Adam Dolan is looking forward to Jude Law and Ruth Wilson in Anna Christie at The Donmar Warehouse, and he tells you why you should be too.
1. Hey Jude
In Anna Christie, Jude Law plays sailor Mat Burke who's actually a bit of a git, and Law's always best when he has a dark edge to his character. Just look at the reception he got for his turn in the Donmar's Hamlet.
2. RUUUUTH!!!
Ruth Wilson was brilliant in the TV adaptation of Jane Eyre, she totally owned the Almeida Theatre production of Through a Glass Darkly and is on her way to being a stage and screen superstar. Her CV proves her versatility and she's just as convincing as a cold calculating murderer as she is running around, bonnet-clad in a period drama. She'll nail her role as former prostitute Anna.
3. Going, Going, Grandage
This is Michael Grandage's last season as the Donmar's artistic director and, although we love his replacement – wunderkind Josie Rourke – we'll be sorry to see him go. Grandage has maintained a fantastically high-standard at the Donmar and is great at securing big stars for his productions: Rachel Weisz, Kenneth Branagh, and Ian McKellen, to name but a few.
4. The Femme Fatale
In Eugene O'Neil's play Anna is an ex-prostitute who's trying to turn her life around; this is a bold woman who's taking charge of her own destiny. Sadly, this is as much independent spirit as O'Neill tends to give his female characters. The women in his plays are generally defined by their relationship to their male counterparts and their ambitions are usually limited to a desire for a traditional family. It will be interesting to see how director Rob Ashford handles this aspect of Anna since he tends towards stronger female characters in his plays.
5. Never underestimate Ashford
With Ashford at the helm, maybe this time around Law will get nominated for an Olivier Award and actually win – third time's a charm. Under Ashford's direction, Weisz and Wilson both won Oliviers and the man is credited with getting Harry Potter himself into a pair of dancing shoes, when Daniel Radcliffe to join the cast of How to Succeed in Business on Broadway.
Anna Christie runs at the Donmar Warehouse from the 4th of August to 8th of October.
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