Eve Best Stars in Old Vic Duchess of Malfi, 27 Mar

One of the great Jacobean tragedies, The Duchess of Malfi charts the calamitous consequences of a young widow’s refusal to obey her brothers’ command never to remarry. When the spy, Bosola, is planted in the Duchess’ household, the trap is set which leads to exile, torture, madness and death.

Best’s most recent theatre credits include Beatrice in The Globe’s Much Ado About Nothing, for which she is nominated for a 2012 Whatsonstage.com Award. She also took the title role in Hedda Gabler at the Almeida, for which she won the 2006 Olivier Award for Best Actress, and was nominated for the same award in 2007 for her role as Josie in Eugene O’Neill’s A Moon for the Misbegotten at The Old Vic.

On screen, Best recently played the Duchess of Windsor in the Oscar winning film The King’s Speech.

Jamie Lloyd‘s directing credits include Three Days of Rain with James McAvoy, The Little Dog Laughed with Tamsin Greig and Gemma Aterton as well as Piaf at The Donmar Warehouse (where he is associate director) and The Pride at the Royal Court, for which he won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. 

Lloyd said of his latest project: “I am delighted to be making my Old Vic debut with
Webster’s dark and atmospheric masterpiece. I am very excited to be
directing Eve Best, who is, unquestionably, one of the very finest
actors of her generation.”

Kevin Spacey artistic director of The Old Vic added: “It will be thrilling to see Eve Best on The Old Vic stage again in this momentous classic role. Jamie Lloyd is certain to bring a contemporary perspective to this great play and create a memorable Old Vic event. I have long admired Jamie’s work and am delighted to welcome him to The Old Vic for the first time.”

Currently at the Old Vic, Lindsay Posner‘s revival of Michael Frayn’s multi-award winning 1982 comedy Noises Off is currently in previews (opens 13 December) and continues until 25 February 2012.