Polly Lister is to play Miss Havisham in Derby Theatre’s big autumn 2017 production, Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations.
She has appeared in two previous Derby Theatre productions, playing several roles in Mike Kenny’s adaptation of Siobhan Dowd’s novel Solace of the Road in 2015 and appearing as Mam in Lee Hall’s Cooking with Elvis in 2013. She also played Cruella De Vil in Theresa Heskins’s adaptation of Dodie Smith’s The Hundred and One Dalmatians at the New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme in 2013.
Robert Beck will play the convict Magwitch. Geoffrey Breton, who took the role of Anthony in John Van Druten’s Bell, Book and Candle at the New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme in 2015, will play Pip. Derbyshire-born Kate Spencer will play Estella. Other cast members include Jack Quarton, Jo Mousley, Michael Lambourne and Bryn Holding.
Completing the cast is Helena Rimmer who lives in Derby. She joins under the Brian Weaver Fellowship which provides an aspiring actor with paid professional acting experience.
Derby Theatre’s artistic director and chief executive Sarah Brigham said, “Great Expectations is a show I’ve wanted to direct for a long time and I’m absolutely thrilled with the hugely talented cast we’ve assembled—an exciting mixture of familiar and new faces to Derby Theatre audiences.
“It’s a company of nine performers with an extraordinary wealth of acting credits between them. I can't wait to start rehearsals on this great adaptation by Neil Bartlett.”
Barney George is the designer, Ivan Stott is composer and lighting is designed by Tim Skelly.
Great Expectations runs at Derby Theatre from Friday 29 September until Saturday 21 October.