Gwen Taylor will star in a national tour of Night Must Fall by Emlyn Williams in a co-production between Salisbury Playhouse and The Original Theatre Company.
Taylor, who is currently playing the title role in Driving Miss Daisy at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, is best-known for TV roles such as the title role in Barbara, Anne Foster in Coronation Street, Peggy Armstrong in Heartbeat, Rita Simcock in A Bit of A Do and Amy in Duty Free.
Joining her as Inspector Belsize is Daragh O'Malley, who was nominated for a Manchester Theatre Award for his performance of Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof for the Royal Exchange Theatre.
Also in the cast are Alasdair Buchan as Hubert, Anne Odeke as Nurse Libby, Mandi Symonds as Mrs Terence and Melissa Vaughan as Dora. Further casting has yet to be announced.
The production will be directed by Luke Sheppard (In the Heights at King's Cross Theatre and Southwark Playhouse), who said, “it's a privilege to direct this extraordinary play just over eighty years since the first performance. It’s a gripping murder mystery with delightfully dark characters. I'm looking forward to audiences around the country discovering all the chills and thrills this rarely produced classic holds in store.”
Williams's 1935 psychological thriller will be designed by David Woodhead with sound and music by Harry Blake and lighting by Howard Hudson.
The tour will open at Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne on 19 August 2016 before visiting Salisbury Playhouse, Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, Southend's Palace Theatre, Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham and York Theatre Royal, where it will close on 19 November 2016.