Clive Merrison & Taylor Jay-Davies to Lead LAND OF OUR FATHERS at Theatre503; Full Cast Annuonced

Chris Urch - a new writer supported by Theatre503 and championed by playwright Howard Brenton - will premiere his debut full-length play LAND OF OUR FATHERS in September. Set during Thatcher's Britain and directed by Theatre503's Artistic Director Paul Robinson, the production will run at Theatre503, above The Latchmere in Battersea, between 18 September and 12 October 2013.

A darkly comic drama looking at the dramatic two weeks of a group of Welsh miners who are trapped underground, LAND OF OUR FATHERS stars theatre veteran Clive Merrison (THE HISTORY BOYS) as Bomber, and Taylor Jay-Davies, fresh from the West End production of Great Expectations, as Dai. Full casting also includes: Patrick Brennan as Chopper, Joshua Price as Mostyn, Paul Prescott as Hovis and Kyle Rees as Curly.

3rd May 1979, South Wales. Thatcher is counting her votes, Sid Vicious is turning in his grave and six Welsh miners are trapped down a coalmine. Over the span of two weeks everything these men believe in and everything they know will have changed. Chris Urch's debut play is packed full of blistering dark comedy and a generation of lost voices.

Earlier this year Chris' play Vote of No Confidence was the first to be hand-picked by Howard Brenton to launch The Playwright Presents, a new initiative at Theatre503 in which established writers' help launch the career of a promising new writer.

Speaking about Chris' work Howard Brenton said:

I think Chris is a brilliant talent. The playwright he most reminds me of? I don't think this is an exaggeration: I think he could become the British Tennessee Williams. Given the good breaks, I'm convinced he's capable of writing a great body of work. Hold on to your seats, audiences, this is the real thing!

Chris Urch first caught caught the eye of Theatre503 in 2011 with his Rapid Write Response to a mainhouse production. Chris then went on to become a member of the venues 18-month resident writers scheme - The 503Five and has graduated from the Young Writers Programme at The Royal Court Theatre in 2012. Other credits include short plays TRAPP (Old Vic 24 Hour Plays), Skanky (Miniaturists, Arcola Theatre) and You Get Me? (Bush Theatre).

Paul Robinson is Artistic Director Theatre503, the 60 seat new-writing venue in Battersea, which has built a strong reputation for staging plays by first time writers. Theatre503 is the smallest venue in the UK to receive an Olivier Award and has launched the careers of playwrights such as Dennis Kelly and Katori Hall.

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