Photo Flash: JERUSALEM Begins Previews at the Apollo Theatre

Previews begin tomorrow, 8 October, for the West End return of Jerusalem at the Apollo Theatre. Following record-breaking sold-out runs at the Royal Court and the Apollo Theatres in 2009 and 2010 respectively, Ian Rickson's Royal Court Theatre production of Jez Butterworth's multi award-winning play is running at the Apollo Theatre until 14 January 2012.

Mark Rylance will lead the cast as Johnny ‘Rooster' Byron. Designs are by Ultz, with lighting by Mimi Jordan Sherin, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph and music by Stephen Warbeck. Jerusalem is produced in the West End by Royal Court Theatre Productions and by Sonia Friedman Productions.

Actor and Musician Johnny Flynn joins the cast as Lee. The English folk band The Sussex Wit is fronted by Flynn. His last stage appearance was at the Royal Court in Jeremy Herrin's production of The Heretic. Sophie McShera who can currently be seen as scullery maid Daisy Robinson in ITV'1's Downtown Abbey, joins the cast to play Pea. Geraldine Hughes who plays Dawn and Max Baker who plays Wesley join the West End cast from the Broadway production. Hughes' theatre credits include Pumpgirl and Translations for the Manhattan Theatre Club and roles in Nurse Jackie, The Good Wife and Rocky Balboa on screen. Baker's theatre credits include Mother Courage at The Public Theatre and Howard Katz at the Roundabout Theatre. His screen credits include Revolutionary Road, NYPD Blue and 3rd Rock From the Sun.

The full 2011 West End cast is Mark Rylance (Johnny "Rooster" Byron) and Mackenzie Crook (Ginger) as well as Max Baker (Wesley), Alan David (The Professor), Aimeé-Ffion Edwards (Phaedra), Johnny Flynn (Lee), Geraldine Hughes (Dawn), Danny Kirrane (Davey), Sophie McShera (Pea), Charlotte Mills (Tanya), Sarah Moyle (Ms Fawcett), Harvey Robinson (Mr Parsons), Barry Sloane (Troy Whitworth) and Lennie Harvey, Dylan Standen and Archie Waite (Marky 1,2,3).

Jerusalem is a comic, contemporary vision of life in our green and pleasant land. On St George's Day, the morning of the local county fair, Johnny Byron is a wanted man. The Council officials want to serve him an eviction notice, his son wants his dad to take him to the fair and Troy Whitworth wants to give him a serious kicking.

Jerusalem will offer 20 top price seats at £10 each, which will go on sale from the Box Office, in person only, from 10am on the day of each performance.