CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR CITIZENS THEATRE’S TIMELY REVIVAL OF BELFAST PLAY

One of Scotland’s most well-known TV stars will join the Citizens Theatre Company for its forthcoming production of Bold Girls by Rona Munro, which runs from Wed 24 Jan – Sat 10 Feb 2018.

Deirdre Davis, better known to fans of River City as Eileen Donachie, will take to the stage to play Nora – a mother and grandmother desperate to keep up appearances against the backdrop of the Troubles.

Deirdre, who once worked front of house at the Citizens Theatre as a student, was one of the original cast of River City when the show launched in 2002 – she would go on to star in the soap for 14 years.

Bold Girls was first performed in 1991 and confirmed the arrival of a major new voice in Scottish theatre. Since then Rona Munro’s stature as a playwright has continued to grow. Her epic history trilogy The James Plays (National Theatre Scotland/Edinburgh International Festival) won international acclaim off the back of a major tour in 2016.

Packed with abrasive humour, Bold Girls is a story of love, friendship and betrayal, rooted in the working class culture of Belfast. An award-winning play about the everyday lives of four Belfast women, set against the backdrop of the Troubles, its revival comes at a moment when the future of Northern Ireland and gender politics are once again in the headlines.

Deirdre will be joined on stage by Lucianne McEvoy in the role of Marie. Lucianne’s recent performance in the National Theatre’s 2017 hit The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time was described as “superb” (Sunday Herald) and she previously appeared at the Citz in Dominic Hill’s critically acclaimed production of The Libertine (2015).

Appearing as the hard-edged Cassie, Scarlett Mack, who was last seen at the Citizens in the company’s 2015 production Vanya, brings a range of stage, television and film credits to the company – including roles in Outlander and Blackbird.

The cast is completed by Citizens Theatre actor intern Sinéad Sharkey, who will play Deirdre – the protagonist who shatters the illusions that sustain the other three characters. Sinéad will join this production after taking on the title role in the Citizens Theatre Christmas show, Cinderella and a role in Faithful Ruslan, the theatre’s co-production with Belgrade Theatre Coventry.

Bold Girls will be directed by Richard Baron whose 2012 production of Rona Munro’s Iron was described as “thrilling” (List) and “Simply heart-stopping” (Scotsman). Richard comes to this production after the success of staging Compton Mackenzie’s comic novel The Monarch of the Glen at Pitlochry Festival Theatre (★★★★ Herald ★★★★ Scotsman ★★★★ The Times).

Also on the production team are Designer Neil Haynes and Lighting Designer Stuart Jenkins, who have previously won praise as a duo for their work on some of the Citizens Theatre’s most successful recent productions, including Into That Darkness and Blackbird.

ENDS

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