Be Near Me
TV faces star in first ever co-production between Donmar Warehouse & National Theatre of Scotland on The Lowry’s ninth anniversary
Be Near Me
A stage version by Ian McDiarmid
From the novel by Andrew O’Hagan
Tues 28 April – Sat 2 May 2009
The Lowry, Press Night: Tues 28 April, 8pm
North West Première
ADVANCE INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE WITH CAST
Opening on The Lowry’s ninth anniversary (28 April 2009), Be Near Me is the first ever co-production between Donmar Warehouse & National Theatre of Scotland, representing the continued high quality of drama at the award-winning venue.
Directed by John Tiffany, who also directed the multi-award winning Black Watch, Be Near Me is adapted for the stage by Ian McDiarmid from The Booker Prize-nominated novel by Andrew O’Hagan. This is the first time that Ian has taken on the role of playwright. He commented “I loved Be Near Me. It struck me as inherently dramatic, and I thought, what a pity it’s not a play because that would be a wonderful part.”*
The cast in this compelling story about love, morality and regret, features many familiar faces from television, in particular, actors from the long running series Taggart. This includes Blythe Duff, who plays Mrs Poole and is perhaps better known for her role as Jackie Reid in Taggart.
Ian McDiarmid returns to The Lowry having appeared in the Donmar Warehouse’s production of Pirandello’s Henry IV (Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards for best performance in a visiting production). He is perhaps best known internationally as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in the Star War series. More of his many films include Sleepy Hollow, Restoration, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and the Star Wars series. McDiarmid’s television work includes City of Vice, Our Hidden Lives, Elizabeth I, Charles II, Crime and Punishment, Great Expectations, Hillsborough and Karaoke.
The full cast comprises Jimmy Chisholm, Blythe Duff, Kathryn Howden, Ian McDiarmid, David McGranaghan, Richard Madden, Helen Mallon, Colette O’Neil, Benny Young and Jimmy Yuill.
David Anderton, an Oxford-educated Catholic priest, is assigned to a parish in a dispirited Scottish town on the Ayrshire coast. Lonely and adrift he befriends two unstable teenagers from the local school and is drawn into their exotic world. As events spin out of control he is forced to face his greatest trial yet.
Designs are by Peter McKintosh, with lighting design by Guy Hoare, sound design by Gareth Fry and musical direction is by Davey Anderson.
Posted on Wednesday, 04 March 2009 under Press Theatre Press