Hampstead Theatre Presents World Premier of CHARIOTS OF FIRE, May 9 - June 12

The Hampstead Theatre has announced the world premiere of CHARIOTS OF FIRE. Award-winning playwright Mike Bartlett brings the Olympic story to the stage for the first time in a new adaptation inspired by Colin Welland's original screenplay. Directed by Hampstead Theatre's Artistic Director Edward Hall, CHARIOTS OF FIRE will be performed on a spectacular set by award-winning designer Miriam Buether, which transforms Hampstead Theatre into a stadium, making an immersive experience that evokes the 1924 Paris games. The production will also feature the legendary music of the Vangelis score with additional live music and arrangements by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Carr.

The show runs from 9 May to 16 June 2012.

A devout Scottish Christian runs for the glory of God. The son of an immigrant Lithuanian Jew runs to overcome prejudice. Two young track athletes who live for the beautiful purity of running and who prevail in the face of overwhelming odds at the 1924 Olympic Games. Based on the true story of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, CHARIOTS OF FIRE is a tale of hope, honour and belief.

A cast of 21 includes James McArdle as Harold Abrahams, Jack Lowden as Eric Liddell, Sam Archer, Joe Bannister, Antonia Bernath, Natasha Broomfield, Gareth Charlton, Henry Davis, Mark Edel-Hunt, Lloyd Everitt, Daniel Fraser, Nickolas Grace, Leemore Marrett Jr., David Newman, Matthew Pearson, Simon Slater, Savannah Stevenson, Paul Tinto, Simon Williams, Tam Williams and Nicholas Woodeson.

Mike Bartlett's plays include Earthquakes in London (Headlong and National Theatre), 13 (National Theatre), Love, Love, Love (Paines Plough) and Cock, Contractions and My Child (Royal Court). He is Writer-in-Residence at The National Theatre. His play Cock won a 2010 Olivier award for Outstanding Achievement and he won the Writer's Guild Tinniswood and Imison prizes for Not Talking, a radio play for BBC.

Edward Hall was appointed the Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre in 2010 and has directed No Naughty Bits, Loyalty and Enlightenment. He is also Artistic Director of Propeller, the all male Shakespeare Company who recently toured Richard III and The Comedy of Errors, and is currently touring Henry V and The Winter's Tale.

Miriam Buether has designed for Decade (Headlong Theatre), Earthquakes in London (Headlong and National Theatre), Sucker Punch (Royal Court; Evening Standard Award); Judgement Day (Almeida), In the Red and Brown Water (Young Vic), The Wonderful World of Dissocia (Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland). Her dance credits include: Body of Poetry (Komische Oper Berlin); Possibly Six, Tenderhooks (Canadian National Ballet); Cinderella (Goteborg Opera). Her opera credits include: Anna Nicole (ROH); Turandot (ENO); The Death of Klinghoffer (Scottish National Opera), and the forthcoming Trittico/ Suor Angelica (ROH).

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