THE National Theatre of Scotland’s production of The Wheel by Zinnie Harris and directed by Vicky Featherstone, will premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Traverse Theatre’s programme from Sunday 7 to Sunday 28 August (Previews Thu 28, Sat 30 July, Sat 6 Aug).
The cast features well known faces from stage and television, including Mark Monero who has appeared in everything from Skins to EastEnders and Ryan Fletcher who is known for his roles on stage in Black Watch and Beautiful Burnout.
The full cast is Benny Young, Catherine Walsh, Elizabeth Chan, Leo Wringer, Meg Fraser, Olga Wehrly, Orion Lee, Rebecca Benson, Ryan Fletcher, Paul Thomas Hickey, Mark Monero and Stephen McCole.
The Wheel by award-winning writer Zinnie Harris (Fall, Julie, Further than the Furthest Thing) is an unnerving new play which asks whether it is possible to travel through a world in conflict and remain unaffected. With wit, spirit and dynamism the play seeks to draw audiences into the quest, enchanting and challenging them with the characters and situations they will encounter along the way.
Beatriz and her sister Rosa are happily preparing for Rosa’s wedding. Their world is turned upside down when the groom arrives, pitchfork rabble in tow, ready to occupy their farm. A little girl stumbles into their world, lost and looking for her father. In a moment of determination, Beatriz takes the girl to find him – and so begins an unimaginable journey. Beatriz and her charge, in their need to survive, witness more than anyone ever should.
CAST
Rebecca Benson (Girl) made her professional stage debut in the National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Little Otik and also appeared in 365 (National Theatre of Scotland/Edinburgh International Festival).
Elizabeth Chan (Blandrine/ Celine/ Thi) trained at École Philippe Gaulier, Paris, and Drama Centre London. Her recent theatre work includes Greenland (National, London), Don’t Shoot the Clowns (Fuel) and An Argument about Sex (Traverse/ Tramway). On television she has appeared in Coronation Street, Spirit Warriors and Silent Witness.
Ryan Fletcher (Tomas/ Jacques/ Teenage Boy) has appeared in a number of National Theatre of Scotland productions including last year’s critically acclaimed production of Beautiful Burnout. Other productions with the Company include, Cockroach, Nobody Will Ever Forgive Us, 365 and The Wolves in the Walls. Ryan was also a member of the original cast of the multi-award winning Black Watch and toured with the production in the UK and internationally from 2006 – 2008. On television Ryan was also a series regular in River City for BBC Scotland.
Meg Fraser (Madame/ Hanna) has previously appeared in the National Theatre of Scotland’s production Cockroach. Meg’s other theatre credits include Fall, Nova Scotia (Traverse), The Night Before Christmas (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry) and Tom Fool (Citizens, Glasgow – Critics’ Award for Theatre in Scotland, Best Female Performance, 2007). Film and television work includes Young Adam and Taggart.
Paul Thomas Hickey (Rossignol) most recently appeared in the National Theatre of Scotland’s Roman Bridge. Paul has also featured in a number of films including Perfect Sense and on television he was in Hope Springs, The Bill and Taggart.
Orion Lee (Pierre/ Xuan) most recently appeared on stage in Enron (Headlong). Orion has also been in a number of television shows including The Jury 2 and Silent Witness.
Stephen McCole’s (Colline/Glennister) theatre work includes Monks (Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh), Blood Wedding and Romeo and Juliet (Citizens, Glasgow). His television work includes Single Father, Rebus, Holby City and Band of Brothers. On the big screen he has appeared in films including Neds, Perfect Sense, Stone of Destiny, The Magdalene Sisters, Complicity and The Acid House.
Mark Monero (Pedro/ Farshad) has appeared on stage in Adrenaline Heart (Bush), Pure Gold, Christ of Cold Harbour Lane (Soho) and Measure for Measure (Almeida). Mark has worked extensively in television and for a number of years played Steve Elliot in EastEnders. Other television credits include Doctor Who, Casualty, The Bill, Skins, Trial and Retribution, and Doctors.
Catherine Walsh’s (Beatriz) theatre work includes Dancing At Lughnasa, A Christmas Carol, Phaedra (Gate, Dublin), and The New Electric Ballroom (Galway Arts Festival/ Edinburgh International Festival/ St Ann’s Warehouse, New York). On television Catherine has appeared in Holby City and Private Lives.
