Amy Adams ‘so excited’ to be making West End debut in Tennessee Williams masterpiece
Hollywood star Amy Adams will make her West End debut next year playing a faded Southern Belle in one of Tennessee Williams greatest plays.
The actress, a six-time Oscar nominee, whose films include American Hustle, Man of Steel and Vice, is taking the part of Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie directed by Jeremy Herrin, whose hits include This House and the Wolf Hall Trilogy.
She said: “I am so honoured and excited to be a part of bringing The Glass Menagerie to the stage in the West End! I have always felt a strong pull towards the work of Tennessee Williams and to this deeply personal story.
“I am so grateful to be working with the brilliant Jeremy Herrin and with all of the talented cast and creative team. I look forward to the shared experience of theatre. See you in 2022!”
The play, partly inspired by Williams’ own troubled upbringing, centres on Adams’ character – a woman of wealth and taste who has come down in the world after being abandoned by her husband with two children to bring up.
In taking on the role of Amanda, she follows in the footsteps of legendary actresses including Jessica Lange, Sally Field and Brenda Blethyn. The part of her son, Tom, will be played by two actors with the character split in older and younger versions played by Paul Hilton and Evening Standard Theatre Award winner Tom Glynn-Carney respectively.
The show will run for 14 weeks at the Duke of York’s Theatre from May 23 with tickets going on sale on Tuesday. The presence of a major Hollywood star will be seen as further proof the West End is bouncing back from the effects of the pandemic which saw stages fall silent for months.
Adams is not the first major star to swap film work for the West End with other names including Nicole Kidman, Glenn Close, Gwyneth Paltrow and Dustin Hoffman all making the move to the capital’s theatreland.
Herrin said: “I can’t wait to work with such a talented cast led by the brilliantly transformative Amy Adams on one of the best plays ever written.
“Tennesse Williams’ masterpiece is a delicate work of genius and I look forward to working with a world class creative team including Vicki Mortimer, Paule Constable and Ash J Woodward to allow the play to resonate in a fresh and exciting way.
“I’m grateful to the Williams’ estate who have allowed me to split the role of Tom Wingfield - and thrilled to have cast Paul Hilton to play him, and Tom Glynn-Carney to play his younger self.
“And it is a privilege for Second Half Productions to give West End debuts to the wonderful talent of Lizzie Annis and Victor Alli as Laura Wingfield and Jim O’Connor respectively.”
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