Imelda Staunton and Janie Dee to star in Follies at the National Theatre
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage
National Theatre artistic director Rufus Norris has confirmed that Imelda Staunton and Janie Dee will star in Stephen Sondheim's Follies at the National next year.
Staunton, who won an Olivier Award for her performance in Gypsy at the Savoy last year, will play Sally alongside fellow Olivier-winner Dee as Phyllis. Former Royal Court boss Dominic Cooke will direct.
Follies tells the story of a reunion of the Weismann's Follies, in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition. It premiered on Broadway in 1971 and had its West End debut at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1987 starring Diana Rigg.
Sondheim's score includes the songs "Losing My Mind", "I'm Still Here" and "Could I Leave You?"
On the announcement, Norris said: "We are thrilled Imelda Staunton and Janie Dee will return to the National in 2017 in Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's masterpiece Follies.
"Musical theatre is hugely important and of course, like audiences all over the world I love Stephen’s work. Imelda’s performance in Guys and Dolls at the NT is the stuff of legend and I am delighted she is to take the lead in Follies under the direction of Dominic Cooke."
Further information will be announced at the National Theatre press conference on 11 October.
It was recently announced that Imelda Staunton will also star in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at the Harold Pinter Theatre in February 2017. Click here to buy tickets.
