Coronation Street actress Katy Cavanagh, who appeared in the soap as Julie Carp between 2009 and 2015, is to star in the première of Alison Carr’s new play Iris at Newcastle's Live Theatre in April. She plays Julie, the central character who returns home after living away.
Cavanagh, who was born in Whitley Bay, returns to the region to make her first appearance at Live Theatre, in this play set in a north eastern coastal town which is very similar to Whitley Bay.
She is joined by Live Theatre regular Joe Caffrey, seen recently in Live Theatre's productions of Wet House and Cooking with Elvis and who also toured nationally in The Pitmen Painters. Sam Neale, another Live Theatre regular who starred in Nativities and one of Carr's earlier plays, The Girls From Poppyfield Close, as well as appearing in Live Theatre's Write Stuff plays, is the final cast member.
Iris is a three-hander that follows the relationship of sisters Julie (Kavanagh) and Ruby (Neale) who are coming to terms with the death of their mother Iris. This formidable matriarch manages to control their lives from beyond the grave. On the night of the funeral, Julie gets off with Gerry (Caffrey), a crime scene cleaner. Maybe that'll help. It doesn't.
When their mother's unusual bequest unearths a story that leaves some indelible marks, something more than a deep clean is needed.
"The more I've been working on this play, the more I've grown to love it,” said Max Roberts, Live’s Artistic Director. “Hearing it read in auditions and listening to the actors’ thoughts and responses to it has fired my passion to bring Alison's story to fruition. The characters, especially Julie and Ruby, are so richly, complex funny and real.
"I'm also looking forward to working with my long-time associate Joe Caffrey who plays the part of Gerry. Joe will bring a real warmth, sense of humour and empathy to his equally complex and well-drawn character."
Iris runs at Live from 6 to 30 April.