Press Release : Production photographs
The Lodger
adaptation by Patrick Prior
from the novel by Marie Belloc Lowndes
including details of the cast
Friday 3rd — Saturday 25th November 2000
As the dark November evenings draw near, the Dukes present a real thriller. The Lodger combines love and horror to create a chilling tale of death, sex and madness.
This compelling play is based on the original book by Marie Belloc Lowndes, which was inspired by a chance remark overheard at a dinner table. According to this chilling true-life story, first published in 1911, a respectable butler and cook claimed that they had once rented rooms to Jack the Ripper.
The story, which was also adapted for the screen by Alfred Hitchcock, revolves around Mr and Mrs Bunting, a respectable couple who face the prospect of hard times until they let rooms to a mysterious gentleman by the name of Sleath. Sleath offers to pay higher than the usual rate, and in advance — but his arrival in the Buntings’ home heralds the beginning of an obsessive love which has unforeseen repercussions.
The story of The Lodger begins in the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud’s, and the stage set at the Dukes is suitably eerie. Terry Brown, designer of the show, has re-created Madame Tussaud’s and the couple’s Whitechapel home complete with waxworks, gaslight and the atmospheric London fog.
Three of the four-strong cast have appeared at the Dukes before. Alun Raglan, having just played the Gentleman Caller in the Dukes’ production of The Glass Menagerie, plays Sleath, a rather different and altogether more creepy gentleman caller. This is Alun’s third appearance at the Dukes this year and he has also been in A Christmas Carol, Equus and The Journey of Mary Kelly for Theatr Clwyd, plus his film appearances in Attila the Hun and Gladiator.
Stirling Gallagher was last seen at the Dukes in How the Other Half Loves as Fiona Foster. Stirling is playing Mrs Bunting in The Lodger, who first becomes suspicious of Sleath’s late night outings. Her other work includes Louise in Tons of Money — a 1920s farce directed by Ian Hastings for Bristol Old Vic, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Beatrix in Much Ado About Nothing, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (all for the Briefly Shakespeare Company) and Headfirst and Greek for Grip Theatre. On film Stirling has appeared in The Blue Note and Homeland, and her TV credits include London’s Burning.
Phil Atkinson plays Mr Bunting, who is fascinated by the gruesome murders he reads about in the paper every day. Phil was in the Dukes’ open- air production of
Don Quixote as Captain Rodrigo this summer and he is pleased to be back at the Dukes. Phil has also worked in TV and film including Funny Bones, The Tall Guy, The Undercover Heart, A Touch of Frost, Heartbeat, Bramwell, Our Friends in the North and The Darling Buds of May. Theatre work before this includes a two year West End run in Hull Truck’s Up ‘n’ Under and Bouncers.
The Lodger is William Ely’s first appearance at the Dukes, playing Hopkins, the attendant who works at Madame Tussaud’s. William has also appeared at the Bristol Old Vic in One for the Road, Tons of Money, Freebird and Mojo. His TV credits include Bad Girls, Family Affairs, East Enders and The Bill. William is delighted to be working at the Dukes.
Dukes’ Artistic Director, Ian Hastings directs the strong cast in The Lodger to bring the audience a thoroughly engrossing and thrilling evening.
Ends