Jason Donovan’s Speech for King’s

Slab Boys and King’s Speech announced for 2015

John Byrne’s Slab Boys and a new production of The King’s Speech featuring Jason Donovan have been announced as part of the Edinburgh King’s 2015 drama season.

Gerard Kelly (left) and David Hayman (right) in the 1982 production of the Slab Boys

The Slab Boys will see Byrne reunited with David Hayman, who directed the original Traverse production back in 1978. It is part of the Glasgow Citizens 70th anniversary season and will tour to the King’s next March 10-14, 2015.

Full casting has yet to be announced but Hayman will play Mr Currie, the gaffer in the slab room of a carpet factory where a pair of bantering adolescents are starting work. Byrne will design the production.

David Hayman said: It is especially exciting to be revisiting The Slab Boys which is one of the most important and iconic pieces of theatre to come out of Scotland in the last 30 years. It is a celebration of working class life, a wonderful story of high hopes and lost dreams.”

Maverick Australian

Jason Donovan is the only confirmed casting in the new touring production of The King’s Speech, directed by Birmingham Rep’s Roxana Silbert, which opens at the Chichester Festival Theatre in February and runs at the King’s from May 18 – 25 2015.

This is the play from which the Oscar-winning movie starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush was adapted. Jason Donovan will play Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, played by Rush in the movie.

The play tells the iconic story of King George VI’s relationship with his speech therapist, as the country stands on the brink of World War II. It enjoyed an acclaimed West End season in 2012.

It is set in 1936 when King Edward VIII has abdicated for the love of Wallis Simpson. Bertie, his brother, is crowned King George VI. At an office in Harley Street in London, Bertie and his wife Elizabeth (the future much-loved Queen Mother) meet maverick speech therapist and failed actor, Lionel Logue.

The eccentric therapist and the King take an extraordinary journey to overcome the King’s stammer as he prepares to address the nation, while Great Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War.

Tickets for both shows are already on sale to Friends of the Festival and King’s Theatres. They go on public sale from Monday 1 September.

Listings:

The Slab Boys
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, Edunburgh EH3 9LQ
Tue 10 to Sat 14 March 2015
Evenings 7.30pm. Wed & Sat mats: 2.30pm
Details and tickets from: www.edtheatres.com/slabboys

The King’s Speech
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, Edunburgh EH3 9LQ
Tue 19 to Sat 23 May 2015
Evenings 7.30pm. Wed & Sat mats 2.30pm
Details and tickets from: www.edtheatres.com/kingsspeech

ENDS

Tags: David Hayman, Jason Donovan, John Byrne, King's Theatre, News, Production News, Roxana Silbert, The King's Speech, The Slab Boys