Casting for Vicky Featherstone’s production of Alistair McDowell’s X, appearing at the Royal Court theatre from the 30th March has been confirmed. 

Rudi Dharmalingam, Darrell D’Silva, James Harkness, Jessica Raine and Ria Zmitrowicz will start rehearsals for the production next week and will run in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from next month.

Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone directs the new play from Alistair McDowell, set in a space station on Pluto.

Billions of miles from home, the lone research base on Pluto has lost contact with Earth. Unable to leave or send for help, the skeleton crew sit waiting. Waiting.

Waiting long enough for time to start eating away at them.
To lose all sense of it.
To start seeing things in the dark outside.

The production will feature design by Merle Hensel, lighting by Lee Curran, composition and sound by Nick Powell and video by Tal Rosner.

Alongside the production will be three Big Idea events; freelance science writer and researcher Dr Mike Goldsmith discusses the possibility of life at the edge of the solar system, playwrights Inua Ellams and Stacey Gregg create short sound plays, and playwright Alistair McDowall will be in conversation with Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone.

Playwright Alistair McDowell’s previous credits include:  Pomona (Orange Tree/National) and Brilliant Adventures (Royal Exchange/Live Theatre Newcastle/Edinburgh Fringe).

As Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, Vicky Featherstone’s work at the theatre includes:  How to Hold Your Breath; God Bless the Child; Maidan: Voices from the Uprising; The Mistress Contract; The Ritual Slaughter of George Mastromas; Talk Show;Untitled Matriarch Play and The President Has Come to See You.

X is on at the Royal Court Theatre from the 30th March until the 7th May. For more information and to book tickets visit: http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/xtheplay.