Theatre News

Trudie Styler Returns to West End for Dr Johnson

Trudie Styler will make a rare London stage appearance this autumn when Out of Joint’s production of A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson transfers to the Arts Theatre for a limited season from 1 to 24 September 2011, after a short stint at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, where it’s at the Traverse Theatre from 23 to 28 August.

Styler reprises her performance in the production that toured the UK this past spring, alongside Ian Redford in the title role and Russell Barr.

An 18th-century poet, playwright, essayist, critic and lexicographer, Samuel Johnson is best known for his epic work on his dictionary. A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson is adapted by Barr, Redford and director Max Stafford-Clark, from Johnson’s friend and biographer James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson and Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides

In the play, Styler appears as Hester Thrale, the society hostess who was Johnson’s final, unrequited love. Barr portrays a host of characters from Boswell and the painter Joshua Reynolds to King George III and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s saviour Flora Macdonald.

Styler will perform at all Edinburgh performances and most dates in London except for 9 to 11, and 21 to 24 September. The wife of rock star Sting, Styler trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and, early in her career, worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company, with credits including Naked Robots and Accrington Pals. Her other West End credits include Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queen in 1993. On TV, Styler has appeared in Midsomer Murders, Love Soup and Friends.

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson is designed by [Tim Shortall, with lighting by Christopher Nairne and costumes by Karen Large. The London season at the Arts is presented by Karl Sydow.