James Graham's new play, Labour of Love, gets its world premiere presented by The Michael Grandage Company and Headlong at the Noel Coward Theatre for a limited 10-week run.
Martin Freeman and Tamsin Greig star in this current political comedy about the Labour Party. In the party's traditional northern heartands, the play follows MP David Lyons (plyed by Martin Freeman) and his constituency agent Jean Whittaker (Greig). The play will track the party's story over 25 years from the Kinnock years all the way up to the latest election, with everything in between. The play explores the clash and divide between party philosophy, class and culture couldn't be more divided.
James Graham will reunite with Headlong artistic director Jeremy Herrin following their previous collaboration on the National Theatre and West End hit play This House. No stranger to political plays, James Graham's works include The Vote which was broadcast on television on the night of the 2015 General Election, as well as Privacy which ran at the Donmar Warehouse and New York City. James raham's play Ink is also currently running in the West End at the Duke of York's.
Martin Freeman is best known for his screen roles in films such as 'The Hobbit', 'Love Actually' and 'The Hitchhiker's Guide the the Galaxy'. On TV his credits include 'Sherlock' and 'The Office'. His stage credits have included Volpone and Mother Courage and Her Children at the National Theatre as Clybourne Park at the Royal Court Theatre. In 2014 he starred in Jamie Lloyd's production Richard III at the Trafalgar Studios.
Tamsin Greig most recently appeared on stage in Twelfth Night at the National, and her TV credits include Episodes, Green Wing and Friday Night Dinner. Her other stage credits include The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures by Tony Kushner (Hampstead Theatre) and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre). Sarah Lancashire will no longer be appearing in Labour of Love.
Labour of Love Tickets are available now.
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12 images Labour MP David Lyons cares about modernisation and “electability”… his constituency agent, Jean Whittaker cares about principles and her community. Set away from the Westminster bubble in the party’s traditional northern heartlands, this is a clash of philosophy, culture and class against the backdrop of the Labour Party over 25 years as it moves from Kinnock through Blair into Corbyn… and beyond?
Playwright of the moment James Graham has pulled off a rare double coup: not only is his name now gracing the marquee of two London theatres, metres from each other on St Martin's Lane, but also the newest of them is that very rare specimen, a new play that has opened directly into the West End without a prior try-out elsewhere. And in a third remarkable fact, its entire London run was... Read more
Tamsin Greig will star in Labour of Love alongside Martin Freeman as it is announced that Sarah Lancashire has been forced to withdraw on doctor’s advice. The play follows David Lyons, a Labour MP played by Freeman, over the course of 25 years as the country, and the Labour party, undergo significant changes in philosophy, culture and class. Greig will play Lyons’ constituency agent Jean Whittaker, the role originally due to be played by Lancashire.
The full cast joining Martin Freeman and Sarah Lancashire in James Graham’s Labour of Love has been announced. The play follows David Lyons, a Labour MP played by Freeman, over the course of 25 years as the country, and the Labour party, undergo significant changes in philosophy, culture and class. Lancashire will play Lyons’ constituency agent Jean Whittaker.
The Michael Grandage Company and Headlong have announced that they will present the world première of James Graham’s new play Labour of Love, starring Martin Freeman and Sarah Lancashire at the Noël Coward Theatre from 15 September to 2 December 2017. Described as a "razor sharp political comedy" Labour of Love reunites writer James Graham with director Jeremy Herrin following their previous collaboration on the Olivier Award-nominated play This House which recently played a five-star season in the West End.
