Full casting announced for Good People

Hampstead Theatre is delighted to announce that Imelda Staunton will be joined by Lorraine Ashbourne, Matthew Barker, Angel Coulby, Lloyd Owen and June Watson in the UK premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s play Good People, directed by Jonathan Kent.

If you are born in South Boston you’ve started on the wrong side of the tracks, so just making ends meet will need all the energy you can muster. Imelda Staunton plays sharp-tongued single-mother Margie, who will do anything it takes to pay the bills after losing yet another job. Hearing that an old boyfriend who has made good is in town, she decides to corner him – old loyalties should be good for something.

David Lindsay-Abaire’s drama reveals layer after layer of secrets – can you ever really leave the place you are born?

Having originally premiered on Broadway, Good People won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play of the Year. David won the Pulitzer Prize for his critically acclaimed Rabbit Hole, which also earned several Tony Award nominations, and became a film starring Nicole Kidman.

Jonathan Kent makes his Hampstead Theatre debut. His numerous directing credits include Sweeney Todd and Private Lives (Chichester Festival Theatre and West End). Between 1990 and 2002 Jonathan was joint Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre, which he founded as a full-time producing theatre.

Good People is designed by Hildegard Bechtler, lit by Mark Henderson, with sound by Paul Groothuis.

Multi award winner Imelda Staunton was most recently on stage in Circle Mirror Transformation (Royal Court), Sweeney Todd (Chichester Festival) for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical,_ A Delicate Balance_ (Almeida Theatre) and Entertaining Mr Sloane (Trafalgar Studios). Film includes Pride, Maleficent, The Awakening, Another Year, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows and of course Vera Drake. TV includes The Girl for which she was nominated for Emmy and Bafta Awards, Psychoville and Cranford Chronicles.

Lorraine Ashbourne’s stage appearances include Aunt Dan & Lemon (Royal Court) and Three Sisters (National Theatre). TV includes Child 44, Silent Witness, and Homefront. Film includes The Selfish Giant for Film 4, and The Giddy Kipper directed by Victoria Wood.

Matthew Barker’s many stage roles include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre and Apollo Theatre), I’m Really Glad We Had That Chat (Arcola) and 13, Emperor and Galilean and Hamlet (all National Theatre). TV includes Doctors, EastEnders and Merlin.

Angel Coulby’s theatre work includes A Statement of Regret (National Theatre) and Lavender Blue (Edinburgh Lyceum). TV includes The Tunnel, Dancing On The Edge and Merlin (Series 1-5). Film includes Magicians, Imagine Me and You and Royston Vasey – The Motion Picture.

Lloyd Owen returns to Hampstead after appearing in Loyalty in 2011. Other stage roles include Stuff Happens (National Theatre Live: 50 Years On Stage) (National Theatre), The Bodyguard (Adelphi Theatre) and Blood And Gifts (National Theatre). TV includes The Innocence Project, Inseparable and Viva Laughlin (UK and US series). Film includes Apollo 18 and Miss Potter.

June Watson has appeared on stage in Mrs Lowry and Son (Trafalgar Studios), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Noël Coward Theatre), Before the Party (Almeida) and Uncle Vanya (Vaudeville Theatre). TV includes Holby City, The Café (Series 1 & 2), Doctors and Wallander. Film includes Ghost Hunters and 101 Dalmations.