Cast announced for epic This Restless House at the Citizens Theatre

The Citizens Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland are presenting This Restless House a highly-ambitious trilogy of new plays by Zinnie Harris based on Aeschylus’ The Oresteia at the Citizens Theatre from 15 April 2016. Citizens Theatre Artistic Director Dominic Hill directs this exhilarating theatrical event and contemporary take on an epic Greek tragedy which will be presented in two instalments on alternate evenings and in full on Saturdays until 14 May 2016.

A cast of familiar faces from some of the most-lauded Scottish theatre productions of recent years has been assembled to perform in this trilogy of new plays. The creative team comprises those who have worked on some of the Citizens’ most distinctive productions of Hill’s tenure as artistic leader of the theatre which began in 2012.

Agamemnon, the father of the family at the centre of the trilogy, will be played by George Anton, who appeared in Untitled Projects and National Theatre of Scotland’s Paul Bright’s Confession of a Justified Sinner and has previously worked with Dominic Hill in the Traverse’s 2009 Edinburgh International Festival production The Last Witch.  Pauline Knowles, whose career includes numerous appearances with the Citizens Theatre, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and the National Theatre of Scotland takes the role of his wife Clytemnestra. Their children Orestes and Electra will be played by 2015 Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate Lorn Macdonald and Olivia Morgan, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts who has performed in productions produced by West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Almeida Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe. 

Also joining the cast are Adam Best (Crime and Punishment and Hamlet at the Citizens and Long Day’s Journey Into Night at Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh), Cliff Burnett (Lot and His God, Into That Darkness, A Christmas Carol and Hamlet at the Citizens Theatre and Let the Right One In for National Theatre of Scotland), George Costigan (Crime and Punishment andKing Lear at the Citizens Theatre) and Keith Fleming (Vanya and Miss Julie at the Citizens Theatre, Venetian Twins at Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Dunsinane and Black Watch with National Theatre of Scotland and Peer Gynt in the National Theatre of Scotland and Dundee Rep’s production directed by Dominic Hill). Anita Vettesse has previously appeared at the Citizens Theatre in National Theatre of Scotland productions In Time O’ Strife and Men Should Weep. The cast is completed by Itxaso Moreno who makes her Citizens Theatre debut having previously appeared at the National Theatre of Great Britain, and with Scottish theatre companies Fire Exit, Grid Iron, Vanishing Point amongst others.

Nikola Kodjabashia, composer on Citizens’ productions A Christmas Carol, Hamlet and Crime and Punishment will create new music for the plays, with Colin Richmond, designer on Crime and Punishment and Doctor Faustus and the National Theatre of Scotland's Men Should Weep, also returning to the Citizens. Lighting Designer Ben Ormerod has previously worked with Hill on his 2012 production of King Lear and his 2014 production of Hamlet. EJ Boyle returns as Movement Director following her work on Lanark: A Life in Three Acts.

Zinnie Harris is reunited with Dominic Hill following her adaptation of Miss Julie, first presented by National Theatre of Scotland and in 2014 at the Citizens Theatre, and Fall for the Traverse Theatre. This is the National Theatre of Scotland's fifth collaboration with Zinnie Harris. Previous productions include Julie (Scottish tour); The Wheel (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), a new version of Ibsen’s The Doll's House (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh) and Gallery 9 (Dear Scotland at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery).

ABOUT THIS RESTLESS HOUSE

Harris’ plays tell the bloody saga of a family torn apart by a succession of murders and betrayals. First performed in 485 BC, today’s audience will find that Dominic Hill’s productions bring the universal themes of justice, revenge, loyalty, and the evolving relationships between teenagers and their parents to the fore in his trademark theatrical style. 

Part 1: Agamemnon’s Return

Ten years previously, Agamemon sacrificed his daughter to the gods in exchange for fair winds in battle. Now he returns victorious from war with Troy to face his family and the terrible consequences of his actions.

Part 2:  The Bough Breaks

Electra’s father, brother and sister are all dead or missing, and her beloved mother is inert with grief.  A familiar stranger opens her eyes to the truth behind her family’s past, forcing Electra to come face to face with her parents’ hideous flaws and driving her to an unthinkable act.

Part 3: Electra and Her Shadow

As Electra is forced to confront the reality of a crime against nature, her world as she knows it begins to crumble. The curse that has haunted the family for generations looks as though it will never end.

  

Part 1 of the trilogy is presented in one performance, with Part 2 and Part 3 presented as a double-bill.

Audiences can choose to see This Restless House over two evenings, or immerse themselves in the trilogy in one day at one of the Citizens’ special Trilogy Saturdays. A Trilogy Pass to see both instalments, either at a Trilogy Saturday or on different days is available for £30.

On Trilogy Saturdays, audiences will be able to attend special discussion events with members of the creative team to learn more about how this project has been brought to the stage. There will also be the option to pre-order a specially-selected meal box with a complimentary drink from the Citizens’ bar to enjoy between the performances.

Tickets are on sale now and are available by calling the Citizens Theatre Box Office on 0141 429 0022 10am – 6pm Monday – Saturday, or by visiting the Citizens’ website citz.co.uk

PERFORMANCES

Dates: Friday 15 April – Sat 14 May 2016 7pm

Previews: Part 1 – Fri 15, Sat 16, Tue 26 April; Part 2 & Part 3 – Fri 22, Sat 23, Wed 27 April 7pm
Audio Described, BSL interpreted and Captioned  performance: Part 1 – Sat 7 May  2pm; Part 2 & Part 3 –Sat 7 May 7pm