Venus director lines up stellar cast for his return to the National Theatre

Roger Michell, director of Venus, The Mother and Notting Hill, is returning to his theatrical roots. He has signed up to direct two plays: a new work at the National Theatre in London, followed by Harold Pinter's Betrayal at the Donmar Warehouse this summer. Michell has directed a number of Pinter plays, including Old Times at the Donmar in 2004, and has named the playwright as one of his creative heroes: "Pinter's sketches were the first thing I ever directed. In a way, he reinvented the way we listen to each other."

The new work for the National, Landscape with Weapons, is written by Joe Penhall, and begins rehearsals in April. Penhall and Michell worked together on the film adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel, Enduring Love, as well as on the National's 2000 hit production, Blue/Orange, starring Bill Nighy. (William Dudley, who designed the original Blue/Orange set, and Rick Fisher, who did the lighting, will also work on the new play.)
Nearly all the roles have been cast, with two of the leads confirmed as Tom Hollander and Julian Rhind-Tutt (Green Wing). According to Penhall, "Tom and Julian are a double act to die for. Everybody signed up thrillingly quickly and willingly, so I have unusually high expectations.

"It felt like one of my heftier plays, requiring a heavyweight team, which is what we've got," he added. "I can't wait to get into rehearsals."

from; http://arts.guardian.co.uk/theatre/drama/s...2002581,00.html

oh my fucksie!! i have to see this! :D

omg i hav 2 see this!

OOoohh...But Julian's true double act is with Stephen! DAS IST DA LAW!

Still..interessant. I'm sorry, I appear to have come over all German.

oh damn it i want to see this now two and there are 2 problems with this
1. i am very very poor and want to see 2 other plays in the next few months (plus I'm meant to be saving up for this missionary trip thing...)
2. harold pinter annoys me but in fairness i haven't read this play


but if julian's in it then i'll forget about the costs and just watch his hotness and smexay voice

plus it means i can go and stalk him again yay :excited

oh wait rehersals are in april so it won't be on for a while which is kinda good as it means i can get enough money by the time it's on... :)

aww.

hehe yeah it must be quite a while away!
but ahh i really have to go to this!

Oh wow Julian on the stage :knockout

aww yay...can't wait!

ooo must see this!

I wonder where they'll hold the rehersals :ph43r:

OOh I have a very ausomely cool bit of info. Don't know if anyone elce has heard but if you go to NT box office on first day, you can get front row seats for £10!!

Ros!!! ros!!! ROS!! W e hve to see the play togther!!

oh my god i have to apologise for this but u know when u just put

we have to see the play together

i read that, in the voice of Ross, when he says about emily and susan 'they're being gay together' hahahaha

it made ma laugh sooooooooo much

:lol: well ros is my lover!

yeah I am :high

and well of course we will go and see it :D how could we not??

:o Stealing my lover, Jess? This calls for a fight.

What about meeeeee?

fightfightfightfightfightfightfightfightfightfight

Well, it looks like we have two options:
1) Cage fight.
2) Foursome.

Anyone have a preference?

that director obviously has a thing for julian, eh? gave him a bitpart in notting hill, he was sUPPOSED to be in venus, and now this...

where, when and how much will it cost!
:ph43r:

someone said that it will start on March 30 and will run about 3 months :high

:excited OOOh that's close enough to my birthday for me to choose it as my birthday treat for this year!!

The National Theatre site - starts in March, runs through to June

Landscape with Weapon

by Joe Penhall


‘Qualms?’ Oh yeah, sure, I have ‘qualms’. Everybody has qualms. But I’ll overcome them.

To his family’s horror, Ned reveals he’s the brains behind a new military technology so sophisticated, so extraordinary, it will revolutionise the nature of warfare. It’s only when the Ministry of defence demands intellectual ownership that Ned begins to question himself, resisting the might of the weapons industry with frightening consequences.

Joe Penhall, whose last play at the National was the award-winning Blue/Orange, returns with a sly, wry account of private anguish, public responsibility and a problem with no solution.

From 20 March

Booking to Supporting Cast from 17 February
Priority members from 19 February
Advance members from 21 February
General Public from 7 March


Director: Roger Michell
Designer: William Dudley
Lighting Designer: Rick Fisher



Cast:
Ross : Pippa Haywood
Ned : Tom Hollander
Dan : Julian Rhind-Tutt
Brooks : Jason Watkins

Pippa Haywood too! :high :high

eeeee yay! can't wait :yeeay

I am so going! :wub:

that looks so incredibly perfect! :wub:

why do i not live in england? why why why? :cry

Yes, because England is always preferable to New York. :rolleyes:

I went to New York when I was 11. It was very neon.

Does it say Pippa plays someone called 'Ross?' Do you think that's a variation of Rosalind, guyoline lol

I can't wait til we see this!!

gah im so excited!! i had a dream that i was walking along northampton high street and he walked past in a pair of scrubs wiht the number 7 on the back and i thought 'oh right hes on his way to the play'.

Hmmmmm I think I need to get talking to the other half :high

Nothing like exploiting a little of someone's guilt in order to get to see JRT on the stage...

My other half confessed today that he hadn't yet bought me a birthday present, and as we're moving this weekend and my birthday is Monday, he probably wouldn't have time to get me anything before my birthday! A few subtle hints and a well-timed 'well, there is something you could do that would make up for it' later, and we're sorted!! :high

Well there's no point in having an significant other half, if you can't exploit them once in a while :angel

w00t w00t i just boked 7 tickets for tuesday 10th april i'm really looking forward to it already :excited

:excited YAY!
I'll start assembling my stalking gear for after the play. :D

wheeeeeee!!

ros, emma did tell you we could come right? :lol:

yeah i got you 2 tickets :) but i forgot julia and now i feel really bad :( but hopefully she can get a ticketherself

aw wicked thanks so much!!

aww no...dont worry i am sure she will be able to get one :)

yes, but were! WERE!
:blink:
is it in london?
or does it tour?

if it's in london i will cry!

:cry

yeah it's at the national theatre in london so I'm not sure if it will tour sorry

eee someone went to see it last night and afterwards they said they met Julian and Pippa! :high
so fingers crossed we do!!