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Shawshank coming to Dublin London stage
A new stage version of Stephen King's 'The Shawshank Redemption' will have its world premiere in Dublin in May.
Adapted by Owen O'Neill and Dave Johns from King's novella 'Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption', the production will be directed by Peter Sheridan.
'The Shawshank Redemption' will open at the Gaiety Theatre on Tuesday, 19 May with previews from Thursday, 14 May.
Full cast details will be announced in early 2009.
Adapted by Owen O'Neill and Dave Johns from King's novella 'Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption', the production will be directed by Peter Sheridan.
'The Shawshank Redemption' will open at the Gaiety Theatre on Tuesday, 19 May with previews from Thursday, 14 May.
Full cast details will be announced in early 2009.
Comments
Reg Cathey, best known for his role as Norman Wilson in 'The Wire', will play Red, while Kevin Anderson, whose film credits include 'Sleeping with the Enemy' and 'Charlotte's Web', will play Andy Dufresne.
Adapted by Owen O'Neill and Dave Johns from Stephen King's novella 'Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption', the production will be directed by Peter Sheridan.
'The Shawshank Redemption' will open at the Gaiety Theatre on Tuesday, 19 May with low price previews from Thursday, 14 May.
New play's message of hope set to lift the spirit of a nation
By Stephen O'Farrell
Wednesday April 15 2009
A jailbreak tale, touted as one of the greatest stories of all time, is set to lift our spirits, its writers claimed yesterday.
'The Shawshank Redemption' will have its world stage premiere at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin next month. The writers behind the theatre production said the play's message of hope would help lift the clouds of economic gloom.
The play includes an array of well-known US stars and is being tipped to give the movie's popularity a run for its money.
Speaking at the first day of rehearsals in Dublin yesterday, writers Owen O'Neill and Dave Johns said the story had been a pet project for them.
Enthusiasm
They said Ireland was chosen for the world premiere, on May 19, due to the enthusiasm shown by the Irish producers, Lane Productions.
"We were thinking of doing it up in Edinburgh but then it got bigger with comedians and we met the producers from Lane Productions," Mr Johns told the Irish Independent.
"They were so enthusiastic about it, so that's why it's in Ireland, because I think they're really up for the challenge.
"And I just think, with this economic climate, that it has a quite apt message of hope. We all need hope so we're bringing it to cheer up the economy that collapsed the most."
'The Shawshank Redemption' theatre production's cast represents close to a mirror image of those in the movie; with 'Sleeping with the Enemy' star Kevin Anderson playing Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), Reg Cathey of 'The Wire' as Red (Morgan Freeman) and Keir Dullea of '2001: A Space Odyssey' as Brooksie (James Whitmore).
Producers Breda Cashe and Pat Moylan from Lane Productions described landing the play as a massive coup. The play will be based on Stephen King's novella as opposed to the 1994 screenplay, they revealed.
"We've been working on it for the best part of two years, so we are delighted," Ms Cashe said.
Lane Productions, which produced hits such as 'Stones in His Pockets', 'I, Keano' and 'Alone It Stands' in the past, said they were very excited by their latest play's prospects.
"One of the things you are as a producer is a gambler and you have a vision and you just hope that comes to fruition," Ms Moylan added.
Actor Reg Cathey said playing the Red character fulfilled a lifetime ambition, but warned audiences not to expect an imitation of Morgan Freeman's part.
"I've only seen the film once so when I got the part my girlfriend wanted to get the movie but I said no because I want to make it my own," he said.
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[/td][/tr][tr][td]Actors Reg Cathey (Red) and Kevin Anderson (Andy Dufresne) pictured on stage at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, yesterday. (Insert) Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in the film version of 'The Shawshank Redemption'
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American screen actors Kevin Anderson (Sleeping with the Enemy on film) and Reg E Cathey (TV[ch8217]s The Wire) play Andy Dufresne and Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, two prison inmates who develop a life-long friendship after the former, a banker, is wrongly incarcerated for the murder of his wife.
The parts were played in the cult film version by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. The stage production is adapted by Owen O[ch8217]Neill and Dave Johns, directed by Peter Sheridan and presented by Lane Productions, which has previously had success with I, Keano, Alone It Stands and Twelve Angry Men.
The play, based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption which also inspired the 1994 Hollywood film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, premiered in May at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre, where it concluded on 20 June.
American actors Kevin Anderson and Reg E Cathey lead the 20-strong cast as Andy Dufresne and Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, two prison inmates who develop a life-long friendship after the former, a banker, is wrongly incarcerated for the murder of his wife.
Anderson’s film credits include Sleeping with the Enemy, in which he starred opposite Julia Roberts. On stage, he’s a member of the Chicago-based Steppenwolf Company, created the role of Joe Gillis in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard at the Adelphi Theatre and has also appeared in the West End transfer of Orphans with Albert Finney. His most recent stage role was in Salome with Al Pacino.
Cathey is best known for his role as Norman Wilson on TV’s The Wire. His New York stage credits include Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew and The Green Bird.
The new stage version is adapted by comedian-actors Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, directed by Peter Sheridan and designed by Ferdia Murphy, with lighting by Kevin Treacy and sound by Denis Clohessy. It’s presented by Lane Productions, which has previously had success with I, Keano, Alone It Stands and Twelve Angry Men.
Written by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella, The Shawshank Redemption opened at the Wyndham's Theatre on 13 Sep 2009, following previews from 4 Sep 2009 to moderate notices from the popular press: THE INDEPENDENT says, "So there's certainly a large potential market for a stage version, but is there any artistic justification? Not really." THE TIMES says, "An odd yet gripping mix of brutishness and sentimentality, jailhouse melodrama and buddy play." THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Decent entertainment, not a masterpiece." THE STAGE says, "Unquestionably moving and life affirming tale." THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "The stage version is inferior to the movie."
Directed by Peter Sheridan, the cast includes Reg E Cathey & Kevin Anderson. It is designed by Ferdia Murphy, lighting by Kevin Treacy, sound by Denis Clohessy.