The Royal Court Theatre Announces Full Casting for THE NETHER, Jul 17-Aug 9

The full casting has been announced for Royal Court Theatre and Headlong co-production of The Nether by Jennifer Haley.

Designed by Es Devlin with lighting by Paul Pyant, sound design by Ian Dickinson for Autograph and Music by Nick Powell. Costume design by Christina Cunningham and video design by Luke Halls.

Thursday 17 July to Saturday 9 August 2014

"I've read the studies. No one has been able to draw a conclusive correlation between virtual behaviour and behaviour in-world."

Stanley Townsend, Amanda Hale, David Beames and Ivanno Jeremiah will be joined by Zoe Brough, and Isabella Pappas in Jennifer Haley's compelling play The Nether; a Royal Court and Headlong co-production.

Directed by Headlong's Artistic Director Jeremy Herrin, The Nether invites the audience to examine provocative and difficult questions in our increasingly technological age where even in a virtual world there can be real moral consequences.

Set in the not-too-distant future, The Nether offers complete freedom - a wonderland that provides total sensory immersion. Just log in, choose an identity and indulge your every desire. But when a young detective uncovers a disturbing brand of entertainment, she triggers an interrogation into the darkest corners of imagination.

Winner of the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Nether is both an intricate crime drama and a haunting sci-fi thriller that explores the repercussions of making dreams a reality.

Jennifer Haley is an L.A. based playwright. Her play The Nether premiered at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2013, where it won the Susan Smith Blackburn prize, the Ovation Award for Best New Play and an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award. Her other credits include Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, Breadcrumbs at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival and Sustainable Living, featured at the Ojai Playwrights Conference. Her play Froggy is in development with The Banff Centre and American Conservatory Theatre. Jennifer currently writes for the Netflix original series Hemlock Grove.

Jeremy Herrin directs. The Nether is the second show in Jeremy's inaugural season as Artistic Director of Headlong and follows the huge critical success of Anya Reiss's Spring Awakening. His most recent credits include the hugely successful and critically acclaimed adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies in two parts for the RSC, currently playing in the West End. Jeremy was Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre from 2009 until 2012, where his credits included No Quarter, Hero, Haunted Child, The Heretic, Kin, Spur of the Moment, Off the Endz, The Priory, Tusk Tusk, The Vertical Hour and That Face, which transferred to the West End. Other credits include This House at the National Theatre, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Director, Uncle Vanya and South Downs at Chichester Festival Theatre which transferred to the West End, Absent Friends in the West End and The Tempest and Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe.

Cast Biographies:

Stanley Townsend's Royal Court credits include Tribes, The Alice Trilogy, Shining City and The Weir. Other theatre credits include King Lear and Phedre at the National, Broken Glass at the Tricycle and A View from a Bridge at the Lyceum, Edinburgh. His screen credit include 24: Live Another Day, Ripper Street and Quirke.

Amanda Hale last appeared for Headlong in King Lear (Liverpool Everyman/Young Vic). She appeared in Wastwater for the Royal Court. Other theatre credits include Eldorado at the Arcola, The Domino Heart at the Finborough, The House of Bernarda Alba at the Almeida and King Lear for Headlong. Her television credits include Dates, The White Queen and Being Human. Her film credits include The Invisible Woman and The Look of Love.

David Beames' last appeared for Headlong in The Seagull (UK Tour) His Royal Court credits include Borderline and Colder Climate. Other theatre credits are Happy Days at the Young Vic, Chariots of Fire at the Gielgud and Taming of the Shrew at The Globe.

Ivanno Jeremiah last appeared at the Royal Court in Truth and Reconciliation. Other theatre credits include Julius Caesar for the RSC and As You Like It for the West Yorkshire Playhouse. His television credits include The Jury.

Zoe Brough is making her professional stage debut with The Nether.

Isabella Pappas is making her professional stage debut with The Nether.

Listings Information:

Age Guidance 18+ - Contains adult content and language and scenes of a disturbing nature.

Tickets £32, £22, £16, £12

Mondays all seats £10 (available in advance to Friends and Supporters subject to availability and on the day of the performance from 9am online)

Concessions £5 off top two prices* (available in advance for all performances until 26 July inclusive and all matinees. For all other performances, available on a standby basis on the day)

25s and under £10 (limited availability)

School and HE Groups of 8+ 50% off top two prices (available Wednesday-Saturday), plus matinees)

Groups of 6+ £5 off top price (available Wednesday-Saturday)

Access £12 (plus a companion at the same rate)

*ID required. All discounts are subject to availability

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