Donmar Warehouse Autumn/Winter Season 2014-2015

The Donmar Warehouse has announced its Autumn/Winter season for 2014-2015, comprising of the 20th anniversary production of Kevin Elyot's Olivier Award-winning comedy My Night With Reg, the second installment of director Phyllida Lloyd's all-female productions - this time William Shakespeare's Henry IV, and a revival of the Cy Coleman Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical City Of Angels.

My Night With Reg is directed by Robert Hastie, and will begin previews on 31 Jul 2014, with an official opening set for 05 Aug and will continue its limited engagement through to 27 Sep 2014.

Synopsis: 'At Guy's London flat, old friends and new gather to party through the night. This is the summer of 1985, and for Guy and his circle the world is about to change forever. Deliciously funny and bittersweet, Kevin Elyot's comedy captures the fragility of friendship, happiness and life itself.'

The cast includes Matt Bardock (Benny), Jonathan Broadbent (Guy), Richard Cant (Bernie), Julian Ovenden (John), Lewis Reeves (Eric) and Geoffrey Streatfeild (Daniel).

The creative team features scenic design by Peter McKintosh, lighting by Paul Pyant and sound by Gregory Clarke.

Bios:

Matt Bardock's (Benny) West End credits include 'The Dark' and 'Frame 312' (Donmar), 'Mojo' and 'Peaches' (Royal Court) and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and 'Macbeth' (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre).

Jonathan Broadbent (Guy) has appeared on the London Stage in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and 'Three Sisters' (Lyric Hammersmith), 'Hamlet' (Rose Theatre), 'Ghost Stories' (Duke Of York's Theatre), and 'Chekhov in Hell' (Soho Theatre).

Richard Cant's (Bernie) theatre credits include 'War Horse' (New London), 'Salome' (Hampstead Theatre), 'Cymbeline' (Barbican) and the RSC productions of 'Hamlet' and 'Much Ado About Nothing'.

Julian Ovenden (John) is perhaps best known for his TV role of Charles Blake on 'Downton Abbey'. His theatre credits include 'Grand Hotel' and 'Merrily We Roll Along' (Donmar), 'Sunday in the Park with George' (Théâtre du Châtelet), 'Finding Neverland' (Leicester Curve), 'Death Takes a Holiday' (Roundabout, New York) and 'Marguerite' (Theatre Royal Haymarket).

Lewis Reeves (Eric) has appeared on the London stage in 'Our Boys' (Duchess Theatre) and will be making his Donmar debut.

Geoffrey Streatfeild's (Daniel) theatre credits include 'Children of the Sun' and 'Earthquakes in London' (National Theatre), 'Macbeth' and 'Copenhagen' (Sheffield Crucible), and the RSC productions of 'Henry V', 'Henry IV Part I', 'Henry IV Part II', and 'Richard III'.

Henry IV is the second installment in a trilogy of all-female productions by director Phyllida Lloyd, following on from her critically acclaimed production of 'Julius Caesar' in 2012. It will begin previews on 03 Oct 2014, with an official opening set for 09 Oct and will continue its limited engagement through to 29 Nov 2014.

Synopsis: 'What makes a King? What makes a father? Shakespeare's monumental history play travels to the heart of family, duty and country.'

The cast features Harriet Walter (King Henry), Jade Anouka (Hotspur), Clare Dunne (Hal), and Ashley McGuire (Falstaff).

The creative team features set design by Ellen Nabarro, costumes by Deborah Andrews, lighting by Neil Austin, music by Gary Yershon and movement by Ann Yee.

Bios:

Jade Anouka's (Hotspur) theatre credits include 'Julius Caesar' (Donmar), 'Moon On A Rainbow Shawl' (National Theatre), 'Sixty-Six Books' (Bush Theatre), 'Hamlet' (Globe) and 'Blood Wedding' (Southwark Playhouse).

Clare Dunne's (Hal) stage credits include 'Julius Caesar' (Donmar), 'Major Barbara' (Abbey Theatre), 'Detroit' and 'Juno and the Paycock' (National Theatre) and 'Three Sisters' (Lyric Hammersmith).

Ashley McGuire (Falstaff) appeared in 'Home' (National Theatre), 'Saved or Destroyed' (Battersea Arts Centre), and 'Fatal Light' (Soho Theatre).

Harriet Walter's (King Henry) extensive theatre credits include 'Julius Caesar' and 'Mary Stuart' (Donmar), 'Women Beware Women', 'Dinner', 'Life Times Three', 'The Children's Hour', and 'Arcadia' (National Theatre), 'The Royal Family' (Theatre Royal, Haymarket), 'Ivanov' (Almeida) and 'Hedda Gabler' (Chichester Festival Theatre), as well as the RSC productions of 'Venus and Adonis', 'Antony & Cleopatra', 'The Hollow Crown', 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'Macbeth'.

City Of Angels, with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel and book by Larry Gelbart, is directed by Donmar Artistic Director Josie Rourke. It will begin previews on 05 Dec 2014, with an official opening set for 16 Dec and will continue its limited engagement through to 07 Feb 2015.

Synopsis: 'Hollywood comes calling for a New York novelist. The offer is too good to refuse: adapt the private detective protagonist of his books into a big-screen hero. The siren songs of Los Angeles is a dangerous temptation and while his movie plays out in black and white, his new life is all-too colourful.'

The cast features Samantha Barks (Mallory/Avril), Rosalie Craig (Gabby/Bobbi), and Hadley Fraser (Stine).

The creative team features set design by Robert Jones, lighting by Howard Harrison, musical direction by Gareth Valentine, sound design by Terry Jardine and Nick Lidster for Autograph, and choreography by Stephen Mear.

Bios:

Samantha Barks (Mallory/Avril) is perhaps best known for playing the role of Éponine both in the West End and in the recent film version of 'Les Misérables'. Other theatre credits include 'Chicago' (Hollywood Bowl), 'Oliver!' (UK Tour), and 'Cabaret' (Birmingham Repertory Theatre).

Rosalie Craig (Gabby/Bobbi) was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance as Princess Althea in 'The Light Princess' (National Theatre). Other stage credits include 'Macbeth' (Manchester International Festival 2013), 'Table' (National Theatre), 'Finding Neverland' (Leicester Curve), 'Ragtime' (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) and 'Company' (Sheffield Crucible).

Hadley Fraser's (Stine) theatre credits include 'Coriolanus' (Donmar), 'The Machine' (Manchester International Festival), 'Les Misérables' (Queen's Theatre), '25th Anniversary Concert of The Phantom of the Opera' (Royal Albert Hall), 'The Pajama Game' (Chichester Festival Theatre), 'The Fantasticks' (Duchess Theatre) and 'Assassins' (Sheffield Crucible).

Current Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, Josie Rourke, released a statement saying: 'Following the success of The Weir, we're continuing our revivals of twentieth century classics with the 20th anniversary production of Kevin Elyot's comedy My Night With Reg. Following this, we are hugely excited to announce that Phyllida Lloyd's production of Henry IV will mark the second instalment in a trilogy of prison Shakespeares. During one of the education workshops around Phyllida's production of Julius Caesar, teachers heard one of their students, a girl, speak for the first time. We, and Phyllida, knew that the important journey of this work could not end there. This trilogy of productions will ask 'who owns Shakespeare' and continue to open up our national playwright to those who have been denied him through gender, heritage or class. Our Christmas show, City of Angels is one of the great jazz musicals. I am delighted to be bringing this shimmering, sexy show to the Donmar's stage.'

(Public booking opens 18 Jun 2014)