Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with UK Premiere of NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Rehearsals are underway for the UK premiere of Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, directed bySimon Phillips as part of Artistic Director Jonathan Church's inaugural Summer Season of five plays for Theatre Royal Bath which runs from Friday 21 July - Saturday 12 August with opening night onMonday 31 July.

Jonathan Watton will star as Roger O. Thornhill, the role Cary Grant played in the 1959 film. The full cast will also include, Angus Brown, Christopher Chilton, Tom Davey, Olivia Fines, Kieran Gough, Nick Harris, Joanna Van Kampen, Gerald Kyd, Abigail McKern, Roddy Peters andNick Sampson.

Following its world premiere in Melbourne, Alfred Hitchcock's supreme comedy of suspense North by Northwest receives its UK premiere at Theatre Royal Bath in a new stage adaptation of Hitchcock's film byCarolyn Burns, directed by Simon Phillips.

Roger O. Thornhill is a suave and successful advertising executive, abducted by thugs who insist he is a man called George Kaplan. There's obviously been a mix up. When they don't believe him, that's infuriating. When they try to kill him, that's frightening. And when they pin a murder on him, then it's time to run!

Canadian actor Jonathan Watton (Roger O. Thornhill) is known at home for playing Darcy Garland in CBC network series Murdoch Mysteries. He has directed short films Last of the Snow and The PamplemousE. North by Northwest marks Watton's British stage debut.

Carolyn Burns' latest work includes the stage adaptation of Australian novel Ladies in Black and Good People which was performed at the International Playwriting Festival in South London.

Simon Phillips is a New Zealand-Australian director and former Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company. Previous theatre credits include Priscilla Queen of the Desert on Broadway and Love Never Diesin Melbourne.

North by Northwest forms part of Jonathan Church's inaugural season as Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Bath's annual Summer Season. The programme of five plays will also include Racing Demons untilSaturday 8 July, Sand in the Sandwiches by Hugh Whitemore from Tuesday 11 July - Saturday 15 July,Looking at Lucian by Alan Franks from Thursday 3 August - Saturday 2 September and Alan Bennett'sThe Lady in the Van from Wednesday 16 August - Saturday 2 September.

Photo Credit: Nobby Clark