Janie Dee to join ‘The Motive and the Cue’ cast

The Olivier-winning actress will play Eileen Hurlie in Jack Thorne’s new play, based on relationships between Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and John Gielgud.

Ahead of rehearsals commencing next week, find out the full cast for The Motive and the Cue. The play begins previews in the Lyttelton Theatre on 20 April, with an opening night on 2 May, and performances to 15 July.

Jack Thorne’s play is inspired by the creation of Richard Burton and John Gielgud’s 1964 production of Hamlet on Broadway. Burton is due to play the title character, but rehearsals cause frosty tensions between the pair.

The play is inspired by Letters from an Actor by William Redfield and John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L. Sterne.

Johnny Flynn plays Richard Burton, with Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud, Tuppence Middleton as Elizabeth Taylor, and Janie Dee as Eileen Hurlie. Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams and Michael Walters complete the cast.

Sam Mendes directs — he returns to the National Theatre after directing The Lehman Trilogy. The play will feature set design by Es Devlin, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, lighting design by Jon Clark, composition by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, and sound design by Paul Arditti.

The Motive and the Cue is at the Lyttelton Theatre.

Photo credit: The Motive and the Cue (Photo by Leo Friedman)