WARREN MITCHELL RETURNS TO THE WEST END

Posted on 25 March 2008

WARREN MITCHELL RETURNS TO THE WEST END FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED RUN IN PATRICK GARLAND'S PRODUCTION OF JEFF BARON'S VISITING MR. GREEN

Following a hugely successful national tour, Warren Mitchell will return to the West End in Jeff Baron's award-winning Visiting Mr. Green, directed by Patrick Garland. Opening at the Trafalgar Studios on 8 April for a strictly limited run, previews are from 3 April and Visiting Mr. Green is booking until 10 May. Designs are by Sean Cavanagh with lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound by Peter Cox. Joining Warren Mitchell in Baron's two-hander is Gideon Turner. Visiting Mr. Green is produced by Ian Fricker.



Widower Mr. Green (Mitchell) is almost hit by a speeding car driven by corporate executive Ross Gardiner (Turner). Found guilty of reckless driving, Ross is ordered to spend the next six months making weekly visits to Mr. Green. What starts off as a beautifully crafted comedy about two people who resent being in the same room together develops into a gripping and poignant drama. Family secrets are revealed and old wounds reopened as both men come to understand and tolerate one another's differences.



Eighty-two-year-old Warren Mitchell has appeared on stage, in films and on television throughout his career. To many he is best known on television for his portrayal of Alf Garnett in 'Till Death Us Do Part. He began his stage career over 75 years ago. His more recent theatre credits include Death of A Salesman for the National Theatre, Art, The Caretaker and The Homecoming all in the West End, as well as most recently, Arthur Miller's The Price both at the Tricycle Theatre and in the West End for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor.



Gideon Turner's theatre credits include Laertes in Hamlet and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, both for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and most recently, English Touring Theatre's production of The Changeling. Gideon's television credits include Hotel Babylon, Cromwell, Bad Girls and Dalziel and Pascoe.



Jeff Baron's multi-award winning play Visiting Mr. Green had its world premiere in 1996 at the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. It opened in New York's Union Square Theatre in 1997 where it ran for 12 months starring Eli Wallach in the title role. In the past 10 years, the play has been seen in 37 countries and has been performed in 22 languages in over 300 productions. This new UK production is directed by former Chichester Festival Theatre Director Patrick Garland.