Nicholas Banks, Ed Franklin, Ruth Milne & More Lead PUNK ROCK At Lyric Hammersmith

Following sell-out shows and rave reviews last September Punk Rock returns to open theautumn season at the Lyric Hammersmith for a limited two-week run prior to a nine-weeklarge-scale national tour.

‘Punk Rock opened my first season as the Lyric's Artistic Director and I'm deeply excitedabout its return to our stage. We're also thrilled to be touring the production, and itsoutstanding young cast, to venues across the country.' Sean Holmes, Artistic DirectorDrawing on his own experiences as a teacher, Olivier award-winning playwright SimonStephens' play follows a group of educated, articulate and aspirational young people intheir final year together at an English grammar school. Punk Rock gradually exposes thedislocation, disjunction and latent violence simmering under the surface of success, resultingin a shocking and explosive finale.

Winner of four Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards including Best New Playand Best Production. Nominated for two Evening Standard Theatre Awards and two Whatsonstage Awards.Simon Stephens' plays include A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky with David Eldridgeand Robert Holman (2010, Lyric Hammersmith); Harper Regan (2008, National Theatre);Pornography (2007, Deutsche Schauspielhaus/2008, Hamburg/2009, Traverse Theatre/2009,Tricycle Theatre); Motortown (2006, Royal Court) and the Olivier award-winning On TheShore of the Wide World (2005, Royal Exchange/National Theatre).

Directed by Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester Joint Artistic Director, Sarah Frankcom;Punk Rock was applauded in 2009 for showcasing the greatest rising young acting talentin the UK, this touring production sees an exciting young cast take on Stephens' powerful play including Rupert Simonian as William Carlisle, who recently appeared in Stephens' writing collaboration the critically acclaimed A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (LyricHammersmith, 2010); from the 2009 cast Nicholas Banks as Nicholas Chatman, Katie West as Tanya Gleason and Simon Wolfe as Dr Richard Harvey; Laura Pyper asLilly Cahill who is known for appearing in Sky 1's Hex and in the BBC adaptation of Emma;Ed Franklin as Bennett Francis, winner of the Spotlight Prize for Outstanding Performance in 2009, and making their professional stage debuts Mike Noble as Chadwick Meade andRuth Milne as Cissy Franks.

Directed by Sarah FrankcomDesigned by Paul WillsLighting Design by Philip GladwellSound Design by Pete RiceFREE First Nights (FFN) As part of the Lyric Hammersmith's aim to further engage with the community, anyone wholives or works in Hammersmith and Fulham can claim two free tickets to see Punk Rock on Monday 06 September, 7.30pm.

Local residents just need to come to the Ticket Office at withproof of their home or work address, on either the Friday or Saturday before the FFN to pickup their free tickets. The Lyric runs FFN for the community on all Lyric main house shows