Murray-Smith Adds Rapture to Honour in UK???

Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith - who made a UK debut this past month with her 1995 drama Honour, starring Eileen Atkins, Corin Redgrave, Catherine McCormack and Anna Maxwell-Martin at the NT Cottesloe - is in talks to bring her latest play, Rapture, to London as well. Premiered down under in 2002, Rapture revolves around a dinner party that reunites six friends, including one couple who've recently discovered religion after a fire destroyed their home and possessions. But rather than spreading peace, the couple's new-found spirituality causes tension in the group, prompting all to re-evaluate their friendships. In the meantime, there's a possibility that Honour may transfer once its National season finished on 13 May 2003. That said, any plans will be dependent on cast availability. Though UK critics were divided about the merits of the play itself, there was widespread praise for the actors, particularly Atkins, who beautifully portrays the story's abandoned wife. But that recently minted Dame has been recruited to replace fellow Dame Judi Dench in accompanying a third Dame, Maggie Smith, in the Broadway transfer of David Hare's Whatsonstage.com Award-winning play The Breath of Life. The recast two-hander is still scheduled to open in New York in autumn 2003.

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