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Topic: DAMIEN MOLONY ~ 'THE HARD PROBLEM' ~ NEWS & DISCUSSION

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DAMIEN MOLONY ~ 'THE HARD PROBLEM' ~ NEWS & DISCUSSION
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CASTING NEWS: DAMIEN MOLONY JOINS TOM STOPPARD’S NEW PLAY ‘THE HARD PROBLEM’ AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE

October 3, 2014
 
THP-5


Damien has been cast in new Tom Stoppard play ‘The Hard Problem’, due to run at the National Theatre early next year, according to The Mail Online and broadwayworld.com.

He will be appearing alongside Olivia Vinall (King Lear, Othello, Doctor Who), Jonathan Coy (Rumpole of The Bailey, Downton Abbey, Parade’s End), Vera Chok (The World Of Extreme Happiness, Chimerica) Lucy Robinson (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Pride and Prejudice, Being Human) and Parth Thakerar (King Lear).

Sir Tom Stoppard wrote the play for Nicholas Hytner’s directorial finale at the National before he departs the theatre next year. In an interview with Time Out Magazine, the world renowned, award winning and prolific playwright revealed the following about the play:

The play is set in the world of people who do evolutionary biology. It’s essentially a play set among scientists and psychologists. But it has a story. It’s not an essay, you know. It’s about people who are researching.

It takes place over a little span of time. Probably sets off around the millennium. So it’s contemporary but not up to the minute.

It’s really a play in which the characters are concerned with the problem of consciousness—what consciousness is and why it exists. That’s probably all I should say about it.

 

Damien has previously performed at the National Theatre as the male lead in 2012 production Travelling Light, also directed by Nicholas Hytner. The play had a long run in the National Theatre including a UK tour over a six month period and was also screened across the world as part of National Theatre Live.

His more recent theatre works include roles in Ander Lustgarten’s If You Don’t Let Us Dream, We Won’t Let You Sleep at the Royal Court and Dan O’Brien’s The Body Of An American at The Gate Theatre and the Royal & Derngate, which landed him a nomination in the Off West End Theatre Awards.

 

The Hard Problem runs at The Dorfman Theatre at the National, end of January 2015. Watch this space for more news as it happens!


 




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RE: DAMIEN MOLONY joins Tom Stoppard's THE HARD PROBLEM at the NATIONAL THEATRE, JAN 2015
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Tom Stoppard reveals a little about the play in an interview with TIMEOUT last month.

 

I’m dying to know your latest play, The Hard Problem, debuting in January.
I’m pretty much delivering it now. I’ve been failing to write this play for years, just not doing it. Thinking about it. Nick Hytner is leaving the National Theatre next year, and he asked me to write one for him to direct before he left. And I thought, Well, that’s quite good to have a deadline. And the deadline is now.

Can you let the cat out of the bag?
The play is set in the world of people who do evolutionary biology. It’s essentially a play set among scientists and psychologists. But it has a story. It’s not an essay, you know. It’s about people who are researching.

Contemporary?
It takes place over a little span of time. Probably sets off around the millennium. So it’s contemporary but not up to the minute.

Are humans still evolving?
I guess we’re still evolving, as far as anybody knows. It’s really a play in which the characters are concerned with the problem of consciousness—what consciousness is and why it exists. That’s probably all I should say about it.



Read the full interview HERE.



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JozieMozie
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Amazing news!!!! I really need to see this! Oh my I need to start to planning trip for this like right now! I would want to see Damien on stage. It's pretty soon, only few months. But I think I will be able to take few days off work for this, weekend in London sounds good to me! I'm hoping for best! Whee I'm excited!



-- Edited by JozieMozie on Friday 3rd of October 2014 09:11:28 AM

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fifi
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This has made me very happy!!  Another new play - I like that!  It's good to have something to keep the winter blues away....

And I'm glad to see that the 'Official London Theatre' website have their priorities sorted:

http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/latest-news/article/item242030/damien-molony-joins-nt-hard-problem/

 



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RPLovesIpswich
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This is very exciting news! Will definitely be booking a ticket for this :)

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whimsyfox
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YAY!!! Not sure I can swing another trip to London just quite yet so I'm crossing everything this is screened through NTLive!

agree fifi, they are on it!



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UJ
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Oh, this has cheered me up. I've had a couple of weird weeks, I'm run down, cheesed off, so this is a lovely tonic.

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rubyrosettared
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Well....I was chatting with my sister about this today and.....

Once the dates are announced, if I can sort it out with OH and his shift pattern, it's looking very likely that we'll be travelling down to London for a weekend to see him in this. Very very early days but sis has expressed an interest in seeing the play so i'm keeping my fingers crossed. My husband is off to Dublin next weekend and when he arranged the trip i did say to him that the next time Damien did a play in London, i'd be going and he said fine so like i said, fingers crossed, just waiting for dates to be announced (though end of Feb is out as that is when my daughter and OH have their birthdays- a day apart!)

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domino l - l - l
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A few points worth mentioning...

Everything is pointing towards this being a big play, with lots of publicity. It is Nicholas Hytner's last directorial outing at the National. It is Tom Stoppard... Big name... And his first play at the national for years.

Does this mean...

It may be screened via National Theatre Live? (At cinemas across the world?)
It will have a long run?
It will tour?

Cannot wait to find out!

 

Also for me... love the sound of the concept of the play and probably the meaning of the title.. 



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domino l - l - l
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The Hard Problem opens 28 January 2015, (previews from 21 January) with booking until 16 April 2015. 

