Patrick Godfrey, Emma Hamilton & More Complete Cast Of Almeida's MASTER BUILDER

Joining Gemma Arterton as Hilde Wangel and Stephen Dillane as Halvard Solness in The Almeida Theatre production of The Master Builder are Patrick Godfrey as Knut Brovik, Emma Hamilton as Kaja Fosli, Anastasia Hille as Aline Solness, John Light as Ragnar Brovik and Jack Shepherd as Doctor Herdal.

Directed by Travis Preston and in Kenneth McLeish's translation of Henrik Ibsen's original, The Master Builder previews from 12 November and runs until 8 January 2011, with press night on 18 November. Designs are by Vicki Mortimer with lighting by Paul Pyant and sound by John Leonard.

Master Builder Halvard Solness has reached the pinnacle of his career. But at a cost; his family life is in ruins and he lives in fear that the next generation will rise up and brush him aside. When Hilde Wangel, a bewitching young woman, arrives to collect a decade-old debt, she breathes new life into his professional pride. As Halvard completes his architectural masterpiece, will Hilde be the Master Builder's ultimate downfall?

Gemma Arterton makes her Almeida debut as Hilde Wangel. Earlier this year she made her West End debut in The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick Theatre. She made her film debut in St Trinian's as Head Girl Kelly Jones and went on to play Bond girl Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace as well as Io in Clash of the Titans and Princess Tamina in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. She can currently be seen on screen playing the title role in Tamara Drewe. On stage she was also seen as Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. On television she played Elizabeth Bennett in Lost in Austen and Tess in Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

Stephen Dillane, who will play Master Builder Solness, was last at the Almeida in his one man Macbeth directed by Travis Preston. He has recently been at the Old Vic in Sam Mendes' productions of The Tempest and As You Like It as part of The Bridge Project 2010. His award-winning theatre work includes Hamlet at the Gielgud Theatre and The Real Thing for the Donmar Warehouse. For the National Theatre his credits includeThe Coast of Utopia, Angels in America and Dancing at Lughnasa and at The Royal Court Theatre he has been seen in Drunk Enough to Say I Love You, Our Late Night and Hush. His film credits include The Hours, Hamlet, Welcome to Sarajevo, The Greatest Game Ever Played and the Goal trilogy. On television his credits include John Adams and The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall, for which he won the 2009 BAFTA for Best Actor.

Patrick Godfrey returns to the Almeida having previously been seen in Enemies, The Iceman Cometh and Galileo. He has recently been seen in The Crucible at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and at The Globe Theatre in Love's Labour's Lost and The Frontline. His extensive work for the National Theatre includes His Dark Materials, Three Sisters and Mary Stuart. For the Royal Shakespeare Company his many credits include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Barbarians. His many television credits include Doc Martin, Fallen Angel, Trial and Retribution and My Family.

Emma Hamilton's theatre credits include Twelfth Night for Birmingham Rep, The Glass Menagerie at the Royal Exchange Theatre and Northanger Abbey for Salisbury Theatre. On film she has been seen in Into The Storm and on television in The Tudors.

Anastasia Hille's theatre credits include Macbeth at the Barbican, Dido Queen of Carthage, Women of Troy, Waves and Dream Play, all for the National Theatre, The Jewish Wife for the Young Vic, Forty Winks and Ashes to Ashes for the Royal Court and The Winter's Tale for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her film work includes The Awakening, Bloodline, Good and The Wisdom of Crocodiles and on television she has been seen in Lewis, Poirot, Foyles War, Big Women and Silent Witness.

John Light returns to the Almeida having previously been seen in Certain Young Men, The Cenci and The Tower. He has most recently been seen in A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine at Shakespeare's Globe, Apologia at the Bush Theatre and Hedda Gabler at the Gate, Dublin. His Royal Shakespeare Company credits include Julius Caesar and The Tempest. On television his work includes North and South, Cambridge Spies and Love in a Cold Climate and on film his credits include Scoop, Partition and Heights.
Actor, playwright and director Jack Shepherd was a co-founder member, with Ian McKellen and Edward Petherbridge, of the Actors' Company. Later he became a member of Bill Bryden's Company at the National Theatre. Subsequently he has worked extensively for the Royal Court and National Theatre and has most recently been seen on stage in a national tour of Rupert Goold's production of Six Characters in Search of an Author. On television he is best known for playing the title role in the ITV series Wycliffe. His other screen credits include Waking The Dead, God on Trial, The Fixer, The Other Boleyn Girl and Peter Ackroyd's London. His film credits include Churchill at War, c*ckand Bull Story and Charlotte Gray.

Travis Preston, Dean of the Center for New Performance at Cal Arts, the professional producing arm of California Institute of the Arts, is an internationally celebrated director of theatre and opera. He directed the acclaimed production of Macbeth with Stephen Dillane which opened at The Almeida Theatre in 2005 and then toured to Sydney and Adelaide, Australia with performances also taking place at the California Institute for the Arts.

The Almeida has previously presented Ibsen's The Lady From The Sea, Hedda Gabler, Rosmersholm and When We Dead Awaken.

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

The Almeida Theatre is grateful to its Principal Sponsor Coutts & Co., who is currently in their eighth consecutive year of support. The relationship between Coutts and the Almeida, first established when the newly refurbished theatre reopened in 2003, is a unique collaboration which has developed and flourished over the past eight years. www.coutts.com

LISTINGS INFORMATION

ACCESS PERFORMANCES

The Master Builder
Audio Described Performance 18 December at 3pm with a Touch Tour at 1.30pm
Captioned Performances 21 December at 7.30pm and 5 January at 2.30pm
Almeida Access Line 020 7288 4999 or email access@almeida.co.uk

ADDRESS Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, Islington, London, N1 1TA

CAFE-BAR The Almeida Cafe-Bar is open from 11.30am -11.00pm, Monday to Saturday, serving food, drinks and snacks.

BOX OFFICE

Phone 020 7359 4404 (24 hour)
In person 10.00am - 7.30pm, Monday - Saturday
Online www.almeida.co.uk
Tickets £32.00 - £8.00, concessions available

PERFORMANCES SCHEDULE

Regular performances are Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday matinees at 3pm, Press Nights at 7.00pm
Extra matinee performances for The Master Builder - Wednesdays 1st December & 5th January at 2.30pm

WEBSITE www.almeida.co.uk

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