DOWNTON ABBEY's Laura Carmichael Joins Anna Friel and Ken Stott in UNCLE VANYA

Laura Carmichael joins Ken Stott, Anna Friel and Samuel West in Anton Chekhov's masterpiece, Uncle Vanya. Adapted by Christopher Hampton, Uncle Vanya uniquely blends sparkling wit and earthy humour to brilliant comic effect. Directed by Lindsay Posner with designs by Christopher Oram, this new production opens at the Vaudeville Theatre on 2 November 2012 with previews from 25 October.

Vanya (Ken Stott), Yelena (Anna Friel), Astrov (Samuel West) and Sonya (Laura Carmichael) are all in love, with the past, with ideals and with each other. As their universe shifts around them they struggle to keep their emotions at bay in this exquisitely evoked comedy of the trials and tribulations of the human condition.

Ken Stott is best known for his TV and film roles including Messiah, Toast, The Vice, Rebus and One Day, Charlie Wilson's War, Girl In a Café and Shallow Grave. His upcoming film projects include Peter Jackson's The Hobbit. His theatre roles include Art (Wyndham's), God of Carnage (Gielgud and Broadway), Lindsay Posner's production of A View from the Bridge (Duke of York's) and Heroes (Wyndham's).

Laura Carmichael is best known for her role as Edith Crawly in the hugely popular ITV series Downton Abbey. Her other television and film credits include The Heart of Thomas Hardy, House at the End of Our Street and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. On stage she has appeared in Plenty directed by Thea Sharrock (Sheffield Crucible), The London Cuckolds, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, The Vicar of Wakefield and As You Like It (Bristol Old Vic).

Anna Friel returns to the stage following a triumphant run as Holly Golightly in the West End production of Breakfast at Tiffanys (Theatre Royal, Haymarket). Best known for her TV roles including Jimmy McGovern's The Street (BBC), Pushing Daisies (ABC), Neverland (Sky) and Without You (ITV). Her film work includes Limitless, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Land of the Lost, London Boulevard. Her theatre credits include Lulu, Look Europe (both Almeida Theatre) and Closer (Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play/Broadway).

Samuel West previously starred on stage in Enron which earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Olivier and Evening Standard Theatre Awards. His other stage credits include A Number (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Family Reunion (Donmar) and the title roles in both Hamlet and Richard II (both RSC). His film and TV credits include Van Helsing, Eternal Law and Any Human Heart. Samuel is currently filming the new ITV series Mr Selfridge.

Lindsay Posner was Associate Director at The Royal Court Theatre from 1987 to 1992 where his production of Death and The Maiden won two Laurence Olivier Awards. His other theatre credits include Noises Off starring Celia Imrie and Janie Dee (The Old Vic and Novello), Butley starring Dominic West (Duchess Theatre), An Ideal Husband starring Samantha Bond and Rachel Stirling (Vaudeville), House of Games (Almeida), Fool For Love starring Juliette Lewis (Apollo Theatre), Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge starring Ken Stott (Duke of York's, nominated for four Olivier Awards), Carousel (Savoy), Fiddler on The Roof (Sheffield and Savoy), Tom and Viv, The Hypochondriac and Romance (Almeida), A Life in the Theatre (Apollo), the world premiere of Power by Nick Dear and Tartuffe (National

Theatre), Twelfth Night, Volpone, The Taming of the Shrew and The Rivals (RSC) and most recently Abigail's Party (Menier Chocolate Factory and Wyndham's).

Uncle Vanya is produced by Kim Poster for Stanhope Productions, Nica Burns, Robert Bartner and Max Weitzenhoffer.

For more information, visit www.unclevanyatheplay.com.