New season announced in Hampstead Downstairs

Hampstead Theatre has announced a new season in its Downstairs space, which features new plays from Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Matt Hartley.

Running from 29 January to 7 March 2015, Lloyd Malcolm's The Wasp is directed by Tom Attenborough. It's billed as an "electric new thriller" that centres on a reunion of two estranged school friends who now lead contrasting lives.

It's followed, from 12 March to 11 April, by Hartley's Deposit, which is directed by Lisa Spirling and sees four friends pool their resources in an attempt to get on the housing ladder.

The 2014 Hampstead Downstairs season was the most successful yet, with 8,516 tickets were sold across three shows, equivalent to a 95% capacity.

Twenty-eight new plays have been presented Downstairs since artistic director Edward Hall and executive producer Greg Ripley-Duggan took over at Hampstead in 2010, with five moving on to the Main Stage, West End or touring productions.

Next month sees the opening of original Hampstead Downstairs shows Di and Viv and Rose in the West End and Hello/Goodbye on Hampstead's Main Stage.