Donmar Warehouse’s outgoing Artistic Director Josie Rourke announces today two new productions as part of her final season, both with rising directorial talents at the helm: The UK premiere of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat, directed by former Donmar Resident Assistant Director Lynette Linton; and an original stage adaptation of Peter Strickland’s chilling film Berberian Sound Studio, written for the stage by Joel Horwood, marking the directorial debut for Donmar Associate Artist Tom Scutt and starring actor Tom Brooke. Josie Rourke’s final production at the Donmar will open in April 2019 and will be announced later this year.
Lynette Linton will make her Donmar debut as director in December with the UK premiere of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat. Nottage spent a number of years with the inhabitants of Reading, Pennsylvania – one of the poorest cities in America – to write Sweat. It powerfully chronicles the story of how the USA has reached its current political and cultural situation. Lynette was previously a Resident Assistant Director at the Donmar, working on productions including Belleville, The Lady from the Sea and The York Realist. The Resident Assistant Director scheme supports artists early in their career to develop their skills and alumni include Artistic Director Josie Rourke, Rupert Goold, Jamie Lloyd, Sacha Wares and Simon Evans.
Donmar Associate Artist Tom Scutt will make his directorial debut in February with an adaptation of Peter Strickland’s chilling film Berberian Sound Studio, written for the stage by Joel Horwood. In this darkly comic visual and sonic feast, the company will recreate the world of an Italian sound studio on the Donmar stage each evening. Actor Tom Brooke, recently seen in the BBC’s popular drama Bodyguard, will play the central role of Gilderoy. Further casting also includes Enzo Cilenti and Tom Espiner.
Artistic Director Josie Rourke said: “Sixteen years ago, I began my career as a director at the Donmar. I had trained under Sam Mendes, who was then Artistic Director. At the end of my year as the Resident Assistant, Sam then invited me to direct my first professional production at the Donmar. That’s one of the reasons why this stage is – to me – the most special, and most memorable of all stages in London.”
