The Country Girl

PRESS RELEASE

·         BILL KENWRIGHT PRESENTS

·       MARTIN SHAW &  JENNY SEAGROVE

·        in CLIFFORD ODETS’

·       ‘THE COUNTRY GIRL’ PRIOR TO WEST END

·       Birmingham Hippodrome Mon 13 – Sat 18 Sept

Birmingham Hippodrome audiences have the chance to see MARTIN SHAW and JENNY SEAGROVE in Clifford Odets’ THE COUNTRY GIRL at Birmingham Hippodrome from Monday 13 – Saturday 18 September before transferring to the West End.

Almost three decades ago Bill Kenwright had his first West End hit with Clifford Odets’ The Country Girl featuring Martin Shaw as the hotshot director of a new Broadway play.   This season Kenwright will present the same play with the same star - only this time Shaw will play the role of former theatrical great Frank Elgin, starring alongside Jenny Seagrove as his long-suffering wife.   The part originally played by Shaw will be performed by Mark Letheren.

Taking on the roles played by Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand on Broadway in 2008, and by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the Oscar-winning 1954 movie version - Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove, stars of the hit BBC drama Judge John Deed, are reunited to appear on stage together for the first time.

The Country Girl is the powerful story of washed-up actor Frank Elgin (Martin Shaw), a desperate and demanding alcoholic who is offered a comeback chance to star in the next Broadway play by young director Bernie Dodd (played by Mark Letheren – whose numerous TV and theatre credits include lead roles in Wire in the Blood, Silent Witness and Cloud 9 at the Almeida Theatre).   As the ‘Country Girl’ of the title, Jenny Seagrove plays his long-suffering wife Georgie. Believing that Georgie is the reason for Elgin’s career decline, Bernie strikes up a stormy relationship with the actor’s wife - but how far should a woman go to redeem the man she loves?

This compelling production is led by director Rufus Norris, whose credits include the Critics Circle and Evening Standard Award-winning Festen and the Olivier Award-winning production of Cabaret.  Set design is by two time Tony Award-winner Scott Pask, costume design by Jonathan Lipman, lighting design by Mark Howett, sound design by Ben Harrison.

The cast also includes: Nicholas Day, Peter Harding, Thomasin Rand, Luke Shaw and Tom Cornis.

The Country Girl runs at Birmingham Hippodrome from Monday 13 – Saturday 18 September prior to transferring to the West End.    Tickets for The Country Girl are priced from £12.50-£32.50 and can be booked online at www.birminghamhippodrome.com or 0844 338 5000 (calls vary from 5p per min, 5% transaction charge).   Perf times Eves 7.30pm; Sat mat 2.30pm; Wed mat 2pm.

-ENDS-

3 Aug 10