The comedy, which stars Jenna Russell, Tony-nominated in 2008 for Best Actress in a Musical when she reprised her West End performance as Dot in Sunday in the Park with George, Samantha Spiro and Tamzin Outhwaite was originally booking through May 23. They play the title characters, three women who join forces at university, and the play follows them through the subsequent years, as it explores friendship's impact on life and life's impact on friendship.
In a press statement, the producers have commented, "We are immensely proud to have brought Amelia Bullmore’s funny and heartfelt play Di and Viv and Rose to the West End. Despite great acclaim from critics and a hugely positive reaction from audiences, the West End can be an unpredictable place and transferring a new play has its risks. We’d like to thank our hugely talented cast and creative team for all of their hard work as well as the audiences who have supported the production from the start.’
It is directed by Anna Mackmin, who has previously directed all of Bullmore's writing for the stage to date including Mammals and a new version of Ibsen's Ghosts at the Gate Theatre.
Outhwaite, who plays Di, was last seen on the London stage in Breeders (St. James). Other stage credits include Sweet Charity (Menier Chocolate Factory, then Theatre Royal Haymarket), Boeing Boeing (Comedy) and Breathing Corpses and Flesh Wound (both Royal Court). TV credits include "New Tricks," "Red Cap," "Doctor Who," "Foyle's War," "Silent Witness," "Law and Order UK" and "EastEnders" (BBC).
Spiro, who plays Viv, is a two-time Olivier Award winner, for Merrily We Roll Along (Donmar Warehouse) and Hello, Dolly! (Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park). Last year she played Lady Macbeth in Macbeth at Shakespeare's Globe, where the year before she was seen as Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew. Other stage credits include the title role in Filmena at the Almeida and Chicken Soup with Barley at the Royal Court. Russell, who plays Rose, last reprised the role of Penelope Pennywise in the West End transfer of Urinetown the Musical that she originally performed last year at London's St James Theatre. Other recent theatre also includes Mr. Burns (Almeida), Merrily We Roll Along (Menier Chocolate Factory and Harold Pinter Theatre, for which she was Olivier-nominated) and Into the Woods at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park.
Di and Viv and Rose is produced in the West End by Nick Frankfort & Tobias Round for CMP Ltd and Greg Ripley-Duggan for Hampstead Theatre. It is Hampstead's third recent West End transfer following Good People and Sunny Afternoon, both in 2014. It is designed by Paul Wills, with lighting by Oliver Fenwick, sound by Simon Baker and choreography by Scarlett Mackmin.
To book tickets or for further details, visit diandvivandrose.com.
