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| Maria Aitken |
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Aitken & Scarborough Lead New Humble Cast, 9 JunDate: 1 May 2002
Actress Maria Aitken (pictured) will come out of semi-retirement to take over from Felicity Kendal in the West End production of Humble Boy. Aitken and the rest of the new six-strong cast start performances at the Gielgud Theatre on 9 June 2002. Charlotte Jones' multi award-winning play - which transferred to the West End from the National Theatre, opening on 5 February 2002 (following previews from 24 January) - is currently booking up to 30 November.
Aitken, the sister of disgraced former MP Jonathan Aitken, will play Flora Humble, the widowed mother of Cambridge astrophysicist Felix Humble in the comedy about broken vows, failed hopes and the joys of bee-keeping. Aitken's previous stage credits include Sylvia, HRH, Hay Fever and The Vortex while on film, she's been seen in Fierce Creatures and A Fish Called Wanda.
At the same time, Adrian Scarborough will take over from Simon Russell Beale as Felix, Anna Calder-Marshall (A Lie of the Mind, Battle Royal) from Olivier winner Marcia Warren as Mercy, Sophie Duval (just seen in Pal Joey in Nottingham) from Cathryn Bradshaw as Rosie and Peter Blythe (The Royal Family, Amadeus) from William Gaunt as Jim. Gaunt will remain in the cast, taking over the role of George from Denis Quilley.
Scarborough's many stage credits include Platonov, The Tempest and Vassa (all at the Almeida), To the Green Fields Beyond (Donmar Warehouse) and The Day I Stood Still (National). His screen credits include Gosford Park, A Dance to the Music of Time and The Madness of King George.
Humble Boy is directed by John Caird and designed by Tim Hatley. It is produced in the West End by Matthew Byam-Shaw. This year it won both the Critics' Circle and the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best New Play.
- by Terri Paddock
