THE HOTHOUSE to Feature Jamie Lloyd, Simon Russell Beale

Jamie Lloyd Productions today announced that The Hothouse, Harold Pinter's macabre tragicomedy will return to London's West End in a new production this May. The Hothouse is next up in what's described as a thrilling season of work for Trafalgar Transformed, a joint initiative between director Jamie Lloyd (Donmar's Passion, Broadway's Cyrano de Bergerac, The National Theatre's She Stoops to Conquer, Royal Court's The Pride) and Howard Panter. It comes hot on the heels of the critically acclaimed Macbeth, starring James McAvoy, tickets for which have sold out. The Hothouse, with design by award-winning Soutra Gilmour, runs from 4 May to 3 August, with the press night on 9 May 2013.

Simon Russell Beale (Privates on Parade, National Theatre's Timon of Athens and Collaborators) is playing Roote and John Simm (Elling, Sheffield Theatres' Hamlet and Betrayal) is Gibbs. Further casting will be announced shortly.

Jamie Lloyd said "It is a dream come true to be working with Simon Russell Beale and John Simm on this funny, peculiar and frightening play as a part of Trafalgar Transformed. The Hothouse is the third Pinter project I have worked on (following The Caretaker and The Lover & The Collection) and I am thrilled to be introducing Harold's work to a young, diverse audience via our £15 Mondays ticket scheme."

It's Christmas Day in a nameless state-run mental institution where the inmates are subjected to a tirade of mindless cruelty. A maniacal and self-obsessed leader breeds a contagion of hierarchical savagery amongst his staff, who thrive on a noxious diet of delusion and deceit.

The day got off to a lousy start! A death and a birth. Absolutely bloody scandalous! Is it too much to ask - to keep the place clean?

Under a veil of devilish wit and subversive humour, Pinter's biting political commentary on the perils of unchecked power is as vital and pertinent today as when it was written in the 50's.

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