Photos: Burrows & Manville Play Schwimmer Girls

David Schwimmer’s co-stars for Neil LaBute’s Some Girls were revealed this morning at a press photocall (see below for further pictures) held at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre, where the play will receive its world premiere next month (See News, 24 Feb 2005). As previously tipped (See The Goss, 28 Feb 2005), all four women, who play ex-girlfriends of the American star of TV’s Friends, are British. They are: Saffron Burrows, Lesley Manville, Sara Powell and actress-comedienne Catherine Tate.

Billed as a “wickedly funny expose of the modern male and his take on life, love and the ‘c’ word” (commitment, that is), Some Girls revolves around one single guy on a mad trip to four cities to visit four women from his past who may just change the course of his future.

Commenting on the casting of his co-stars, Schwimmer said: “I feel incredibly lucky. Not only do I have the opportunity to work on a new play by Neil LaBute, but I get to be on the London stage – a dream of mine since the age of 12. And to be knocked about by these four extraordinarily strong, sexy and funny women! That trumps any fantasy I had as a boy. Well, actually, that was a very different fantasy, but just as meaningful...”

Saffron Burrows, who makes her West End debut playing Bobbi, is best known for her film credits, which include Troy, Peter Pan, Miss Julie, Deep Blue Sea, Enigma, Frida, Circle of Friends and, still to be released, Perfect Creature with Dougray Scott and Klimt with John Malkovich. Her stage credits include The Powerbook (National) and last year’s Earthly Paradise (Almeida).

Lesley Manville, who plays Lindsay, has appeared in multiple Mike Leigh films, including All or Nothing, Topsy Turvy, High Hopes, Secrets and Lies and Vera Drake. Amongst her many stage credits are Rita Sue and Bob Too, Serious Money, Three Sisters (Royal Court) The Cherry Orchard (West End) and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (RSC). Most recently, she was seen as Mrs Coulter in His Dark Materials at the National.

Catherine Tate, who plays Sam, is most familiar to TV fans for her award-winning comedy sketch hit The Catherine Tate Show. Her other television credits include Wild West, Angela, The Harry Hill Show and The Peter Kay Show. As a stage actress, her credits include A Servant to Two Masters (RSC, West End) and The Way of the World (National). Sara Powell, who plays Tyler, has most recently been seen on the London stage in World Music (Donmar Warehouse) and Macbeth (Almeida).

Some Girls is directed by David Grindley (Abigail's Party, Journey's End, National Anthems) and designed by Jonathan Fensom with lighting by Jason Taylor. It’s produced in the West End by Clare Lawrence and Anna Waterhouse for Out of the Blue and Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer in association with Theatreshare plc.

Some Girls is scheduled for a limited season from 24 May to 13 August 2005 (previews from 12 May). The production will overlap with another LaBute premiere in London. The American dramatist’s new play about race and infidelity, This Is How It Goes, starring Ben Chaplin, runs at the Donmar Warehouse from 31 May to 9 July 2005 before visiting Bristol and Salford (See News, 5 Apr 2005).

- by Terri Paddock

MORE PHOTOS FROM TODAY'S PHOTOCALL:

Some Girls cast: Catherine Tate, Saffron Burrows, David Schwimmer, Sara Powell & Lesley Manville.

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