PATRICK STEWART AND JOSHUA JACKSON

TO STAR IN

“A LIFE IN THE THEATRE”

BY DAVID MAMET 

AT THE APOLLO THEATRE SHAFTESBURY AVENUE

Patrick Stewart and Joshua Jackson will star in a new production of “A LIFE IN THE THEATRE”, the acclaimed comedy by the Pulitzer Prize and Olivier Award winning playwright, and Oscar nominated screenplay writer, David Mamet.  Directed by Lindsay Posner, the play will open at the Apollo Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue in London on 27 January, with a press night on 2 February.  The show marks Jackson’s West End stage debut.  Patrick Stewart was last seen in the West End in the 2003 production of “The Master Builder”. 

 This hilarious and poignant play is the story of two actors, stage veteran ‘Robert’ (Patrick Stewart) and aspiring young newcomer ‘John’ (Joshua Jackson).  Set both on stage and behind the scenes in a fading small town rep, the piece follows their friendship and their rivalry as they battle with the cruel uncertainties of their profession.  Inspired by Mamet’s early backstage experiences and his own brief career as an actor, this, acutely observed, bittersweet comedy delivers all the absurdity, the joy and the heartache of a life in the theatre.

The play first opened in 1977 and enjoyed a hugely successful New York run. A British version in 1988, directed by Bill Bryden and starring Denholm Elliott and Sam West, was equally well received when it opened in London at the Haymarket Theatre. A subsequent 1994 US TV film of the show, starring Jack Lemmon and Matthew Broderick, was nominated for both Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.

Patrick Stewart, OBE, is one of this country’s finest and most respected stage and screen actors.  He is known to millions both in the UK and overseas from his performances in the blockbuster sci-fi hit films “Xmen” and the sequel “X2” and as ‘Captain Picard’ in the “Star Trek” films and TV series, for which he received a Screen Actors Guild nomination. Amongst his other numerous TV credits include ‘Captain Ahab’ in “Moby Dick”, opposite Gregory Peck, for which he was Emmy and Golden Globe nominated and Henry II in “The Lion in Winter” with Glenn Close which he also executive produced. He is an Honorary Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company, having been made an Associate Artist in 1967.  For the RSC he has played most of the great Shakespearean roles including notably ‘King John’, “Henry IV”,  ‘Shylock’ (Olivier nomination), “Titus Andronicus”, “Enobarbus” (Olivier Award), “Oberon” and “Leontes”.  He has also appeared in premiere productions of works by Tom Stoppard, Edward Bond and Howard Barker, and played Lyman Felt in the Broadway premiere of Arthur Miller’s ‘The Ride Down Mount Morgan’. He played George in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ at The Young Vic, receiving a Best Actor Fringe Award.

On Broadway his credits include ‘Prospero’ in “The Tempest”, the title role in Jude Kelly’s ‘photo-negative’ production of “Othello” and the legendary Peter Brook “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.  He has also starred in his own adaptation of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, a one man show in which he played over 40 characters, in London, for which he won an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, and a Best Actor Drama Desk Award in New York.  Stewart says “For twenty five years I have been waiting to do a play by David Mamet.  To be doing this marvellous play with Joshua and Lindsay, in the first months of returning to live once more in London feels perfect.” 

 Well known as “Dawson’s Creek’s” fast-talking, self-deprecating Pacey Witter, Joshua Jackson has been working in front of the camera for over fifteen years.  His first feature film was Michael Bortman’s “Crooked Hearts,” which was quickly followed by the “Mighty Ducks” trilogy.  In 2000, Joshua starred in Universal Pictures’ “The Skulls,” and more recently in Rose Troche’s acclaimed drama “The Safety of Objects,” the HBO Films version of Moises Kaufman’s groundbreaking play “The Laramie Project,” and had noted cameos in Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s 11,” “Scream 2” and “Urban Legend.  His additional feature film credits include “Gossip,” Bryan Singer’s “Apt Pupil” and “Cruel Intentions.” 

Next February, Jackson will star in “Cursed” opposite Christina Ricci for director Wes Craven. He has recently completed production on three independent feature films, including “Americano,” shot on location in Pamplona in Spain during the running of the bulls.  Jackson headlines a cast that includes Dennis Hopper.

The second of Jackson’s upcoming independent films is “Shadows in the Sun,” shot on location in Tuscany, alongside Harvey Keitel. The additional upcoming independent feature is “Aurora Borealis,” in which Jackson stars alongside Donald Sutherland and Juliette Lewis.  Additonally, Jackson provides the voice of a thoroughbred racing horse in Frederik Du Chau’s live-action/CGI-animated upcoming family film “Racing Stripes.”  Jackson says “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do this play in the West End and anticipate a learning and growing experience on the stage.”

Lindsay Posner has most recently directed Julia Stiles and Aaron Eckhart in the West End revival of “Oleanna” at the Garrick Theatre, Robert Lindsay and Geraldine Somerville in the world premiere of “Power” by Nick Dear and Martin Clunes in “Tartuffe” for the National Theatre. His production of “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” at the Comedy Theatre starring Minnie Driver, Matthew Perry and Hank Azaria, was a sell-out success achieving the highest ever box office advance for a play in the West End.  Amongst many productions in the West End and the regions, he has directed “Twelfth Night”, “The Rivals”, “Volpone” and “The Taming of the Shrew” for the Royal Shakespeare Company; “The Misanthrope” and “American Buffalo” for the Young Vic.  Lindsay was Associate director of the Royal Court Theatre from 1987 to 1992 where his production of “Death and The Maiden” starring Juliet Stevenson won two Laurence Olivier Awards.

“A LIFE IN THE THEATRE” is produced in London by Clare Lawrence and Anna Waterhouse for Out Of The Blue Productions in association with Theatreshare plc.

Performance Times

Monday- Saturday at 7.45pm

Thursday & Saturday at 4.00pm

Tickets priced from £16 - £40

www.alifeinthetheatre.com

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