Will Adamsdale and Fraser Ayres to Star in Sheffield's STUART: A LIFE BACKWARDS; Full Cast Announced!

Full casting is announced today for Sheffield Theatres and HighTide Festival Theatres' world première production of Alexander Masters' Stuart: A Life Backwards, written by Jack Thorne. Will Adamsdale will play the role of Alexander and Fraser Ayres will play the eponymous role of Stuart.

Completing the company are John Cummins (The Hour) playing Gavvy, Mike Goodenough (Monkey, West Yorkshire Playhouse) playing Fat Frank, Steve and Boyfriend, Sophie Russell (You Can't Take It With You, Told By An Idiot, Royal Exchange, Manchester) playing Alexander's girlfriend Flora, and Kirsty Woodward(The Way of the World) playing Karen.

Will Adamsdale was most recently seen at the Royal Court in The Victorian in the Wall, which he wrote. Will was also the recipient of the 2004 Perrier Comedy Award for his performance in Jackson's Way, which he also wrote.

Fraser Ayres is best known for his role of Clint in BBC's hit comedy The Smoking Room. Fraser also won the 2004 Time Out Best Off-West End Performance for his role in The People Next Door.

The production is directed by Mark Rosenblatt, Associate Director at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, with design by Jon Bausor, lighting design by Tim Mascall and sound design by Le Mez and Fridel.

Stuart Shorter is a chaotic, violent, motormouth homeless man from Cambridge. Alexander Masters is a reserved, bookish member of the educated middle-classes. Double BAFTA award-winner Jack Thorne's (Skins, This is England '86) new adaptation tells the story of an unlikely friendship and of Stuart's entire life - told 'backwards'.

Stuart: A Life Backwards comes to the Studio Theatre from Wednesday 11 September - Saturday 28 September, following its world premiére at the Underbelly's new Topside venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and tour to the Watford Palace Theatre.

This is a Sheffield Theatres and HighTide Festival Theatre co-production, in association with Watford Palace Theatre, Dumbfounded Theatre, Underbelly andEscalator East to Edinburgh. The play was originally commissioned by Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

Tickets for Stuart: A Life Backwards are on sale now from Sheffield Theatres' Box Office, priced from £10.00*. Call 0114 249 6000 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk to book.

Sheffield Theatres is supporting My Theatre Matters!, a major national campaign that invites people to shout about how important their local theatre is to them. Find out more information, and sign up to the campaign, at www.mytheatrematters.com.

Stuart: A Life Backwards is a novel set in Cambridge that investigates the life of Stuart Shorter, a man who had been repeatedly abused and failed by society and the state throughout his life. He became a unique, attractive, but dangerous adult, who did much to campaign on the issue of homelessness. Alexander knew Stuart, and the novel is a chronicle of their relationship as a prism to Alexander exploring Stuart's life. The book was shortlisted for the Whitbread Book Awards in 2005, and the 2006 Hawthornden Prize.

Jack Thorne is a double BAFTA award-winning playwright and screenwriter, best known for his TV shows Skins, Cast-offs, This is England '86 and The Fades. Jack's theatre work includes winning a Fringe First for Bunny (Edinburgh & Tour) and Mydidae (Soho & Trafalgar) He most recently adapted Duerrenmatt's The Physicists for the Donmar in 2012. He also won Best Newcomer at the London Film Festival 2009 for his first film The Scouting Book For Boys.

Director Mark Rosenblatt, Associate Director at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, has directed for Oxford Stage Company, Shakespeare's Globe, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, the Tricycle, The National Theatre and the Watermill and designer Jon Bausor recently designed the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games 2012 and is an associate at the RSC. The play was originally commissioned by Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

The show will run at the Crucible Lyceum Studio 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA. Box Office 0114 249 6000 - Mon - Sat 10.00am to 8.00pm. *All bookings made at the Box Office (excluding cash) are subject to a £1.50 transaction fee. Bookings made online are subject to a £1.00 fee. On non-performance days the Box Office closes at 6.00pm. For more information, visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk or follow on Twitter: @crucibletheatre @SheffieldLyceum.

Schedule: Wed 11 September - Sat 28 September; Press Night Mon 16 September 7.45pm. Tickets from £10.00*, with concessions available.

Cast:

Alexander Will Adamsdale
Stuart Fraser Ayres
Gavvy John Cummins
Fat Frank/Steve/Boyfriend Mike Goodenough
Flora Sophie Russell
Karen Kirsty Woodward

Creative Team:

Director Mark Rosenblatt
Designer Jon Bausor
Lighting Designer Tim Mascall
Sound Design Le Mez and Fridel

TOUR:

Topside, Underbelly, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013

Wed 31 July - Mon 26 Aug

Performance Times: 3.30pm daily

Box Office: 0845 545 8252, www.edfringe.com / www.underbelly.co.uk

Watford Palace Theatre

Wed 28 - Sat 31 Aug

Performance Times: Eves 8.00pm, Sat Mat 4.30pm

Box Office: 01923 225 671, www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk