Oliver Cotton’s critically acclaimed new play Daytona will transfer to the West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket from 30 June 2014 for a very limited 8 week run, ending 23 August 2014.
Daytona received its world premiere back in 2013 at London’s newest venue the Park Theatre and its transfer into the West End marks the Theatre Royal Haymarket’s first co-production with a Fringe venue.
Directed by David Grindley and starring Maureen Lipman, Harry Shearer and the writer himself Oliver Cotton, Daytona is a funny, poignant and gripping love story set in New York in 1986 and follows the trials and tribulations of Elli and Joe who have been together for over fifty years. Despite all the arguments, their shared love of ballroom dancing has kept them together, but then one night, out of the blue, Joe's long-lost brother Billy bursts back into their lives with an extraordinary story to tell.
West End regular Maureen Lipman reprises her role of Elli. She was most recently seen in When We Are Married and A Little Night Music both at the Garrick Theatre.
Making his West End stage debut and reprising the role of Joe, Harry Shearer has provided character voices for The Simpsons since it began in 1987, most notably as Mr Burns, Principle Skinner and Ned Flanders. He has appeared in blockbuster films including The Fisher King, Godzilla and The Truman Show.
Oliver Cotton was most recently seen in Passion Play at the Duke of York’s Theatre. His writing credits include The Incredible Journey of Sir Francis Younghusband and The Enoch Show for the Royal Court, Scrabble for the National Theatre and Man Falling Down for Shakespeare’s Globe.
Daytona begins previews at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 30 June 2014, opening on 7 July and running until 23 August 2014.
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is due to open at the Harold Pinter Theatre this summer