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Markham Leads Return for Kushner & Cheek by Jowl

Kika Markham will star in the European premiere of Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul at London's Young Vic theatre this spring. The co-production with Cheek by Jowl, directed by Declan Donnellan, runs from 10 May to 22 June 2002.

It's Afghanistan, 1998. An Englishwoman's discovery of an outdated guidebook propels her on an outlandish journey to the heart of Afghanistan. Kushner wrote the one-woman play specifically for Markham, who in 1997 was involved in an earlier version of it at the Chelsea Centre.

Markham was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1997 West End production of Noel Coward's Song at Twilight in which she appeared with her real-life husband, Corin Redgrave, and his sister, Vanessa Redgrave. Her other recent stage credits include A Wedding Story and The Vagina Monologues. On film and television, she has appeared in Wonderland, Outland, A Very British Coup, Double Dare, A Woman in White, Touching Evil and Cracker amongst others.

Homebody/Kabul is Tony Kushner's first major work since his acclaimed Angels in America at the National Theatre in 1992. That trilogy was also directed by Donnellan and designed by Nick Ormerod of Cheek by Jowl.

The new play also marks the long-awaited London return of Cheek by Jowl. The renowned company, founded by Donnellan and Ormerod, has one more Olivier awards than any other touring group. Cheek by Jowl was last seen in London in 1998 with a production of Much Ado About Nothing. After an international tour of the Shakespeare company, Donnellan and Ormerod disbanded the group for an extended sabbatical, during which they worked independently on various projects.

Homebody/Kabul has music by Paddy Cunneen and lighting by Judith Greenwood.

Currently at the Young Vic is another high-profile production - the Natural Nylon and Young Vic co-production of Marlowe's 16th-century Dr Faustus, headed by film star Jude Law. It opens on 18 March (previews from 7 March) and continues to 27 April.

- by Terri Paddock

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