NOEL COWARD'S "THE VORTEX" CASTING NEWS

NOEL COWARD'S "THE VORTEX" CASTING NEWS

Noel Coward's The Vortex, which opens at the Donmar Warehouse 10 Dec 02, following previews from 5 Dec 02 confirms some casting: Francesca Annis, Bette Bourne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Deborah Findlay, Toni Kanal, Indira Varma, Daniel Weyman.

Francesca Annis's West End credits include "Lady Windermere's Fan" at the Albery 1994 and "Ghosts" at the Comedy 2001.

Chiwetel Ejiofor's West End credits include "Blue/Orange" at both the National and Duchess theatres in 2000/01; "Romeo and Juliet" at the Olivier, NT in 2000.

Deborah Findlay's West End credits include "Stanley" at the Cottesloe, NT in 1996; "The Winter's Tale" at the Olivier in 2001; and "Mother Clap's Molly House" at both the Lyttelton, NT and Aldwych Theatres in 2001/02.

Indira Varma's West End credits include "Three Sisters" at the Whitehall Theatre in 1999; "Remembrance of Things Past" at the Cottesloe and Olivier, NT 2000/01; and most recently "Ivanov" at the Cottesloe, NT.

The play is directed by Michael Grandage, designed by Christopher Oram, with lighting by Howard Harrison.

A storm is brewing that threatens to engulf the Lancaster family. Returning from Paris, Nicky discovers that his glamorous socialite mother, Florence , has taken a lover half her age. While Nicky battles with the conflicting emotions that her behaviour arouses, Florence is horrified by her son's equally devastating revelation.

"THE VORTEX" caused a sensation when it premiered on the London stage in 1924, with its subject matter about drug abuse among the upper classes, and created a star out of its playwright and leading actor, Noel Coward!