The Young Vic Theatre today announces full casting for Harold Pinter’s enigmatic masterpiece, The Homecoming, from 27 November 2023 to 27 January 2024, by renowned multi-Olivier-nominated director Matthew Dunster (2.22 A Ghost Story, Shirley Valentine, Hangmen).
BAFTA Leading Actor award winner Jared Harris (Valery Legasov in Chernobyl, Lane Pryce in Mad Men, King George VI in The Crown) and Joe Cole (Sean Wallace in Gangs of London, John Shelby in Peaky Blinders, Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File) will star as Max and Lenny respectively, returning to the stage following major TV roles. Lisa Diveney (Call the Midwife, The Seagull) will play Ruth, and the cast is completed by David Angland (The Pillowman, Doctor Faustus) as Joey, Robert Emms (Chernobyl, Star Wars: Andor) as Teddy, and Nicolas Tennant (The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The Duchess of Malfi) as Sam.
Max. Sam. Lenny. Joey. Teddy.
And Ruth.
In a small house in East London lives a family of butchers and boxers. When academic son Teddy returns home from America, with a wife his family have never met, a strange power struggle between man, wife and in-laws ensues.
Pinter’s unnerving, award-winning modern classic will be thrillingly re-explored by Matthew Dunster. The Homecoming is designed by Moi Tran, with lighting design by Sally Ferguson, sound design by George Dennis, casting by Heather Basten CDG, Jerwood Assistant Director is Bellaray Bertrand-Webb.
Standout revivals at the Young Vic include, most recently, Death of a Salesman which transferred to the West End and on Broadway earlier this year, and previously A Streetcar Named Desire, Yerma and A View From the Bridge.
Jared Harris’ (Max) illustrious stage, television and film career includes star roles as Valery Legasov in HBO’s Chernobyl for which he earned the BAFTA for Leading Actor and further Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, as Lane Pryce in Mad Men and King George VI in The Crown. Film includes Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and upcoming roles in Brave The Dark, and Reawakening. The Homecoming will mark his Young Vic debut and first stage appearance in more than 15 years.
Joe Cole (Lenny) is a BAFTA nominated actor best known for playing lead roles as Sean Wallace in Gangs of London, Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File and John Shelby in Peaky Blinders. He was nominated for the 2018 Leading Actor BAFTA for his role as Frank in Black Mirror, and his film credits include a BIFA winning Best Actor role as Billy Moore in Prayer Before Dawn. He returns to the Young Vic where he previously trained with the theatre’s creative engagement department Taking Part.
Lisa Diveney (Ruth) has appeared across stage and screen with recent television credits including Whitstable Pearl, Harlots and Grantchester, and previously roles in Call the Midwife, Beth in The Green Green Grass and Kate Travers in the ITV series Injustice. Stage credits include The Seagull (Regent’s Park), Donkey Heart (West End), A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (Lyric Hammersmith).
David Angland (Joey) most recently appeared in The Pillowman (West End), as Mephistopheles in Doctor Faustus (Southwark Playhouse), My Life as a Cowboy (Park Theatre) and The Nobodies (The Vaults and UK Tour). Television credits include Pistol, Masters of the Air, The Devil’s Hour and Everything Now.
Robert Emms (Teddy) is known for portraying Leonid Toptunov in HBO’s Chernobyl, Lonni Jung in the Star Wars series Andor and Pythagoras in the BBC series Atlantis. On stage he starred as Albert Narracott in War Horse (West End) and Bobby Fischer in Ravens (Hampstead Theatre). His film credits include War Horse, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Apostasy, Broken, Kick Ass 2 and Mirror Mirror.
Nicolas Tennant (Sam) recently appeared in the West End in The Ocean at the End of the Lane. His many theatre credits include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (West End), The Power of Yes (National Theatre), Three Kingdoms (Lyric Hammersmith), The Duchess of Malfi (RSC). Television includes Peaky Blinders, Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather, and film includes Denial.
