Olivier Award-winning director Richard Eyre will return to the Almeida theatre later this year to direct his own adaptation of Ibsen’s classic drama Ghosts.
The production will play from 26 September (press night 3 October) to 23 November and marks the former Director of the National Theatre’s return to the Islington venue following his critically acclaimed drama The Dark Earth And The Light Sky.
Ghosts tells the chilling story of Mrs Alving, who is preparing to dedicate an orphanage to the memory of her late husband. But this is not done out of respect for her dearly departed; rather, Mrs Alving hopes she will never again have to speak of the man who, though a respected member of their community, was actually an immoral philanderer. To make matters worse, her son, recently returned from Paris, is dying from syphilis and has his heart set on a bride he cannot have.
Speaking about the decision to programme the production, Michael Attenborough, Artistic Director, of the Almeida theatre said: “When Richard proposed directing his own new version of Ghosts at the Almeida, I jumped at the idea. His production for us of his version of Hedda Gabler with the then unknown Eve Best and Benedict Cumberbatch was a masterful piece of work and his recent realisation of Nick Dear’s The Dark Earth And The Light Sky was simply ravishing. I could not be more delighted to be welcoming Richard back as part of my final season at the Almeida.”
Ghosts also marks the acclaimed director’s third writing credit at the Islington venue, following adaptations of another Ibsen classic, Hedda Gabler, as mentioned by Attenborough, and Sartre’s Les Mains Sales, which was entitled The Novice.
Alongside his work at the Almeida theatre, Eyre has enjoyed a hugely successful career including numerous credits from his time leading the National Theatre (Guys And Dolls, The Beggar’s Opera, Hamlet, Racing Demon), as well as more recent credits including A Flea In Her Ear at the Old Vic theatre, Private Lives in the West End, The Last Duchess at Hampstead theatre and Mary Poppins on Broadway. His most recent work, Quartermaine’s Terms, can be seen at the Wyndham’s theatre until 13 April.
Casting for Ghosts is yet to be announced.