“Weigh your present against the dreams you had as a child – woe betide the man that falls short”

Precious Little Talent is the story of two 20-somethings graduating into a world that’s sold them down the river. Londoner Joey’s got a first class degree, 20K worth of debt and works in a pub. It's Christmas and she flees to New York in a bid to find comfort with her estranged father. Just as the world seems to have shunned her, so will he. Yet in the face of such rejection, world-weary Joey falls in love with an idealistic young American and learns what it is to have hope in the future.

With its haunting contemporary themes about a father desperate not to forget his daughter and two young people determined not to be forgotten by the world, Precious Little Talent will strike a chord with audiences of all ages.

A 50-minute version of Precious Little Talent premiered to a sell out run at the Edinburgh Festival in 2008. This new full-length production marks its London Premiere.

Ella is this year’s Pearson Playwright for the Lyric Hammersmith after bursting onto the theatre scene in 2008 with an award-winning debut play, Eight.

She has since penned two more sell-out plays, Precious Little Talent and Hot Mess, and has worked with the Traverse as their Emerging Playwright on Attachment and the Royal Court’s Invitation Group. Among her current theatre projects, she is under commission to Headlong Theatre Company.

Cast:

Ian Gelder - George

Theatre credits include Racing Demon (Crucible Theatre), Lingua Franca (Finborough Theatre, Broadway), The Power of Yes, Henry IV Parts 1&2, His Dark Materials, Stuff Happens (National Theatre), The Sound of Music (Palladium Theatre), The Crucible, The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III, Titus Andronicus, The Merchant of Venice, Henry VI, As You Like It, Privates on Parade RSC), Serious Money, Divine Right (Birmingham Rep), A Passage to India, Anna Karenina, Heartbreak House (Shared Experience), Richard III, Pal Joey (Bristol Old Vic), Martin Yesterday (Royal Exchange, Manchester), Front Page, Good (Donmar Warehouse), Fire Face (Royal Court), Mouth to Mouth (Albery), Marvin’s Room (Comedy), Mrs Warren’s Profession (Lyric, Hammersmith), Playing Sinatra, Entertaining Mr Sloane (Greenwich), Poor Superman and Apocalyptica (Hampstead).

Television credits include Game of Thrones, Psychoville, Torchwood, Silent Witness, Robin Hood, Fallen Angel, The Commander, Poirot, The Day Today, Absolutely Fabulous, Kavanagh QC, McCallum and Blackeyes

Olivia Hallinan - Joey

After graduating Olivia went on to play the role of Laura Timmins in the hugely popular Lark Rise to Candleford (BB, Series I -IV). For her leading role as Kim, in the critically acclaimed Sugar Rush (Channel Four series 1 and 2) Olivia received an International Emmy Award (2006). Sugar Rush was also nominated for best Drama BAFTAs (2007).

Theatre credits include Herding Cats, (Theatre Royal, Bath), Listen to the Wind (King’s Head Theatre), Macbeth (English Shakespeare Company), The Famous Five (Kings Head Theatre and UK No.1 Tour), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Cannizarro Park) and Psychosis (John Thaw Theatre, Manchester).

Anthony Welsh - Sam

Theatre Credits include Lower Ninth (Trafalgar Studios), Sucker Punch (Royal Court Theatre), Pornography (Tricycle Theatre), and The Brothers Size (Young Vic Theatre).

Television credits include Top Boy (Channel 4), Holby City and The Bill.

The production will be directed by James Dacre, Artistic Associate at the New Vic, whose recent work includes the Olivier Award-winning The Mountaintop (Theatre503 and Trafalgar Studios), Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms and Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen (New Vic) and Torben Betts’ The Unconquered (UK tour and Off-Broadway).

Book Precious Little Talent tickets now.

[posted by Louise, 23/03/2011]

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