New version of play set for premiere

A new version of a play will have its stage premiere in Northampton as part of Royal & Derngate’s season of works looking at addiction.

My Zinc Bed will take to the Royal stage from Friday, February 26 to Saturday, March 13. Written by renowned contemporary playwright David Hare, the play is directed by Royal&Derngate’s artistic director Laurie Sansom, fresh from the success of his critically acclaimed productions of Eugene O’Neill’s Beyond the Horizon and Tennessee Williams’ Spring Storm.

In My Zinc Bed a love triangle is bonded and warped by alcohol and obsessive desire. Paul, a recovering alcoholic and young poet, is drawn to billionaire internet businessman, Victor and his beautiful wife Elsa, who has her own dark past.

With wit, passion and intensity, they fight to hold their lives together in the face of growing temptation.

It is an intimate portrait of three people addicted to alcohol, their work and each other, examining the meaning of friendship, faith and obsession.

Playing the part of Victor is Robert Gwilym, perhaps best known as Dr Max in Casualty.

Jamie Parker, an exciting young actor most recently seen in the film Valkyrie alongside Tom Cruise, takes the role of Paul.

From the West End production of Desperately Seeking Susan, Leanne Best completes the line-up as Elsa.

My Zinc Bed was first performed at The Royal Court in London in 2000 and made intoaHBO film starring Uma Thurman in 2008.

This is the stage premiere of a new version created by Hare especially for Royal & Derngate. Tickets are £11 to £26, from 01604 624811 or www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

■ As part of the Addicted for You season, the one man play Honest, by Northampton playwright DC Moore, will be performed in the Mailcoach pub, adjacent to the theatre, at 6.30pm before each evening’s performance of My Zinc Bed.