Boys - Soho Theatre
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
ELLA Hickson’s new play Boys, a Headlong, HighTide Festival Theatre and The Nuffield, Southampton production, runs at Soho Theatre from May 31 (previews from May 29) to June 16, 2012.
The class of 2011 are about to graduate, and Benny, Mack, Timp and Cam are due out of their flat; five bedrooms, five chairs, four boys – and one hell of a party.
Stepping into a world that doesn’t want them, these boys start to wonder whether there’s any point in getting any older. How will they find the fight to make it as adults?
Tonight marks the end of an era. It’s hot. And there’ll be girls. Predict a riot…
Robert Icke, who worked alongside Headlong’s Artistic Director Rupert Goold in conceiving and developing Decade at St Katharine Docks, directs a cast that includes Samuel Edward Cook (as Mack), Danny Kirrane (Benny), Lorn Macdonald (Cam), Tom Mothersdale (Timp), Alison O’Donnell (Laura) and Eve Ponsonby (Sophie).
Although Samuel Edward Cook will be making his professional stage debut in Boys, he has appeared on television in Land Girls and Magwitch, both for the BBC.
Danny Kirrane’s theatre credits include Benvolio in Robert Icke’s touring production of Romeo and Juliet for Headlong, Davey in the multi award-winning Jerusalem, Tarantula in Petrol Blue (Aldeburgh Music) and The History Boys (National Theatre Tour). His television work includes Hustle, Casualty, The Inbetweeners and Skins.
Lorn Macdonald’s stage credits include What We Know (Traverse Theatre) and Six Characters in Search of an Author (National Theatre of Scotland). On television, he has appeared in Neverland (Sky) and Mighty Midge (BBC).
Alison O’Donnell’s theatre work includes Yerma (Gate Theatre), My Romantic History (Bush/Sheffield Crucible), Eigengrau (Bush Theatre), Dolls (National Theatre of Scotland), And The Act Going Home Tonight is… (Trafalgar Studios) and The Assassination of Paris Hilton (Assembly Rooms).
Tom Mothersdale’s theatre credits include Mercutio in Robert Icke’s Romeo and Juliet for Headlong, Iphigenia and The Phoenix of Madrid (Theatre Royal Bath), The School of Night (RSC), An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre), The Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare’s Globe) and A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (Lyric Hammersmith).
Eve Ponsonby has previously appeared on stage in The Children’s Hour (Comedy Theatre) and The Prince of Denmark (National Theatre) and on television in Above Suspicion.
An outstanding new writing talent, Ella Hickson’s play Gift was part of Headlong’s ground-breaking 9/11 project, Decade, in September 2011. Hickson burst onto the theatre scene in 2008 with her debut play Eight, which won a Fringe First, The Carol Tambor ‘Best of Edinburgh’ Award and was nominated for an Evening Standard Award. Eight went on to tour in New York and at London’s Trafalgar Studios and is now regularly performed both here and abroad.
Since Eight, Hickson’s other plays include Precious Little Talent (Trafalgar Studios), Soup (Traverse Theatre) and Hot Mess (Latitude Festival and the Arcola tent).
Boys has set and costumes design by Chloe Lamford, lighting by Michael Nabarro and sound by Tom Mills.
To book call the box office on 020 7478 0100 or visit www.sohotheatre.com.
Prior to its run at Soho Theatre, Boys will visit the HighTide Festival (May 3 to May 13) and The Nuffield, Southampton (May 16 to May 26).