The cast is announced for How The Other Half Loves by Alan Aykbourn at The Mill at Sonning.
Meet three married couples. The Fosters – Frank & Fiona. The Philips – Bob & Teresa. And The Featherstones – William & Mary.
Frank employs Bob and William. Fiona is having an affair with Bob. Teresa is suspicious of Bob, who covers up his adultery by shoving the blame onto his colleague William.
William suspects Mary is having an affair. Fiona, to ward off Frank’s questioning, tells him that she has been comforting Mary, who also suspects that William is having an affair… Got that?
Of course William & Mary are the innocent parties tangled in Fiona & Bob’s web of deceit. You can only imagine what complications, revelations and big laughs will ensue…
Cast:
STUART FOX (Frank Foster) recently played Arthur Kipps in ‘The Woman in Black’ for a third time
before its record-breaking 33-year run ended at the Fortune Theatre. He previously appeared at The Mill at Sonning in Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Ten Times Tables’, ‘The Last of The Red Hot Lovers’, ‘Educating Rita’ and ‘Time of My Life’.
RUTH GIBSON (Teresa Philips) was in ‘Mountains’ (Royal Exchange Theatre), ‘The Patriotic Traitor’ and ‘The Dead Monkey’ (Park Theatre, Theatre Uncut, Soho Theatre), ‘Intimate Exchanges’ (Mercury Theatre), ‘The Kitchen’ (National Theatre), ‘My Wonderful Day’, written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn (59East59, New York and Stephen Joseph Theatre).
JULIA HILLS (Fiona Foster) is an Olivier award nominee (as Emily in ‘The Hired Man’) and played the role of Ruth in the original cast of ‘Calendar Girls’ at Chichester Festival Theatre, a National Tour before transfering to the West End. Recent theatre includes Dolly Bantry in ‘The Mirror Crack’d’ (National Tour).
DAMIEN MATTHEWS (Bob Philips) was in ‘Sweet Bird of Youth’ (National Theatre), ‘The Phiadelphia Story’ (The Old Vic), ‘The Mousetrap’ (St Martin’s), ‘The Woman in Black’ (Fortune Theatre, UK tours & international tours), ‘Translations’ (Abbey Theatre, Dublin).
EMILY PITHON (Mary Featherstone) theatre credits include: ‘A Christmas Carol’ (Liverpool Everyman); ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’, ‘My Mother Said I Never Should’ (Theatre by the Lake). Rmily is also a regular in BBC Radio 4 dramas, including ‘Antic Hay’, ‘Churchill vs Reith’ and ‘Women in Love’.
BEN PORTER (William Featherstone) theatre includes ‘The Indian Queen’ (Europe) ‘The Woman in Black’ (West End & New York), ‘1984’ (West End), ‘Visitors’ (Oldham Coliseum), ‘Time of My Life’, ‘Absurd Person Singular’ (Stephen Joseph Theatre), ‘Orwell’ (Trafalgar Studios).
Creative team:
ROBIN HERFORD – Director
MICHAEL HOLT – Set Designer
NATALIE TITCHENER – Costume Designer
MATT BISS Lighting Designer
Alan Ayckbourn
Olivier and Tony Award winning playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn is one of Britain’s most celebrated playwrights. ‘How The Other Half Loves – his 9th out of 89 full-length plays – is one of his cleverest, funniest and entertaining.
The London premiere starred Robert Morley as Frank and ran for 869 performances. ‘How The Other Half Loves’ was the first Ayckbourn play to be staged on Broadway. The production featured Phil Silvers, of ‘Sergeant Bilko’ fame, as Frank.
Director Robin Herford was associate director of Ayckbourn’s Scarborough company and the man responsible for the West End’s 33-year record breaking production of Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story ‘The Woman in Black’.
How The Other Half Loves is at Mill at Sonning August 10 – September 23 2023
