Red Entertainment, the producers of Hormonal Housewives and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, have started pre-production on Dead Lies an original play that sees the company add a new genre to their ever expanding portfolio.
Dead Lies is a contemporary thriller written by acclaimed crime writer Hilary Bonner, who has a string of number one best selling novels to her credit. Dead Lies is Bonner’s first stage play and the script is written in her trademark hard hitting, dramatic style.
The action takes place during a fiercely fought election campaign and follows Peter George, a politician who promises a new kind of politics beyond sleaze and spin.
Dead Lies will commence its first national tour in September 2021 with the critically acclaimed Joe Harmston confirmed to take the director’s chair. Harmston, who has a string of West End and No.1 UK Tours to his name, has established himself as a leading exponent of high-quality dramatic thrillers.
When asked about the play, Joe said “Hilary does that rare thing writing a thriller for the stage: like Christie, she puts psychology first, making Dead Lies the best sort of “Why” Done It. Placing her drama amid the hopes and dreams of a new political movement brings the genre bang up to date. The success of her endeavour is already evident, with a host of fantastic actors interested in the roles and I look forward to realising the play next year with an impressive ensemble.”
Dead Lies will open at the Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple, a fitting choice as the play is set in North Devon and features the Queen’s.
Matt Brinkler, Producer at Red Entertainment, is hoping that Dead Lies will add a new dimension to the body of work they produce, stating “At the core of RED Entertainment’s values is audience development and growth. Dead Lies is the perfect modern piece to break a new genre for the company and introduce our audiences around the UK to it, and Dead Lies felt right from the very first read. We are proud to have such an esteemed director as Joe Harmston leading the way with our new vision for this genre. Equally exciting is working with a No.1 best selling crime novelist, this is Hilary’s first stage play and as soon as I read the piece, I knew it would be the first of many”.
The casting process is already under way with several high-profile names linked to the project. Casting announcements will be made in the near future alongside confirmed tour dates.
