Marc Warren joined by Lee Boardman and Lisa Eichhorn in stage adaptation of Donn Pearce's acclaimed novel.
In a powerful new adaptation for the stage based on Donn Pearce's acclaimed novel, Cool Hand Luke, starring Marc Warren (Hustle, Mad Dogs) opens at the Aldwych Theatre on Monday 3 October, with previews from the 23rd September.
Cool Hand Luke is the hard-hitting story of a World War II veteran turned convict and rebel, whose unquenchable spirit and refusal to be broken by the system becomes part of his fellow convicts' mythology of survival. Marc Warren plays Luke Jackson, a true original, whose outsized feats range from extreme acts of gluttony and gambling - he bets his fellow inmates he can eat 50 eggs - to harrowing escape attempts.
Luke's acts of defiance and refusal to 'git his mind right' soon make him a legend among his fellow convicts - a symbol of hope in a cruel regime designed to break a man's body and spirit.
Marc Warren is joined by an ensemble that includes (as the convicts) Coronation Street's Lee Boardman as 'Dragline', Rob Falconer as 'Bull Bill', Joshua McCord as 'Rabbit', Nathan Osgood as 'Carr', Tom Silburn as 'Curly' and David Sturzaker as 'Society Red'.
The prison camp guards are Richard Brake as 'Boss Godfrey' and Kenneth Jay as 'Boss Kean'.
Multi-award winning actress Lisa Eichhorn takes on the role of Mrs Jackson, Luke's mother. Lisa received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in John Schlesinger's Yanks, a BAFTA nomination for James Ivory's The European's and a Best Actress Award at the Deauville Film Festival for Cutter's Way.
Rebecca Blackstone, Sandra Marvin, Tania Mathurin, Bret Jones, Michael Cuckson and Julie Rogers complete the ensemble.
Cool Hand Luke has been adapted by Emma Reeves whose previous adaptations include Carrie's War which was originally produced at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells and subsequently at the Apollo Theatre in the West End. Director Director Andrew Loudon is Artistic Director and co-founder of Novel Theatre. Recent directing credits include Carrie's War, Gertrude's Secret, a series of monologues starring Prunella Scales and Angela Griffin (Chichester, Theatr Clwyd and Trafalgar Studios) and Open Ground (Hampstead).
Author Donn Pearce has been a merchant marine, a safecracker and a convict. Cool Hand Luke, his first novel, was made into a film in 1967 and it received a number of Academy Award nominations. The film starred Paul Newman, and Pearce made a cameo appearance as a convict named Sailor. His other books included Pier Head Jump (1972) and Dying in the Sun (1974).
During the seventies and early eighties he was a freelance journalist, often contributing to magazines such as Playboy and Esquire. Pearce continues to live and write in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Musical director for the production is Reverend Bazil Meade, who is the founder and leader of The London Community Gospel Choir (www.lcgc.org.uk).
Cool Hand Luke is produced by Novel Theatre.
For further information please contact Anna Arthur/Andrew Greer at Arthur Leone PR on 020 7637 2994 anna@arthurleone.com