Sian Phillips Leads Cast of Abi Morgan's LOVESONG for Frantic Assembly Tour

Frantic Assembly today announced the full cast for their touring production of Abi Morgan's new play LOVESONG. Renowned actress Siân Phillips will be joined by Sam Cox, who will play her husband, and Leanne Rowe and Edward Bennett, who will play the same couple as their younger selves.

LOVESONG sees acclaimed theatre company Frantic Assembly join forces with celebrated writer Abi Morgan for a new play about lifelong love.

Directed by Frantic Assembly's artistic directors Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett, the production will tour the UK, beginning on 30 September 2011 at the Drum Theatre, Plymouth, with a three week London run at the Lyric Hammersmith from 11 January 2012 (Plymouth press night 3 October; London press night 12 January).

In addition to previously announced tour dates, new dates have been added at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow in February 2012.

Lovesong intertwines a couple in their 20s with the same man and woman a lifetime later. Their past and present selves collide in this haunting and beautiful tale of togetherness.
LOVESONG is a collaboration between of some of the most exciting talents in British drama.

Siân Phillips is one of Britain's most respected actors. Her recent stage work includes the role of Juliet in Juliet and her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Broadway) and Calendar Girls (West End/tour). Her screen work includes her BAFTA-winning role in I, Claudius (BBC TV), as well as such seminal works as Goodbye Mr Chips, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Dune. She has also performed live with musician Rufus Wainwright at the Old Vic.

Edward Bennett recently came to prominence when he received rave reviews for taking over the lead role from David Tennant in the RSC's Hamlet in 2009. His other stage credits include Plenty (Sheffield Crucible), As You Like It, The Tempest (Bridge Project, Old Vic), Hay Fever (Chichester Festival), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Love Labour's Lost (Both RSC) and Othello (Donmar). He also appears in the upcoming feature film adaptation of War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg.

Sam Cox's recent stage work includes Anne Boleyn, All's Well That Ends Well (both Shakespeare's Globe), Inherit the Wind (Old Vic), Arcadia (West End), God in Ruins (RSC/Soho), Macbeth and King John (both RSC). His film and TV work includes Doctor Who (BBC TV), Prime Suspect (Granada) and Hippy Hippy Shake.

Leanne Rowe's theatre credits include Dirty Dancing (West End), Talent (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Mysterious Skin (Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh). Her film credits include Jane Eyre (dir. Franco Zeffirelli) and Oliver Twist (dir. Roman Polanski.

Abi Morgan's writing for the screen includes The Invisible Woman, the Margaret Thatcher film Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep, the flagship BBC TV drama The Hour and the BAFTA award-winning drama Sex Traffic (Channel 4). She has recently collaborated with Steve McQueen and Michael Fassbender on the upcoming feature film Shame. She previously worked with Frantic Assembly on the much praised Tiny Dynamite, and her other previous writing for the stage includes The Night Is Darkest Before The Dawn (part of the Tricycle Theatre's Great Game season), Fugee (NT New Connections), Tender (Hampstead) and Splendour (Paines Plough).

Frantic Assembly's celebrated physical style combines movement, design, music and text. Recent production highlights include Beautiful Burnout (co-production with National Theatre Scotland), Stockholm by Bryony Lavery, a radical reworking of Shakespeare's Othello, pool (no water) by Mark Ravenhill, and Dirty Wonderland, a site specific show for Brighton Festival.

LOVESONG reunites Frantic Assembly with the Drum Theatre Plymouth following previous sell out runs with Peepshow, pool (no water) and Stockholm and with Othello which marked the company's debut on the Theatre Royal stage.

Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Developed with the support of the RSC Studio.

LISTINGS INFORMATION:

LOVESONG by Abi Morgan
Direction and Choreography: Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett
Design: Merle Hensel
Lighting Design: Andy Purves
Sound Design: Carolyn Downing
Video Design: Ian William Galloway

Full cast: Siân Phillips, Edward Bennett, Sam Cox, Leanne Rowe

UK Tour 30 September 2011 - 11 February 2012

Plymouth press night: Mon 3 October, 7.45pm at the Drum Theatre Plymouth

London press night: Thu 12 January, 7pm at the Lyric Hammersmith.

Tour dates (all venues on sale now unless stated otherwise):

2011
30 September - 15 October
Drum Theatre, Plymouth
Box office 01752 230 440
www.theatreroyal.com

18-22 October
Warwick Arts Centre, Warwick
Box office 024 7652 4524
www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

9-12 November
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
Box office 0113 213 7700
www.wyp.org.uk

15-26 November
Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
Box office 01243 781312
www.cft.org.uk
On sale September 2011

2012
11-28 January 2012
Lyric Hammersmith
Box office 0871 22 117 29
www.lyric.co.uk

7-11 February
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Box office 0141 429 0022
www.citz.co.uk
On sale 29 August 2011

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