Rehearsals are underway for Dancing at Lughnasa, Josie Rourke’s revival of Brian Friel’s Olivier Award-winning play that opens at the National Theatre next month.
The starry cast includes Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls), Ardal O’Hanlon (Father Ted), Alison Oliver (Conversations with Friends) and Louisa Harland (Derry Girls), alongside Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Bláithín Mac Gabhann, Justine Mitchell and Tom Riley.
Set during harvest time in County Donegal, 1936, outside the village of Ballybeg, the five Mundy sisters battle poverty to raise seven-year-old Michael and care for their Uncle Jack. During the Festival of Lughnasa, Pagan and Christian meet and collide. The sisters fight, love, dance, yearn and survive, in this astonishing evocation of a family’s world on the brink of change.
Director Rourke said: “In my time as artistic director of the Donmar, we staged four works by Brian Friel. During those years, I was lucky enough to meet Brian and it was a joyous honour to be near this great man and his plays, which are defining works of the theatre. It’s a privilege to be the director of this revival for the National Theatre. It was on the South Bank that the seed of the play was planted with Friel and it was always his intention that this play be produced by the NT. I’m so happy to be working with this glorious cast and creative team to bring it to the Olivier stage.”
Sean Donegan, Lauren Farrell, George Turner and Caitríona Williams also join the company.
Set and costume design is by Robert Jones, the lighting designer is Mark Henderson, the choreographer is Wayne McGregor, the composer is Hannah Peel, the sound designer is Emma Laxton, the video designer is Douglas O’Connell and the casting director is Alastair Coomer.
Performances begin in the Olivier theatre on April 6 and run until May 27. nationaltheatre.org.uk.
