Theatre News

Berkoff to Search for Director with new comedy at Charing Cross

Steven Berkoff will direct the world premiere of his new comedy inspired by his experience of playing mostly villains in more than 50 films at the Charing Cross Theatre next month.

6 Actors in Search of a Director finds a group of actors on a movie set waiting for the director to call “Action” until which they are in limbo. The production will open at the Charing Cross on 23 May (previews from 16 May) for a limited season to 23 June 2012.

Berkoff’s screen baddie career has included stints in Beverly Hills Cop, Rambo and the recent The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo alongside Daniel Craig.

Berkoff’s original stage plays include East, Decadence and Kvetch. He was last seen in the West End as psychopathic mobster Johnny Friendly in the stage adaptation of the 1954 Oscar-winning film On the Waterfront which he also directed. Last year he directed his adaptation of Oedipus at the Edinburgh Fringe to enthusiastic reviews.

6 Actors in Search of a Director features Neil Stuke who plays Billy in the BBC drama series Silk and whose theatre credits include Season’s Greetings at the National Theatre, Boeing Boeing and Entertaining Mr Sloane in the West End.

Also in the cast is Shakespearean actor Philip Voss whose work with the RSC and the Sir Peter Hall Company includes Malvolio in Adrian Noble’s Twelfth Night and Shylock in Greg Doran’s production of The Merchant of Venice).

They are joined by Andree Bernard, Sarah Chamberlain, Ruth Everett and Paul Trussell. The production designer is Nigel Hook and lighting is by Mike Robertson. The producers are Steven M Levy and Vaughan Williams.