Cameron, the flagship Our Friends in the North in 2007/2008, Look Back in Anger by John Osborne, Ibsen's A Doll's House and the nationally toured and critically acclaimed Joan Littlewood's musical Oh What a Lovely War.

Designs are by Soutra Gilmour with lighting by Charles Balfour and Sound Design by John Nicholls.
Lorna Beckett plays Honey. For theatre her previous credits include Time and the Conways (National Theatre) and My Mother Said I Never Should (Dukes Theatre).
Jasper Britton plays George. For theatre his credits include Private Lives (Hampstead), Oedipus and Trolious & Cressida (National), Macbeth (The Globe) and Hedda Gabbler (West Yorkshire Playhouse).

John Hopkins plays Nick. For theatre his credits include The 39 Steps (Criterion Theatre), Anthony and Cleopatra, The Tempest and Venus and Adonis (RSC), The Good Solider (Theatre Royal Bath) and The Country Wife (Theatre Royal Haymarket). For Television his credits include, Merlin and Trial and Retribution.

Sian Thomas plays Martha. Her extensive theatre credits include The Goat (for which she won Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland, Best Actress, at the Traverse Theatre), The Misanthrope, Countrymania (for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award for best Comedy Performance at The National Theatre), Uncle Vanya (for which she won the TMA for Best Actress). Ghosts (Bristol Old Vic), Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear (RSC) and Private Lives (Royal Exchange Manchester). For film her credits include as Ameila Bones in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

CRUCIBLE THEATRE
Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
16 March - 17 April
Press night: 22 March
Tickets £19.50, £17.50, £15.50
Box Office 0114 249 6000
Online bookings - www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

NORTHERN STAGE
Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
12 April - 30 April
Press night: 13 April
Tickets £19.50, £17.50, £15.50, & £6 with £9 for Students and Under 21s
Box Office 0191 230 5151
Online booking - www.northernstage.co.uk

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