Irish playwright Brian Friel’s award-winning Dancing at Lughnasa is the next in-house production at Northampton Royal and Derngate.
First performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1990, the play transferred to London’s National Theatre the following year, winning an Olivier Award for best play. It subsequently went to Broadway where it added a Tony Award for best play.
The play is set in rural Donegal in 1936 at a time when life was simple although making ends meet seemed impossibly hard. It follows the five Mundy sisters as they laugh, cry and dance together.
The story is told through the eyes of seven-year-old Michael, the illegitimate son of one of the sisters.
Richard Beecham directs. He was previously at the helm of Terrence Rattigan's In Praise of Love and Charlotte Jones's Humble Boy at Royal and Derngate.
The cast includes Milo Twomey who appeared in Brief Encounter which Royal and Derngate co-produced with Kneehigh.
The rest of the cast comprises Sarah Corbett as Rose; Colm Gormley (Michael); Gráinne Keenan (Agnes); Caroline Lennon (Maggie); Michele Moran (Kate); Zoë Rainey (Christina); and Christopher Saul (Father Jack).
The creative team includes designer Naomi Dawson; lighting designer Lee Curran; composer and sound designer Jon Nicholls; movement director Quinny Sacks; and assistant Director Alice Malin.
Dancing At Lughnasa runs from Friday (24 May) until Saturday 15 June.