The production will begin performances at the Hampstead Theatre from the 26th March.
The Hampstead Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for Hannah Khalil’s dark new thriller Sleepwalking, running at the theatre from the 26th March.
Directed by Audrey Sheffield, this world premiere is set to star Eileen Nicholas and Jeany Spark.
Eileen Nicholas has starred in productions of Richard III (Headlong); Midsummer (National Theatre of Scotland); Mary Stuart (Duke of York’s/Almeida); Del Gesu’s Viola (Oran Mor); Every One (Battersea Arts Centre); All About My Mother (Old Vic) and Buried Child (Upstairs At The Gatehouse).
Jeany Spark’s theatre work includes: Crooked Dances (RSC); Skylight (Theatr Clwyd); Battleface (Bush); Dances with Dogs (Leicester Square Theatre); Celebrity Night at Café Red (Trafalgar Studios); A Voyage Round My Father (Salisbury Playhouse); Moscow Live (High Tide) and Waste (Almeida).
Life as a mother is full of challenges: there’s the house to be paid for, a high-pressure full-time job, and a daughter who has started having nightmares. So it’s a relief when grandma steps in to help: dealing with the school run, preparing the daughter’s dinner, reading the bedtime story… everything suddenly becomes easier. But what starts as desperately needed support gradually begins to feel pernicious. Best not to look too closely. Questioning things might lead to the end of this essential arrangement. And then the telephone starts to ring in the middle of the night…
Talking about the news, director Audrey Sheffield said: “When I first started working as a director, I came to see a lot of Hampstead Downstairs work and I always found it a really exciting and inspiring space. I’m especially thrilled to now be making my directorial debut at the theatre and with Hannah’s fascinating, honest and deeply affecting new play. I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room with this incredible cast and whole team, to bring this production to life.”
The creative team for the production includes: designs by Anna Reid, with lighting design by Ali Hunter and sound design by Julian Starr.
Sleepwalking will play at the Hampstead Theatre from the 26th March until the 2nd May.