A seedy motel room. Oklahoma City. Summer.
Agnes, a lonely cocktail waitress, is holed-up from her violent ex-con ex-husband, seeking solace in drink and drugs. Until a stranger arrives.
Tense and blackly comic, Bug is a taut exploration of two people on the edge; where the lines between reality and delusions become blurred.
Simon Evans returns to Found111, the thrilling new pop-up theatre space at the site of the original Central Saint Martins School of Art on Charing Cross Road, following the critically acclaimed The Dazzle. He directs James Norton (War and Peace, Happy Valley) and Kate Fleetwood (London Road, Medea) in the 20th anniversary production of this powerful play by multi award-winner Tracy Letts (August Osage County, Killer Joe).
Bug will play a 6-week season from Thursday March 24 – Saturday May 7.
James Norton
After his recent acclaimed performance as Prince Andrei in BBC1’s lavish War and Peace series and his return to TV this week playing his BAFTA-nominated role as psychopath Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, James Norton returns to the London stage for the first time in four years. He first thrilled audiences as Miles Richards in Posh at The Royal Court, then made his West End debut as Stanhope in Journey’s End at the Duke of York’s Theatre. Trevor Nunn directed him as Geoffrey in The Lion in Winter at the Theatre Royal Haymarket before his breakthrough 1950s-set TV series, Grantchester, starring as Sidney Chambers, the vicar (and former Scots Guards officer) who develops a sideline in sleuthing.
Kate Fleetwood
Kate Fleetwood most recently starred as Tracey Lord in High Society at the Old Vic, followed by the title role in Medea for the Almeida. In 2008 she was Tony nominated for her portrayal as Lady Macbeth in the Chichester Festival Theatre production which transferred to Broadway and in 2012 was nominated for an Olivier Award for London Road at the National Theatre. Other theatre credits include King Lear (National Theatre) and Life is a Dream (Donmar Warehouse). On screen she has starred in the feature film adaptation of London Road, Philomena directed by Stephen Frears, The Widower for ITV and War and Peace for the BBC.
Tracy Letts (Author)
Bug premiered 20 years ago at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill in 1996, starring a then-unknown Michael Shannon. Following its London run, the play made its US debut in New York. It was adapted into a film in 2006, with Letts writing the screenplay, directed by William Friedkin, and starring Ashley Judd, Harry Connick, Jr and Michael Shannon reprising his role as Peter. Tracey Letts’ other stage work includes the multi award-winning August: Osage County (now also a film starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts), for which he received the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. It premiered at Steppenwolf in 2007, played on Broadway and had its UK premiere at the National Theatre. Other works include A Man From Nebraska (Pulitzer Prize finalist), Killer Joe (Bush Theatre) and Superior Donuts (Southwark Playhouse). An acclaimed actor, he won a Tony for his performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Broadway) and recently starred as Senator Andrew Lockhart in C4’s Homeland.
Thursday 24 March – Saturday 7 May
Press night: Tuesday 29 March at 7pm
Tickets: all seats £35
(with no booking fee)
Age recommendation 12+ Contains adult themes.
www.found111.co.uk
Photo: Simon Annand
