12 September 2019
Newsdesk
The Almeida Theatre announces Associate Director Rebecca Frecknall’s new production of John Webster’s revenge tragedy The Duchess of Malfi, with Lydia Wilson in the title role.
The production opens on Tuesday 10 December 2019, with previews from Monday 2 December, and runs until Saturday 18 January 2020.
It follows Frecknall’s previously acclaimed Almeida productions of Three Sisters and the Olivier Award-winning Summer and Smoke.
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI
by John Webster
Direction: Rebecca Frecknall; Design: Chloe Lamford
Costume: Nicky Gillibrand; Light: Jack Knowles; Sound: George Dennis
Cast includes: Lydia Wilson.
Monday 2 December 2019 – Saturday 18 January 2020
Press night: Tuesday 10 December 7pm
“Whether we fall by ambition, blood or lust
Like diamonds, we are cut with our own dust”
You fall in love.
You get married.
You have children.
You live happily ever after.
Almeida Associate Director Rebecca Frecknall follows her Olivier Award-winning production of Summer and Smoke and Three Sisters with The Duchess of Malfi, John Webster’s electrifying revenge tragedy about rage, resistance and a deadly lust for power.
John Webster (1580 – 1634) was an English dramatist and contemporary of William Shakespeare, best known for his tragedies The White Devil and The Duchess of Malfi.
Rebecca Frecknall is Associate Director at the Almeida Theatre. For the Almeida, she has directed Three Sisters, Summer and Smoke (also West End and winner of two Olivier Awards including Best Revival) and worked as Associate Director on Ink at the Almeida/Duke of York’s Theatre and Movement Director on Albion. She was previously on the Almeida’s Resident Director programme. Her production of Steel by Chris Bush ran in the Sheffield Crucible Studio in 2018. Prior to the Almeida, she was Resident Director at Northern Stage from 2015-2016 after winning the acclaimed RTYDS Bursary. During this time she directed Idomeneus; What Are They Like? and Julie by Zinnie Harris. Before taking up this role, she worked as a freelance director in London and has worked with the National Theatre, RSC and Young Vic. She was the 2012 recipient of the National Theatre Studio’s Resident Director Bursary and was awarded one of the Young Vic’s Jerwood Assistant Director Bursaries in 2011.
Lydia Wilson plays the Duchess. She previously appeared at the Almeida in King Charles III (also West End and Broadway – nominated for Best Actress at 2015 Olivier Awards). Her other theatre credits include Fool for Love (Found 111); Hysteria (Hampstead Theatre); ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore (Cheek By Jowl); The Acid Test and The Heretic (Royal Court Theatre); Blasted (Lyric Hammersmith); Pains of Youth (National Theatre) and The House of Special Purpose (Chichester Festival Theatre). For television, her work includes Flack; Requiem; Ripper Street; Misfits; Black Mirror; The Crimson Petal and the White; South Riding; Any Human Heart and Peter Versus Life. Her film work includes, Star Trek Beyond; Love Is Thicker than Water; About Time and Never Let Me Go.
On sale dates:
Patrons, Bronze, Silver and Gold Friends - Monday 16 September, 12pm
Almeida Friends - Thursday 19 September, 10am
General sale - Thursday 26 September, 10am
Monday 2 December 2019 – Saturday 18 January 2020
The Duchess of Malfi
by John Webster
Directed by Rebecca Frecknall
Press night: Tuesday 10 December 7pm
Address Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, London, N1 1TA
Café Bar The Almeida Café Bar is open from 11.00am -11.00pm, Monday to Saturday
Box Office Online almeida.co.uk
Phone 020 7359 4404 (10am – 7.30pm, Monday – Saturday)
In person 10am – 7.30pm, Monday – Saturday
Nearest Tube: Angel / Highbury & Islington
Website almeida.co.uk
Twitter @AlmeidaTheatre
Facebook facebook.com/almeidatheatre
Instagram @almeida_theatre
Access Captioned performance:
Friday 20 December 7:30pm
Audio Described performance:
Saturday 4 January 2:30pm (Touch Tour at 12.45pm)
Talkback Post-show discussion with members of the company
Free to same performance ticket holders
Thursday 2 January 7:30pm
Almeida Questions An eclectic programme of pre-show discussions, which consider some of the questions raised by the work on our stage
Saturday 11 January 6pm – Does power corrupt?
