By Andrew Bovell
Directed By Michael Attenborough
An epic play spanning four generations and two continents, When The Rain Stops Falling moves from the claustrophobia of a 1950s London flat to the windswept coast of Southern Australia and into the heart of the Australian desert.
The play interweaves a series of connected stories, as seven people confront the mysteries of their past in order to understand their future,revealing how patterns of betrayal, love and abandonment are passed on. Until finally, well into the future, as the desert is inundated with rain, one young man finds the courage to defy the legacy.
Australian writer Andrew Bovell is best known for his award winning film Lantana and for co-writing the original screenplay for Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom. His play Speaking In Tongues was seen at Hampstead Theatre in 2000 and toured internationally.
Michael Attenborough is Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre, his acclaimed productions include The Mercy Seat, The Late Henry Moss,Enemies, There Came a Gypsy Riding, Big White Fog, Awake and Sing!, The Homecoming and In a Dark Dark House.
Evening performances 7.30pm
Saturday matinees 3pm from 23 May
Running time: 2 hours 5 mins, no interval.
Gabrielle York (younger)
Naomi was last seen at the Almeida in Out of the Fog by Roy Williams. Her other theatre credits include Burn, Chatroom and Citizenship for the National Theatre, Beautiful Thing for Sound Theatre and Martha Loves Michael at the Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh. Her television work includes roles in Mutual Friends and Ideal as well as guest appearances in New Tricks, Silent Witness and Extras. Her film credits are The Mark of Cain and January 2nd.
Joe Ryan
As well as many performances on stage for the Sydney Theatre Company where his performances include Mr Kolpert, She Stoops to Conquer, The Herbal Bed, and The Merchant of Venice, Simon’s UK theatre credits include the West End productions of The Sound of Music,Out of the Blue and Phantom of the Opera, and A Christmas Carol for the RSC. His UK television credits include Hustle and The One That Got Away.
Henry Law
Jonathan's recent theatre credits include The Stone, Under The Blue Sky, Talking to Terrorists and Our Late Night for the Royal Court, State of Emergency for the Gate Theatre, Equus at the Gielgud Theatre, Market Boy and Albert Speer for the National Theatre, Master and Margerita and The Seagull for Chichester Festival Theatre, and Our Country’s Good for Out of Joint. On television his credits include The Innocents and The Unknown Soldier, whilst on film he has appeared in Neverland, Fred Clause and Robin Hood.
Elizabeth Law (younger)
Lisa has previously been seen at the Almeida in Period of Adjustment and Hedda Gabler. Her other theatre credits include Under the Blue Sky in the West End, Present Laughter for the National Theatre, and Othello for the RSC. She recently won the Ian Charleson Award and the Critics’ Circle Most Promising Newcomer Awardfor her performance as Hilda Wangel in The Master Builder at the Albery Theatre. Her film credits include Bright Young Things, whilst on television she has most recently been seen in the BBC’s award-winning Cranford. Also for the BBC she has been seen in Hawking and Cambridge Spies.
Gabriel York
Richard's extensive theatre work includes The Hour We Know Nothing of Each Other, A Prayer for Owen Meany, War and Peace, Pravda and Hamlet all for the National Theatre, Anna Karenina for Shared Experience, Cymbeline for Shakespeare’s Globe and The Street of Crocodiles and The Visit for Theatre de Complicité. His many television credits include Silent Witness, New Tricks and Heartbeat. On film his work includes Chromophobia, Sergeant Pepper, Antonia and Jane and Bellman and True.
Gabriel Law
Tom's theatre credits include Hedda for the Gate Theatre, The Living Unknown Soldier and Les Enfants Du Paradis for the Arcola Theatre, Hamlet for the Old Vic and Achidi J’s Final Hours for Soho Theatre. His television credits include Mr Bingley in Lost in Austen, Belle de Jour, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and Heroes and Villians.
Elizabeth Law (older)
Phoebe was recently at the Almeida in Samuel West's critically acclaimed production of Waste.Her other theatre credits include The Vortex at the Apollo Theatre, Three Women and a Piano Tuner for Hampstead Theatre, Hysteria for the Royal Court and An Inspector Calls and Pravda for the National Theatre. Her television credits include Persuasion, The Trial of Tony Blair, Hawking and Shackleton. Her film credits include Maurice and The Elephant Man.
Gabrielle York (older)
Leah is one of Australia’s leading actors having won many awards for her work in theatre, on film and on television. Her Australian stage credits include Stuff Happens, The Marriage of Figaro and The Story of the Miracles at Cookie's Table. She has worked extensively on Australian television and her film credits include Andrew Bovell’s Lantana and The Proposition.
Andrew Price
Sargon's theatre credits include Salt Meets Wound for Theatre 503 and Stovepipe, a National Theatre/Bush Theatre collaboration. On television he has been seen in Saddam's Tribe,Midnight Man and Compulsion.
Writer
Andrew Bovell is an award-winning writer for theatre, film and television. His film, Lantana, adapted from a stage play, won numerous awards including the London Critics’ Circle Best Screenplay Award. His play Speaking in Tongues premiered in Sydney in 1996 and has subsequently been performed across Australia, in London, at the Roundabout Theatre in New York and in over 20 countries world-wide. His other theatre writing includes Shades of Blue, Scenes from a Separation and Distant Lights from Dark Places. Bovell co-wrote the original screenplay of Strictly Ballroom with Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce.
