A Very Expensive Poison
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A Very Expensive Poison
Neal Street collaborated as Associate Producer with the Old Vic Theatre in the development of Lucy Prebble’s biting and ambitious reimagining of Luke Harding’s jaw-dropping exposé of the events behind the notorious death of ex-FSB Officer Alexander Litvinenko.
This World Premiere production directed by John Crowley opened 5th September, 2019 for an eight week sell-out season, garnering overt critical acclaim. Prebble won the Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play and the 2020 Susan Blackburn Smith prize. Tom Scutt's monumental design also won the 2019 Critics' Circle Award for Best Designer.
The production was further nominated for two Olivier Awards: Best New Play (Lucy Prebble), and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Reece Shearsmith).
Winner of Critics' Circle Theatre Award 2020 for Best New Play & Best Designer
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A shocking assassination in the heart of London. In a bizarre mix of high-stakes global politics and radioactive villainy, a man pays with his life.
On the cusp of unnerving global crises and rumblings of a new Cold War, Prebble detonates the subterfuge in the shadowy world of international espionage from from Moscow to Mayfair.
Key Creatives & Cast
Key Creatives:
Written by Lucy Prebble
Based on the Guardian/Faber book by Luke Harding
Directed by John Crowley
Set & Costume by Tom Scutt
Lighting Mimi by Jordan Sherin
Sound by Paul Arditti
Choreographer by Aletta Collins
Composed by Paddy Cunneen
Video by Ewan Jones Morris
Original Cast:
Thomas Arnold
Tom Brooke
MyAnna Buring
Callum Coates
Marc Graham
Amanda Hadingue
Yasmine Holness-Dove
Lloyd Hutchinson
Robyn Moore
Peter Polycarpou
Sarah Seggari
Michael Shaeffer
Reece Shearsmith
Gavin Spokes
Bea Svistunenko
Co-Producers
Old Vic Theatre, Damian Arnold, Cindy Tolan
Productions
Old Vic, London. 5th September - 5th October, 2019.
Reviews
"Truly theatrical. Swivels brilliantly between tragedy and farce."
"A Surprising, theatrical, watchable night ends with a whack of seriousness."
"A brilliantly bold and ferociously intelligent drama about our slippery times."
