THE Durrells star Lizzy Watts will play the title role in Patrick Marber's new version of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler on the National Theatre's tour from October to next March.
Directed by Ivo van Hove, the production will play the Grand Opera House, York, from February 20 to 24 next year, preceded by another Yorkshire run at Hull New Theatre from November 13 to 18.
Watts played Nancy in the ITV drama The Durrells In Corfu in 2016 and Ivy Layton in BBC Radio 4's Home Front; her stage credits include Strife at the Chichester Festival Theatre, The Angry Brigade and Artefacts at The Bush, A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Globe, Blink for Nabokov and Wasted for Paines Plough.
Now she will take on one of theatre's great female parts: the just married, already bored Hedda, who longs to be free from her tedious marriage and her stultifying life in Ibsen's 1890 Norwegian tragedy.
"I often think there is only one thing in the world I have any turn for," laments Hedda. "And what is that may I ask?" enquires Judge Brack. "Boring myself to death," she replies.
Lizzy Watts: star of Ivo van Hove's touring production of Hedda Gabler
The combination of Marber, van Hove and Watts will ensure you will not do likewise. Marber, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning writer of Closer and Three Days In the Country, says: "It has been a huge honour to work with the great Ivo van Hove on this version of Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre. I am thrilled that this tour will enable more people to see his incredible production."
The Belgian-born van Hove is best known as the artistic director of Toneelgroep Amsterdam in the Netherlands and for his Off-Broadway avant-garde experimental theatre shows. His acclaimed account of Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge played to sold-out houses in London and on Broadway, and this spring Jude Law starred in his theatrical reinterpretation of Luchino Visconti's 1942 film Obsession at The Barbican, London.
Van Hove made his National Theatre debut with the London production of Hedda Gabler that opened last December and his next show for the NT will be world premiere of Network. Based on Sidney Lumet's 1976 Oscar-winning film, it will mark British stage debut of Bryan Cranston, alias Walter White from the cult television series Breaking Bad.
Set and lighting design for Hedda Gabler is by Jan Versweyveld, with costume design by An D’Huys and sound by Tom Gibbons, and further casting will be announced soon.
York tickets can be booked on 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york; Hull, L01482 300306 or hulltheatres.co.uk
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