Digital theatre maker Imitating the Dog has announced full casting for the autumn UK stage première of Ernest Hemingway’s seminal First World War novel A Farewell to Arms.
As previously announced, playing the central roles of Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley will be Jude Monk McGowan and Laura Atherton.
He’s just finished playing Conrad in the acclaimed Punchdrunk/National Theatre production of The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable. Other credits include Joe Wright’s screen adaptation of Anna Karenina, Little Britain and Faith, Hope and Charity at Southwark Playhouse.
Laura Atherton’s theatre credits include the recent Imitating the Dog productions The Zero Hour and Six Degrees below the Horizon.
The other roles will be played by Morven Macbeth (LeanerFasterStronger, Sheffield Theatres / Chol Theatre), Matt Prendergast (Six Degrees Below the Horizon, imitating the dog), Marco Rossi (Histra, Ferodo Bridges) and making his professional stage debut Joshua Johnson.
Based on the author’s real-life experience in 1918 in Italy, A Farewell to Arms tells the story of Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver for the Italian army and his relationship with British nurse Catherine Barkley.
The production is adapted by imitating the dog and co-directed by Pete Brooks and Andrew Quick (Hotel Methuselah, Kellerman, The Zero Hour, Imitating the Dog). The production will be designed by Laura Hopkins (Black Watch, National Theatre of Scotland and Othello, Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal, Plymouth), with projection and video design by Simon Wainwright (The Life and Times of Mitchell & Kenyon, Dukes Theatre), lighting by Andrew Crofts (Trash Cuisine, Belarus Free Theatre and The Young Vic) and music by Jeremy Peyton-Jones (The Zero Hour, Imitating the Dog).
A Farewell to Arms is a co-production between Imitating the Dog and The Dukes, Lancaster in association with Live at LICA and CAST, Doncaster.
It will première October 10-25 at the Dukes, and then tour to Doncaster, New Wolsey, Ipswich, The Lowry, Salford Quays, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and The Old Market, Brighton. The production will then tour Italy.