Out of Joint and the Lyric Hammersmith Present THE BIG FELLAH, Opens Sept 2

The Big Fellah, Richard Bean's new play about Irish Americans and their relationship to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, will receive its world premiere at the Corn Exchange, Newbury on 2 September before a national tour which will include a four-week London run at the Lyric Hammersmith.
Young fireman Michael Doyle (David Ricardo-Pearce) decides to live up to his Irish heritage by joining the IRA. He's recruited by Costello (Finbar Lynch), the charismatic "Big Fellah", who wants to use Doyle's brownstone apartment in The Bronx as a safe house for an escaped killer. But it soon becomes clear that someone is leaking information to the FBI...

Set among Irish Americans in New York, Richard Bean's dark, glinting, funny story of loyalty, disillusion and betrayal spans three turbulent decades.

The Big Fellah is directed by the legendary Max Stafford-Clark, former artistic director of the Royal Court, where his work included the premieres of Serious Money, Top Girls and Our Country's Good. His productions for Out of Joint include Talking to Terrorists, The Permanent Way, Shopping and F***ing and the world-touring, Africa-inspired Macbeth. He directs a cast including Tony-nominated actor Finbar Lynch.

The full cast will include Rory Keenan, Youssef Kerkour, Finbar Lynch, David Ricardo-Pearce, Claire Rafferty, Fred Ridgeway and Stephanie Street.
Richard Bean's plays include England People Very Nice (National Theatre), Under The Whaleback, Harvest (winner of the Critics' Circle Award for Best Play), Honeymoon Suite (all Royal Court) and The English Game (national tour).

Finbar Lynch's previous credits include Dancing at Lughnasa (Old Vic), A Doll's House (Peter Hall Company, Bath), As You Desire Me (West End) and Not About Nightingales (National Theatre/Broadway), for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor.
Designed by Tim Shortall (Sweet Charity, nominated for a Tony Award for La Cage Aux Folles), with lighting design by Jason Taylor and sound design by Nick Manning.

Tour dates and box office details

CORN EXCHANGE, NEWBURY
Thu 2 - Sat 4 Sep
www.cornexchangenew.com
01635 522733

ROYAL AND DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON
Tue 7 - Sat 11 Sep
www.royalandderngate.co.uk
01604 624811

THEATRE ROYAL, BURY ST EDMUNDS
Tue 14 - Sat 18 Sep
www.theatreroyal.org
01284 769505

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH, LONDON
Tue 21 Sep - Sat 16 Oct
www.lyric.co.uk
0871 22 117 22

OXFORD PLAYHOUSE
Tue 19 - Sat 23 Oct
www.oxfordplayhouse.com
01865 305305

NUFFIELD THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON
Tue 26 - Sat 30 Oct
www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk
023 8067 1771

YORK THEATRE ROYAL
Tue 2 - Sat 6 Nov
www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
01904 623568

Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Wed 10 - Sat 13 Nov
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
0121 236 4455