Casting Set For KNOCKING ON THE WALL at Finborough Theatre

The final cast has been announced for Knocking on the Wall, a bold new staging of a trilogy of short plays by Scotland's first major female playwright, Ena Lamont Stewart. Knocking on the Wall opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a four-week limited season on Tuesday, 31 October 2023 (Press Nights: Thursday, 2 November 2023 and Friday, 3 November 2023 at 7.30pm).

 

The full cast is Janette Foggo (Edie in Towards Evening and Maggie in Walkies Time for a Black Poodle), Joanne Gallagher (Ella in Walkies Time for A Black Poodle and Isobel in Knocking on the Wall), Robert Hands (Leonard in Towards Evening and Mr Brown in Knocking on the Wall), Jasmine Hyde (Dorothy in Knocking on the Wall) and Matt Littleson (Alec in Knocking on the Wall).

 

Towards Evening. Siblings Leonard and Edie have been estranged for many years, but – in search of companionship in their advancing years – have now decided to move in together. When the two clashing personalities encounter each other late at night, their uneasy domestic arrangement is tested and deep secrets revealed from their past…

 

Walkies Time for a Black Poodle. Ella has moved up in the world. From a working-class background, she and her husband Bob have made it and moved to a posh suburb out of town. She should be happy, but she's not. Desperately lonely and out of place, Ella longs to return to her old life in the city. Her only company is her upright and genteel housekeeper, Maggie…

 

Knocking on the Wall. Former teacher Dorothy has had a nervous breakdown, and moved in with her sister, Isobel. The plumber is due to visit, but Isobel has had to leave Dorothy alone. When young Alec, the plumber's apprentice, turns up instead, he and Dorothy strike up a very unlikely connection…

 

Director Finlay Glen said: ‘These plays are complex, fascinating, character-led works. It's therefore a joy to be able to work on them with this group, from vastly experienced legends of Scottish theatre to exciting new Scottish screen talent coming to the London stage for the first time. It's been thrilling to discover the different ways each of them has connected with the characters and with Ena's words, approaching the material with such insight, intelligence and passion.'

 

Producer for Dryad Theatre, Georgie Polhill said: ‘It's wonderful to have so much Scottish and Olivier-nominated talent in the room with this production and a return to Ena Lamont Stewart for some. For the first staging of these plays in nearly half a century the themes of connection and missed chances are as relevant today as they ever were, with a cast that connects Lamont Stewart with her roots.'

 

Cast

 

Janette Foggo (Edie/Maggie) returns to Ena Lamont Stewart after appearing in Men Should Weep at The National Theatre of Scotland. Other theatre includes Medea (National Theatre of Scotland at Edinburgh Festival), Lovely Peas (Outspoken Theatre), The Merry Wives of The Wyndford (A Play, A Pie and APint at Òran Mór, Glasgow), Peter Arnott's Face: Morag and Face: Isobel, Hot Water, Serov's People, The Portrait of Miss Dorian Grey, The Scurvy Ridden Whalemen (Òran Mór, Glasgow), King Lear, Coriolanus (Bard in The Botanics, Glasgow), Sunset Song (Aberdeen Performing Arts),The Silver Darlings (Aberdeen Performing Arts), The Life and Times of Thomas Muir, Losing Alec, The Funeral and The Guid Sisters (Tron Theatre, Glasgow), Gaslight, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Rebecca, Oedipus, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Steamie, The Breathing House (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh), Hyde (Dundee Repertory Theatre), The Steamie (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Steel Magnolias (Perth Theatre), Once a Catholic (Wyndham's Theatre), Pack of Lies (Lyric Theatre) and The Crucible (National Tour). 

Film includes Britannia Hospital and The Pirates of Penzance.  

Television includes The Slab Boys, The Lost Tribe, Eve Set The Balls of Corruption Rolling, The Silly Season, The End of The Line, Dream Baby, The Bill and London's Burning.

