Theatre News

Old Vic stages Kevin Spacey as Darrow and Kristin Scott Thomas in Electra

Spacey will mark his tenth anniversary as artistic director in a familiar role

Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic's 24 Hour Plays gala
Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic's 24 Hour Plays gala
© Dan Wooller

Artistic director Kevin Spacey will star in a one-man play as part of the Old Vic's newly announced season.

David W Rintels' play Clarence Darrow, about the famous human rights lawyer, marks ten years of Spacey's tenure at the Old Vic and will preview from 28 May 2014, directed by Thea Sharrock, who helmed a revival of Rattigan's Cause Célèbre at the venue in 2011.

"I am thrilled to be returning to the Old Vic stage, for the first time performing in the round," said Spacey, referring to the venue's recent temporary reconfiguration.

"As I celebrate ten years at the helm of this very special theatre it feels great to be returning to the character of Clarence Darrow, whom I played both onstage in Inherit the Wind and 22 years ago in the PBS film Darrow, directed by one of my House of Cards collaborators, John Coles."

The summer/autumn season also features Yaёl Farber's revival of Arthur Miller's modern classic The Crucible (from 24 June 2014). Farber is best known for her hit Edinburgh Fringe productions Mies Julie and Nirbhaya, which both won awards and wide critical acclaim.

And rounding off the season, from 20 September, is Ian Rickson's new production of Sophocles' Electra, in a version by Frank McGuinness. Kristin Scott Thomas, recently seen on stage in Rickson's revival of Pinter's Old Times, will play the title role.

Spacey added: "With Other Desert Cities about to open and this new raft of productions announced to follow this is a diverse programme of classic and new work which we are very proud to present to theatregoers."