Olga Wehrly’s (Rosa) theatre work includes Penelope (Druid, winner of a Fringe First, 2010), Helter Skelter, Red Light Winter (PurpleHeart) and Sexual Perversity in Chicago (Icarus).
Leo Wringer (Sargento/ Hancock) recently appeared on stage in The Snow Queen (Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh), While You Lie (Traverse), and King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, The Comedy of Errors (Royal Shakespeare Company). Television work includes Silent Witness, The Bill, Rebus, Murphy’s Law and Casualty.
Benny Young’s (Moreno/Jozka/ Clement) previous work for the National Theatre of Scotland includes Be Near Me and Six Characters in Search of an Author. Benny has worked extensively in theatre having appeared in seasons with the National Theatre, London and the Royal Shakespeare Company. His most recent theatre credits include Sub Rosa (Fire Exit) and Staircase (Tron). Television work includes Spooks, Coronation Street and The Bill.
CREATIVE team
Zinnie Harris is a playwright, screenwriter and theatre director. For the National Theatre of Scotland she adapted and directed Julie, a new version of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie, which toured Scotland in 2006. Her other plays include The Panel, A Doll’s House and Fall.
Zinnie’s directing work includes While You Lie, The Garden (Traverse, Edinburgh), Solstice, Midwinter (RSC) and Dealer’s Choice (Tron, Glasgow). Television credits include Born With Two Mothers and Richard is my Boyfriend (Channel 4), and Spooks (BBC).
Vicky Featherstone is the Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Scotland. Her directing work for the Company includes Summersaults, Wall of Death: A Way of Life (co-directed with Stephen Skrynka), Long Gone Lonesome, The Miracle Man, Empty, Cockroach, 365, Mary Stuart and The Wolves in the Walls (co-directed with Julian Crouch, TMA Award for Best Children’s Show, 2006). Forthcoming directing projects include Abi Morgan’s 27 for the National Theatre of Scotland.
Previous National Theatre of Scotland shows at the Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe include Black Watch in 2006, Venus as a Boy in 2007, Architecting in 2008 and Beautiful Burnout last year.
LISTINGS
Venue: Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street Edinburgh EH1 2ED
Previews: Thu 28, Sat 30 July, 7.30pm and Sat 6 Aug, 21:15, £12 (£6)
Dates and times: Sat 6 – Sun 28 Aug (not Mondays), times vary:
Sat 6 Aug 21:15 £12 (£6) (Preview)
Sun 7 Aug 21:15 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Tue 9 Aug 13:00 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Wed 10 Aug 18:15 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Thu 11 Aug 21:30 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Fri 12 Aug 10:00 £19 (£13)
Sat 13 Aug 13:00 £19 (£13)
Sun 14 Aug 18:15 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Tue 16 Aug 20:45 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Wed 17 Aug 10:00 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Thu 18 Aug 13:00 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Fri 19 Aug 18:30 £19 (£13)
Sat 20 Aug 20:45 £19 (£13)
Sun 21 Aug 10:00 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Tue 23 Aug 13:00 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Wed 24 Aug 18:30 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Thu 25 Aug 20:45 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Fri 26 Aug 10:00 £19 (£13)
Sat 27 Aug 13:00 £19 (£13)
Sun 28 Aug 18:30 £17 (£12) (£6U)
Press night Sunday 7 Aug 21:15
Ticket prices: Sun-Thur £17 (£12/£6), Fri and Sat £19 (£13)
Box Office: Traverse Box Office +44 (0)131 228 1404 / www.traverse.co.uk
Fringe Box Office +44 (0)131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com
Running time: one hour and 30 minutes (approx), no interval
Accessible performances:
Captioned: Thu 18 Aug
Audio described: Sat 20 Aug
Signed: Sat 27 Aug
Press contact
FOR FURTHER PRESS INFO/IMAGES/INTERVIEWS/FOOTAGE, CONTACT:
Wendy Grannon, press manager (maternity leave) until Fri 15 July
Tel: +44 (0) 141 227 9016 E: wendy.grannon@nationaltheatrescotland.com
Andrew Neilson, press officer
Tel: +44 (0) 141 227 9497 E: andrew.neilson@nationaltheatrescotland.com
Notes to editors:
1. The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government. Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating over 137 productions in 125 different locations. With no building of its own, the company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests. The company has performed to almost 600,000 people, across three continents.
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