Polly Stenham's That Face, which was produced at the Royal Court Theatre last year, is transferring to the West End’s Duke of York’s Theatre. Original stars Lindsay Duncan, Matt Smith, Catherine Steadman and Julian Wadham will reprise their roles. The production, directed by Jeremy Herrin , will begin previews on 1 May and open on 8 May.
That Face is a portrayal of an affluent family in freefall. Mia is at boarding school. She has access to drugs. They are Martha's (Duncan). Henry (Smith) has dropped out of school. He has access to alcohol. From Martha. Martha controls their lives. Martha is their mother. That Face is a powerful and darkly comic exploration of children who become parents to their parents.
Stenham’s first play, That Face, was written when she was 19; it received its world premiere in April last year at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs having been developed through the Royal Court’s Young Writers Programme. Stenham went on to receive both the Evening Standard’s Charles Wintour Award and Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright, as well as the TMA Award for Best Play. The cast of That Face are nominated for this year’s Laurence Olivier Award Outstanding Achievement in an Affliliate Theatre. Recently, Stenham has received a substantial grant from the UK Film Council to adapt her play for the big screen.
Duncan’s extensive theatre credits include Private Lives which, after its run at the Albery Theatre, transferred to Broadway, For her performance as Amanda, she won the Olivier, Critics’ Circle and Tony Awards for Best Actress. Her other more recent theatre credits include Celebration and The Room for the Almeida, The Homecoming for the National Theatre and Ashes to Ashes and Mouth to Mouth for the Royal Court, the latter then transferred to the West End. Previously her award-winning performances include La Marquise de Merteuil in Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Nijo and Win in Top Girls. On television her credits include Rome, Longford, Spooks, Oliver Twist and Just William. Her many film credits include Mansfield Park, Starter For Ten, An Ideal Husband, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Prick Up Your Ears.
Smith’s theatre credits include Swimming with Sharks at the Vaudeville Theatre, The History Boys, Burn, Chatroom, Citizenship all for the National Theatre, On the Shore of the Wide World for the Royal Exchange Theatre and Fresh Kills for the Royal Court. His television credits include The Street, Party Animals and The Ruby in the Smoke for BBC as well as ITV’s Secret Diary of a Call Girl. On film he made his debut in Martin McDonagh’s feature film In Bruges.
Steadman’s theatre credits include Babooshka for the Pleasance Theatre, The Glory of Living for Battersea Arts Centre and The Rubenstein Kiss for Oxford Playhouse. Her film credits include Hippie Hippie Shake, Borderline Confusion and Dark Room. On television her credits include Mansfield Park and The Bill.
Wadham is currently playing Don Pedro in Nicholas Hytner’s production of Much Ado about Nothing at the National Theatre. His extensive theatre credits include Our Country’s Good and Serious Money for the Royal Court, Plenty for the Almeida at the Albery and the Olivier award-winning Another Country and When We are Married in the West End. He has worked extensively for both for the Royal Court and the National Theatre. His film roles include The English Patient, The Madness of King George, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, Maurice, The Secret Agent and Wah Wah. His numerous television credits include Foyles War and My Boy Jack for ITV as well as Blind Justice and Island at War.
Additional casting will be announced shortly.
That Face will play a limited season in the West End to 5 July.