Angela Griffin joins Tamzin Outwaite and Jemima Rooper in Breeders at the St James Theatre

Angela Griffin completes the cast of Ben Ockrent‘s Breeders, a new play premiering on 3 September at St James Theatre.

Griffin will play Caroline, who wants to start a family with her wife Andrea. In their quest to have a child that shares both of their DNA, Andrea seeks her brother Jimmy’s help.

Griffin joins the previously announced Tamzin Outhwaite as spouse Andrea, Nicholas Burns as Jimmy and Jemima Rooper as Jimmy’s girlfriend, Sharon. Directed by Tamara Harvey, the play is inspired by Ockrent’s real-life experience and offers a new perspective on how and why we make babies.

Angela Griffin was recently seen onstage in One Man, Two Guvnors, and her numerous TV credits include Coronation Street, Lewis, Hustle and Waterloo Road.

Vicky Graham Productions will bring Breeders to stage as part of the ONE STAGE season running September – December at the St James Theatre. It is supported by Stage One, the charity which supports emerging commercial theatre producers.

Writer Ben Ockrent commented: "Some years ago, when a good friend asked me to donate my sperm for her and her girlfriend to conceive a child with, I was struck by the scale of the decision. Whilst I had every confidence in their ability to parent, it felt like there was an almost unfeasible amount riding on my answer. So, after they granted me some thinking time – years, as it turned out – it occurred to me that my wrangling could be an interesting set-up for a play. Discussing it with the couple over dinner, the story for Breeders (a quite different one to ours) emerged. Like this production, there'll have to come a point when the curtain comes up on my personal answer to my friends' request. The play starts previewing on September 4th. It's as good a date as any."