1st Night Photos: Now for The Goat Family Reunion

Eddie Redmayne had two sets of parents on hand last night (11 September, previews from 3 September) to see him in the world premiere of Christopher Shinn’s US election drama Now or Later at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.

Jonathan Pryce and Kate Fahy played Redmayne’s parents in the 2004 UK premiere of Edward Albee’s controversial play involving bestiality, The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?, at the Almeida Theatre and in the West End, for which Redmayne scooped Newcomer prizes at both the Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Awards. And Matthew Marsh, who was also in the original Goat cast, and Nancy Crane are his current on-stage mum and dad.

In the lead-up to the real contest between Barack Obama and John McCain in November, Christopher Shinn’s new play explores the tension between liberalism and fundamentalism in American politics. On election night, things are looking rosy for the Democratic party. But as the likely President-elect (Marsh), his wife, advisors and 20-year-old son watch the results roll in, controversial photos of John Jr (Redmayne) are gathering momentum on the internet and the press team are working on damage limitation. Father and son must reach an agreement.

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PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.

Also in the Now or Later are Domhnall Gleeson (whose own actor father, Brendan Gleeson, also attended last night’s premiere), Adam James and Pamela Nomvete. American dramatist Christopher Shinn has had four previous plays staged at the Court: Where Do We Live, Four, Other People and, most recently, 2006’s Dying City, which was this year nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in the US. The production is directed by Royal Court artistic director Dominic Cooke and designed by Hildegard Bechtler, with lighting by Charles Balfour and sound by Ian Dickinson.

For 1st Night Photos, our Whatsonstage.com photographer Dan Wooller was on hand for the post-show party at the Royal Court along with the company and other first night guests including government minister Ed Miliband, actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Helen Schlesinger and playwrights Joe Penhall, Richard Bean, Stephen Jeffries and April de Angelis.

Redmayne followed The Goat with screen success in the likes of Elizabeth – The Golden Age, The Good Shepherd, Saving Grace, The Other Boleyn Girl and, airing from this Sunday on BBC One, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and also appeared on stage in Hecuba at the Donmar Warehouse. Marsh’s many credits include, most recently, A Prayer for My Daughter, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Overwhelming and The Lightning Play on stage and Spooks and The Commander on television.

– by Terri Paddock