Rowe And Toase Cast In TALENT At The Menier

Suzie Toase and Leanne Rowe will lead the cast in Victoria Wood's new version of her play Talent, a comedy with songs, previewing at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 17 September with press night on 23 September, and running until 14 November. Directed by Victoria Wood, who composed the original music and lyrics, Talent has set and costume designs by Roger Glossop, lighting by Paul Anderson, sound by David Ogilvy and musical supervision by Nigel Lilley. Talent is co-produced with the Old Laundry Theatre, Bowness-on-Windermere.

Originally commissioned by David Leland for the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, Talent was first performed in 1978 with a cast comprising Hazel Clyne, Victoria Wood, Roger Sloman, Bill Stewart, Eric Richard and Peter Ellis. After much acclaim, winning Wood the Evening Standard award for Most Promising Playwright, the production transferred to the ICA, London, in 1979. The same year a television adaptation was broadcast which saw Victoria Wood and Julie Walters perform together on screen for the first time, winning Wood another Most Promising Writer Award and a BAFTA nomination.

Mark Curry plays the Compere. His theatre credits include Tons of Money, Dangerous Corner, Absurd Person Singular, Appetite and Season's Greetings (Theatre Royal Windsor), Joking Apart and London Suite (National Tour), Far From the Madding Crowd (Middle Ground National Tour) and Singing In The Rain (Lincoln Theatre Royal). His television credits include Doctors and Last of the Summer Wine (for the BBC), Ghost Story and Christmas Carol. Mark Curry presented Blue Peter from 1986 to 1989.

Mark Hadfield plays Arthur Hall. He has most recently appeared in Rookery Nook at the Menier Chocolate Factory. His other theatre credits include Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Therese Raquin for the National Theatre, for which he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Olivier Award, The 39 Steps at The West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre, Guys and Dolls at the Prince of Wales Theatre and Romeo and Juliet at the Lyric. His television credits include Foyle's War, Casualty, Holby City and The Bill.

Jeffrey Holland plays George Findley. His theatre credits include See How They Run (Royal Exchange Manchester), Jack and the Beanstalk (Derby Playhouse), Allo Allo, By Jeeves, Ghost Train, Caught in the Net and Travels with My Aunt on national tour. He is best known on television for his role as Spike in Hi-De-Hi. His other television credits include The Mayor of Casterbridge, Richard III, Henry V, As You Like It, You Rang M'Lord and Oh! Dr. Beeching.

Eugene O'Hare plays Mel. He was most recently seen in Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching towards the Somme at Hampstead Theatre. His other stage credits include Manifesto, performed with Vivienne Westwood for the Royal Shakespeare Company, A Moon for the Misbegotten (Old Vic and Broadway), Thirst (King's Head), War and Lovers (The Strindberg Theatre) and Translations (National Theatre). His television credits include Ten Days to War, Waking the Dead and Over the Wall all for the BBC.

Leanne Rowe plays Julie. She can currently be seen playing Frances ‘Baby' Houseman in Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre. Her television credits include Trial and Retribution (ITV1), Lilies (BBC1), Boudica and The Famous Five. Her film credits include, Nancy in Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist and Jane Eyre.

Suzie Toase plays Maureen. Her past theatre credits include Into The Woods (Royal Opera House), Guys and Dolls (Donmar Warehouse), Spittin' Distance (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Time of My Life (Bristol Old Vic), Wizard of Oz (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), My Fair Lady (National Theatre and Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Singin' in the Rain (West Yorkshire Playhouse and National Theatre). Her television credits include Channel 4's The IT Crowd and BBC1's Hotel Babylon. She has most recently played the role of Alecto Carrow in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Victoria Wood is a stand-up comedian and writer. Wood's career began with her winning the ITV talent show New Faces in 1974 and has since spanned over three decades. She has won more BAFTA's for her writing and performing than anyone else in BAFTA history. Wood's vast body of work includes Victoria Wood as Seen on TV, An Audience with Victoria Wood, Pat and Margaret, dinnerladies and Housewife, 49. In 2007 Wood directed a new version of Acorn Antiques: The Musical! which originally opened at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2005, directed by Trevor Nunn.

The Old Laundry opened in 1992 with a production of Time of Our Life, written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn and has since then welcomed the Stephen Joseph Theatre for sixteen of its seventeen years. The Old Laundry is supported by enthusiastic trustees including Victoria Wood, Alan Rickman and Griff Rhys Jones, who have all performed at the theatre. The Old Laundry is largely a receiving house for a wide range of high quality performances, ranging from classical and folk music to stand-up comedy and theatre. Roger Glossop is founder and director.

 

Under the direction of Artistic Director David Babani, the Menier Chocolate Factory, as well as producing in SE1 at its home theatre, has transferred seven productions to the West End - most recently La Cage aux Folles which is currently playing at The Playhouse Theatre and A Little Night Music which opened at the Garrick Theatre in April. As well as the theatre space, the multi- award-winning Menier Chocolate Factory has a restaurant serving pre-theatre and a la carte menus.