Casting announced for the Old Vic premiere of A Very Expensive Poison

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Full casting has been announced for the highly-anticipated world premiere of Lucy Prebble's A Very Expensive Poison, which opens at the Old Vic Theatre in London on 24 August 2019 for a strictly limited run as part of the venue's Fifth Season with Matthew Warchus as Artistic Director. Based on Luke Harding's tell-all book of the same name about the radioactive poisoning of Alexander LitvinenkoA Very Expensive Poison is set to open the new Old Vic season with a politically-charged bang.



A Very Expensive Poison Old Vic cast announced

Leading the Old Vic Theatre cast of A Very Expensive Poison are London-born actor Tom Brooke (HBO's Game of Thrones, BBC's Sherlock) in the role of Alexander Litvinenko and Swedish-born actress MyAnna Buring (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Parts 1 and 2, The Descent) in the role of his wife, Marina Litvinenko.

The two are joined by Peter Polycarpou (Pinter 4 at The Pinter, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) in the role of Boris Bereszovsky, Michael Shaeffer (Game of Thrones, Rogue One) in the role of Andrei Luguvoi, Lloyd Hutchinson (Florence Foster Jenkins) in the role of Dimitri Kotvun, Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who) in the role of The President, Gavin Spokes (She Stoops to Conquer) as DI Hyatt, Bea Svistunenko (Love and Money) in the roles of Anatoly Litvinenko/Nurse Michena/Waitress, Thomas Arnold (BBC's War and Peace, Fanny & Alexander) in the roles of Emmerson/Tim/Sergei/Mario, Amanda Hadingue (The Madness of George III, Good Omens, The Queen) in the roles of Professor Dombey/Lluba/Photographer/Bhatt, and Sarah Seggari (Emila at the Vaudeville Theatre) in the roles of Cabin Crew/Nurse Rezan/Australian Cleaner/Nurse.

The cast of A Very Expensive Poison is completed by Marc Graham (All We Ever Wanted Was Everything) as Onstage Swing/Nurse David/Youth/FSB Officer, Callum Coates as Onstage Swing/Dr Virchis/FSB Officer 2, Yasmine Holness-Dove as Onstage Swing/Natalia/FSB Officer 3/Youth 2/Waitress 2/Dr Dudhniwala, and Robyn Moore as Onstage Swing/Galina/Receptionist.

Putin controversy ahead of the A Very Expensive Poison premiere at the Old Vic next month

Ahead of the show's premiere, Lucy Prebble stated that A Very Expensive Poison couldn't come at a better time following Vladimir Putin's recent article published in the Financial Times in which the President of Russia declared liberalism to be dead and obsolete. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, fired back, calling authoritarianism obsolete. Putin has long been promoting the growth of populism, fostering the rise of Hungary's Viktor Orban, Italy's Matteo Salvini, and the UK's Brexit uprising.

Lucy Prebble's A Very Expensive Poison takes a stab at these recent news events, rejecting Putin's preposterous propaganda whilst exploring both the investigation made by Sasha Litvinenko on the murder of Alexander Litvinenko and Marina Litvinenko's fight to achieve justice years after the former Soviet spy's assassination.

For more information on the upcoming Lucy Prebble play, don't forget to read our article on the Top 7 Facts About A Very Expensive Poison.

A Very Expensive Poison creative team for the Old Vic Theatre production

Lucy Prebble's provocative new play is directed by renowned Irish director John Crowley (Brooklyn, Intermission, The Present, The Pillowman, Goldfinch) and features set and costume design by Tom Scutt, sound design by Paul Arditti, lighting design by Mimi Jordan Sherin, composition by Paddy Cuneed, choreography by Aletta Collins, video design by Ewan Jones Morris, voice coaching by Charles Hughes D'aeth, dialect coaching by Penny Dyer, and casting direction by Jessica Ronane.

A Very Expensive Poison tickets for The Old Vic premiere on sale from £24!

You won't want to miss one of the most thought-provoking plays of the summer. A Very Expensive Poison officially opens on 24 August 2019 and is booking at London's Old Vic Theatre until 28 September 2019. With some of the cheapest West End theatre tickets on sale right now, A Very Expensive Poison tickets will not last long! Book your tickets for A Very Expensive Poison now to secure the best seats at the Old Vic Theatre at the best prices whilst stocks last.

🎟 Purchase A Very Expensive Poison tickets, London from £24 and up.


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By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels

Ephram is a jack of all trades and enjoys attending theatre, classical music concerts and the opera.