 

Joanne Gallagher's (Ella/Isobel) theatre includes Equus (Trafalgar Studios), Kohl (Derby Theatre), She (Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton) and The Bacchanals (Edinburgh Festival).

Film includes Tell it to the Bees and Mr Whippy. 

Television includes Outlander.

Joanne was mentored by the Playwrights' Studio Scotland to write her debut play The Bouncy.  As a result of being nominated for Adopt a Playwright Award by the Finborough Theatre and shortlisted, Joanne is now being mentored indefinitely by Kenny Emson. She is currently developing various projects for television. 

 

Robert Hands's (Leonard/Mr Brown) theatre includes Come From Away for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award (Abbey Theatre/Phoenix Theatre), Her Naked Skin (Salisbury Playhouse), My Fair Lady (Teatro San Marco, Trento), Betrayal (Salisbury Playhouse), Committee (Donmar Warehouse), Mrs Henderson Presents (Noël Coward Theatre), Mouthful (Trafalgar Studios), Sun Spots, The Schumann Play (Hampstead Theatre), Scenes from an Execution, Invisible Friends (National Theatre), A Winter's Tale, Henry V, Richard III, The Comedy of Errors (International Tours for Propeller UK), Oh, What a Lovely War!  (Northern Stage, Newcastle), Balmoral (Theatre Royal Bath), Spamalot (Palace Theatre), Chicago  (Adelphi Theatre), Mamma Mia!  (Prince of Wales Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream  (Comedy Theatre), Rose Rage  (Theatre Royal, Haymarket), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Troilus and Cressida  (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Arcadia, The Three Sisters Day (Chichester Festival Theatre), Valentine's Day (Globe Theatre), The Cherry Orchard  (English Touring Theatre), The Woman in Black (Fortune Theatre), A View from the Bridge, As You Like It  (Greenwich Theatre), Mrs Warren's Profession (National Tour), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester), The Importance of Being Earnest  (The Old Vic) and Walpurgis Night  (Gate Theatre).

Film includes, The Lesson, Black Forest, Asylum, Hippy Hippy Shake, Pure, Anna and the King, Charlotte Gray, Foreign Affairs and Shine.

Television includes Joan, Masters of the Air, Grace, Tom Jones, Noughts and Crosses, Father Brown, Manhunt, Breeders, Endeavour, Berlin Station, Endeavour, Dark Heart, EastEnders, Partners in Crime, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Love and Marriage, Doctors, Casualty, Doctor Who, Heartbeat, The Plot to Kill Hitler, Grange Hill, Peak Practice, Ruth Rendell Mysteries and Sharpe's Battle.

Radio includes Lady Susan, My Last Duchess, The Jury and Woman in Mind.

Jasmine Hyde's (Dorothy) theatre includes The Cutting Edge (Arcola Theatre), Statements After An Arrest Under The Immorality Act (Jermyn Street Theatre), Muswell Hill (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare's Globe), The Rivals (Theatre Royal Bath), Pericles (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Coast of Utopia (National Theatre) and Tiny Dynamite (Frantic Assembly and Paines Plough), Waters of the Moon (Salisbury Playhouse) and Singer (Oxford Stage Company).

Film includes Wonder Woman 1984, Angel Has Fallen, The Unseen, The Last Letter From Your Lover and The Truth Commissioner. 

Television includes Beyond Paradise, Father Brown, This England, Casualty, Tell Me Everything, Murder In Provence, Holby City, Extinction, Doctors, Hapless and Good Omens. 

Radio includes several hundred dramas, books and readings including Little Blue Lines, Rumpole of The Bailey, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Poetry Please, Siege, The Corrupted and The Archers.

 

Matt Littleson's (Alec) television includes Dinosaur, Masters of the Air and Mayflies.

Film includes Hate The Game.

 

Creative Team

Finlay Glen (Director). Delyth Evans (Set & Costume Designer). Zoé Ritchie (Lighting Designer). Hattie North (Sound Designer). Michelle Dykstra (Executive Producer). Georgie Polhill (Producer).

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