SOMERSAULTS Lead David Carlyle Rushed to Hospital with Viral Meningitis; Finborough Theatre to Resume Performances Jan 22

The Finborough Theatre is sad to report that on Sunday 13 January, actor David Carlyle, who plays the leading role of James in the Finborough Theatre's production of Somersaults by Iain Finlay Macleod was rushed to hospital with viral meningitis. All the performances for the week commencing Monday 14 January were cancelled, but it is sadly now clear that, for the first time in his career and despite winning rave reviews for his performance, David has had to withdraw from the production.

However, we are happy to announce that the production will resume for its final week on Tuesday 22 January 2013 at 7.30pm. From Tuesday, the role of James will be played by Simon Harrison who has taken over the role at the last minute, while Cary Crankson joins the company to play the role of Mark.

Cary Crankson joins the cast. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Theatre includes London and Wasted (Paines Plough), Exit Signs - Rough Cuts (Royal Court Theatre), Flight Path (Out of Joint), Silverland (59E59 New York and Arcola Theatre), Mad Blud (Theatre Royal Stratford East), La Ronde (Riverside Studios and National Tour), The Rover (Southwark Playhouse), Oliver Twist, Chapel Street (Old Vic New Voices), Miss Julie, Mary Stuart and Twelfth Night (The Faction at New Diorama Theatre), Children of Darkness (Leicester Square Theatre), Othello (Rose Theatre, Bankside), A Midsummer Night's Dream and Othello (Brockwell Park Open Air Theatre). Television includes The Bill, Doctors, and Wild West. Film includes Rock and Roll and F*** 'n' Lovely.

Originally produced by The National Theatre of Scotland, the English premiere of Iain Finlay Macleod's Somersaults plays at the Finborough Theatre until Saturday, 26 January 2013, directed by Russell Bolam.

James is a successful entrepreneur living the metropolitan life with a beautiful wife and a swanky London flat. But when the creditors move in and his wife moves out, James suddenly finds he's left with nothing. Nothing but words.

James' father is dying - his last connection to his childhood and the language of his birth, Scots Gaelic. With this link gone, James fears he will simply cease to exist. As the words start to slip away, he journeys home to confront his past and search for his true identity - as he desperately struggles to remember the language of his birth and the word for 'somersault'.

A stunning new play exploring the role of language and how it defines who we are by the UK's leading Scots Gaelic playwright Iain Finlay Macleod. Somersaults was originally produced by The National Theatre of Scotland, premiering at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh in 2011, directed by National Theatre of Scotland Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone.

Performed in English with some short passages of Gaelic.

Shows play Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED. Box Office: 0844 847 1652 or book online at www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk until Saturday, 26 January 2013. The production runs Tuesday to Saturday Evenings at 7.30pm. Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 3.00pm. Tickets £16, £12 concessions, except Tuesday Evenings £12 all seats, and Saturday evenings £16 all seats. Performance Length: Approximately 80 minutes. (Ticket prices may be subject to change).

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