Anne-Marie Duff to star in world premiere of The House of Shades at the Almeida

Anne-Marie Duff will return to the Almeida Theatre to star in the world premiere of Beth Steel's The House of Shades. Blanche McIntyre will direct Steel's family drama set in working-class Britain, opening in May.

Set over five decades of the lives of the Webster family, The House of Shades pinpoints the changes that have taken place in working-class Britain. As a family looks towards a hopeful future, they're also haunted by their pasts, where knives held by family members can cut the deepest.

Anne-Marie Duff will play Constance in The House of Shades, recently leading the cast of Sweet Charity at the Donmar Warehouse. For the Almeida, she has appeared in Oil as well as the 1999 production of Vassa at the now-named Noel Coward Theatre. Her theatre credits include Cause Célèbre at the Old Vic, as well as National Theatre productions of War and Peace and Macbeth.

Further casting for The House of Shades is to be announced.

The House of Shades is at the Almeida Theatre from 18^th May, with an official opening on 26^th May and performances to 27^th June.

Awarded the most promising playwright at the 2014 Evening Standard Theatre Awards, Beth Steel makes her Almeida debut with The House of Shades, previously writing Labyrinth, Wonderland and Ditch. 

The creative team features scenic design by Anna Fleischle, with costume design by Fleischle and Liam Bunster, lighting design by Richard Howell and sound design by Gregory Clarke.

The House of Shades is at the Almeida Theatre from 18^th May to 27^th June.

^{Photo credit: Nigel Paine (Flickr) under CC 2.0}