Sherlock star Amanda Abbington to star in God Bless The Child at the Royal Court

Amanda Abbington, recently seen on screens in Sherlock and Mr Selfridge, has been cast in Molly Davies‘s new play God Bless the Child, directed by Vicky Featherstone at the Royal Court Upstairs from November 12.

Abbington, whose partner Martin Freeman has recently finished playing Richard III at Trafalgar Studios, plays "an education official who tries to introduce a new teaching system into a primary school but is taken to task by an eight-year-old boy over how children are treated."

Also joining the cast is Nikki Amuka-Bird (Birdland, Twelfth Night), Julie Hesmondhalgh, best known as Hayley Patterson in Coronation Street and Ony Uhiara. The cast will be accompanied by two groups of eight year old actors who will perform on alternate evenings, with a girl and a boy alternating the lead role each night.

Davies’ first play A Miracle was produced in 2009 at the Royal Court Theatre as part of the Young Writers Festival. Her other credits include Shooting Truth for National Theatre Connections and Orpheus & Eurydice for National Youth Theatre and Old Vic Tunnels.