Director
As Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre Company Michael Attenborough has directed The Mercy Seat, Five Gold Rings, Brighton Rock,The Late Henry Moss, Enemies, There Came A Gypsy Riding, Big White Fog,Awake and Sing!, Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming, and Neil LaBute's In a Dark Dark House. He was Artistic Director at the Hampstead Theatre for five years (1984-89) and then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for twelve years. On leaving the RSC, where he was Principal Associate Director, Attenborough was invited to become an Honorary Associate Artist.
Design
Miriam has designed for a wide range of theatre and dance productions; her most recent credits include In the Red and Brown Water, The Good Soul Of Szechuan and Generations for the Young Vic; Six Characters In Search Of An Author at Minerva Theatre Chichester and in the West End; Cinderella for Göteborg Opera Ballet Company; Dalston Songs at the Royal Opera House; Hartstocht for Introdans, Netherlands; Sacrifice for Welsh National Opera; The Bacchae and Realism for National Theatre of Scotland and Lyric Hammersmith; Relocated, My Child, The Wonderful World of Dissocia, and Way to Heaven for the Royal Court; The Bee for Soho Theatre and in Japan; Trade for RSC and Soho Theatre; Tenderhooks for Canadian National Ballet; and Guantanamo Honor Bound to Defend Freedom for Tricycle Theatre and its West End and US transfers.
Lighting Design
Colin's recent work includes 365, The Bacchae and Black Watch for National Theatre of Scotland; Mine for Hampstead Theatre; Riflemind for Trafalgar Studios; Single Spies for Theatre Royal Bath; Alex at Arts Theatre, London; Theatre of Blood, Spirit, The Hanging Man, Lifegame, Coma, Animo and 70 Hill Lane for Improbable; Kes and Separate Tables for Royal Exchange Manchester; Touched for Salisbury Playhouse; Enjoy at Watford Palace Theatre; Unprotected at Liverpool Everyman; and Casanova and Playing the Victim for Told by an Idiot. Opera includes extensive work for Opera Holland Park, Fidelio for Opera Touring Company, Dublin, and La Boheme for English Touring Opera.
Music
Stephen has written extensively for theatre, including for Cloud Nine and Dying for It at the Almeida Theatre, and most recently Mrs Affleck for the National Theatre, and Swimming with Sharks and In Celebration in the West End. He has written for many productions at the Royal Court including The Seagull (also on Broadway), The Night Heron, Boy Gets Girl, Mouth to Mouth (also West End), Dublin Carol and The Glory of Living. Other work includes Proof at the Donmar Warehouse; Hothouse, An Inspector Calls, Machinal, Roots, Magic Olympical Games and At Our Table all for the National Theatre; and Alice in Wonderland, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, The White Devil, The Taming of the Shrew, The Cherry Orchard and Cymbeline all for the RSC. He has also composed extensively for film and television, including the scores for Shakespeare in Love, Mrs Brown, Billy Elliot and Prime Suspect.
Sound
Paul has previously worked at the Almeida on There Came A Gypsy Riding, Enemies, Blood Wedding and Festen (also West End & Broadway - Evening Standard Award 2005, Olivier Award nomination). His other recent designs include Mary Stuart(Broadway, Donmar, West End); The Cherry Orchard and The Winter’s Tale (Brooklyn & Old Vic); Billy Elliot The Musical (Broadway, London, Australia - 2006 Olivier Award for Best Sound Design & nomination for Helpmann Award 2007); Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Roundabout, New York); Nakamitsu (Gate Theatre); The Diver (Soho Theatre); Vernon God Little, The Respectable Wedding, The Member of the Wedding (Young Vic); Herge’s Adventures of Tintin (Barbican & West End); The Year of Magical Thinking (Broadway & National Theatre); The Pillowman (National Theatre & Broadway - Drama Desk Award 2005, Olivier Award nomination); and The Revenger’s Tragedy, Never So Good, Happy Now? and Saint Joan (National Theatre - 2008 Olivier Award).
★★★★ “A superb play…tightly wrought drama…Michael Attenborough’s play is the finest he has done in his Almeida tenure. Glowing performances.”
The Guardian
★★★★ “A work of gripping mystery and emotional depth... discovers a rich vein of humanity and painful emotional truth with the help of some of the finest acting on the London stage. Its emotional intensity and poignant sense of transience mark it out as something very special”
The Daily Telegraph
★★★★ “Andrew Bovell’s beautiful subtle play weaves a slow irresistible spell…a fine production. There are some excellent performances – Jonathan Cullen and Tom Mison in particular – but this really is an expert ensemble piece. An extraordinary play: sad, wise, moving and, finally, hopeful”
Financial Times
★★★★“Michael Attenborough’s production makes the pieces fit beautifully together, played by a strong ensemble cast”
Sunday Express
★★★★★ “Grabs you by its imagination, its heartrending originality… it works on you like music… Michael Attenborough’s direction catches perfectly the nightmarish beauty of this extraordinary play, and the nine actors work with prosaic simplicity that only fuels the dark, burning poetry of the writing.”
The Sunday Times
“An intricate saga…beautifully directed by Michael Attenborough… Bovell writes with skill, warmth, and lively eccentricity… the cast is first rate.”
The Observer
Naomi Bentley
Simon Burke
Jonathan Cullen
Lisa Dillon
Richard Hope
Tom Mison
Phoebe Nicholls
Leah Purcell
Sargon Yelda
Andrew Bovell - Writer
Michael Attenborough - Director
Miriam Buether - Design
Colin Grenfell - Lighting Design
Lorna Heavey - Video & Projection
Stephen Warbeck - Music
Paul Arditti - Sound