Adelle Leonce, Nick Blood and Phoebe Ladenburg are now starring in Sting, the world premiere of Sophie Swithinbank’s play now on at the Young Vic.
Leonce stars as Ash with Blood as Dom and Ladenburg as Lily in an urgent new work that explores power and control through a sharply contemporary lens.
I should never have let you in. I usually don’t let people in.
Ash is off the rails. Going straight from the sparkly sweat and tequila shots of the club to her first day of a new job, her new boss Lily is unimpressed. Their assignment: to catalogue historic cases of women accused of being witches. After an incident at work, Ash’s boyfriend Dom enters the scene as a knight in shining armour, even providing Ash with the best present she could hope for: a pet rabbit. But as the women delve into researching a disturbing series of murders, Lily starts to get the sense that something is wrong with Ash. Or maybe, something is wrong with Dom.
Directed by Nancy Medina, the creative team includes designer Debbie Duru, lighting designer Ryan Day, sound designer Nicola T Chang, movement director Rachael Nanyonjo, casting director Lisa Makin, intimacy director Yarit Dor, production dramatherapist Samantha Adams, voice coach Carol Fairlamb, costume supervisor Aimee Russam and Maddie Bevan, Jerwood Assistant Director Olivia Millar-Ross, Linbury Design Associate Yi Gao and Genesis Design Assistant Gisela Mulindwa.
Sting was developed with Lidless Theatre. It was inspired by concepts from Waking the Witch, developed in 2022 with Sophie Swithinbank, Lisa Lapidge and Jess Tucker Boyd.
The production is playing at the Young Vic’s Maria Theatre until July 18. Tickets here.
Top image: Adelle Leonce and Phoebe Ladenburg in Sting at the Young Vic (c) Helen Murray (image supplied)