Info via Londontheatre

Jan 2015
21 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
22 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
23 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
24 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
26 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
27 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
28 Hard Problem (7pm)
29 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
30 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
31 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)

Feb 2015

02 Hard Problem (7.30pm) 
03 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
04 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
05 Hard Problem (7.30pm) 
06 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
07 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
09 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
10 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
11 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
12 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
13 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
14 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
16 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
17 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
18 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
19 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
20 Hard Problem (7.30pm) 
21 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
23 Hard Problem (7.30pm) 
24 Hard Problem (7.30pm) 
25 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
26 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
27 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
28 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)

March 2015
 
02 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
03 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
05 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
06 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
07 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm) 
27 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
28 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm)
30 Hard Problem (7.30pm)

April 2015
06 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
07 Hard Problem (2.30pm & 7.30pm) 
13 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
14 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
15 Hard Problem (7.30pm)
16 Hard Problem (7pm)
)

 

Play synopsis 

Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a brain science institute, is nursing a private sorrow and a troubling question at work, where psychology and biology meet. If there is nothing but matter, what is consciousness? This is 'the hard problem' which puts Hilary at odds with her colleagues who include her first mentor Spike, her boss Leo and the billionaire founder of the institute, Jerry. Is the day coming when the computer and the fMRI scanner will answer all the questions psychology can ask? Meanwhile Hilary needs a miracle, and she is prepared to pray for one.

 

 

 

So it is going to be a long run!

Which character will Damien play? Let the guessing begin!



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JozieMozie
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Oh myyyyyyyy! I can book flights now! I'm totally just going, I have few free days to use and I'm sure my boss will understand..

(yeah, well, telling him I'm that I need few days off cause I'm seeing a play and I'm sure he will ask why do I need free days for that and seeing his face when I tell him that I will go see this play in London might be priceless!biggrin)

But this looks good! Now before I book flights I would like to know if any other forumers will be seeing this play in January? And if they are, when? I would like to accompany someone and meet you guys from here  I don't know if I will make it to the opening night (Jan 21st)  but that same week I could. Thinking of leaving from here to London Thursday after work and probably going to see the play Friday (And maybe again on Saturday??) And leaving back home Monday.  

Whee I'm excited! And it would be amazing if they would show it Live across the world!coolbounce



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Carrie Harayel
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Awesome finally I can see him at theatre. Why is there gaps in the days it's being performed? Is this a thing with National Theatre because I noticed it when getting tickets for 3 Winters there are gaps that no shows are planned.

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JozieMozie
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Well, don't they usually do 2-3 nights in a row and then have 1-2 days free? :o

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fifi
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Carrie - 8 performances a week with only Sundays off for 3 months would be a bit much!  Seems reasonable that they would have a couple of weeks off in March.  And then it's Easter Sunday on April 5th......



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Pearl24
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Josie, tell your boss you are going to see a Tom Stoppard play at the National Theatre. That might impress him!

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JozieMozie
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Yes Pearl! Or, I think he will already be impressed about that fact that I'm ready to travel to another country just because I wanna see the play.. theatre I might tell him next time I see him that end of January I'm taking few days off.. And book my flights and stuff. Cause I have saved money sense my last London trip just if something like this will come up! And now it did!



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whimsyfox
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Leo the werewolf and Spike the vampire!  Funny how certain names keep getting used...

hmmm, considering the cast, I'm going to guess that Damien is playing her boss Leo.  Though he could be Spike, but that could be a nickname for a female or male, and there are several female actors listed.  Jerry is likely to be one of the older cast, either Lucy Robinson or Jonathan Coy.  Jerry also a very ambivalent name.



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domino l - l - l
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FANTASTIC NEWS!

It looks like The Hard Problem IS to be broadcast with national Theatre Live 16 April - for those who do not know NTLive screens live performances in cinemas across the world!

thp-9.jpg



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domino l - l - l
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National Theatre event Brochure October 2014 - April 2015

 

 thp-10.jpg

 

 

(click on 'view image' below for larger version)

 

thp-12.jpg



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domino l - l - l
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'The Hard Problem' now has a National Theatre official page

The Hard Problem | National Theatre

 

Online booking opens soon, as follows:


Supporting cast NT members: 9 October
Priority NT members: 13 October
Advance NT members: 16 October
General public: 23 October

tickets are £15 - £50

more info here



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Pearl24
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I have an app on my tablet which came with it and that shows NT plays from time to time. I must have another look to see what's on.

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domino l - l - l
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Let's hope Damien's character is a lot nicer to Lucy Robinson's character in this ...!

#allroadsleadtoBeingHuman

 

HalEp4-34.jpg

HalEp4-35.jpg



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Londonlaura
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JozieMozie wrote:

Oh myyyyyyyy! I can book flights now! I'm totally just going, I have few free days to use and I'm sure my boss will understand..

(yeah, well, telling him I'm that I need few days off cause I'm seeing a play and I'm sure he will ask why do I need free days for that and seeing his face when I tell him that I will go see this play in London might be priceless!biggrin)

But this looks good! Now before I book flights I would like to know if any other forumers will be seeing this play in January? And if they are, when? I would like to accompany someone and meet you guys from here  I don't know if I will make it to the opening night (Jan 21st)  but that same week I could. Thinking of leaving from here to London Thursday after work and probably going to see the play Friday (And maybe again on Saturday??) And leaving back home Monday.  

Whee I'm excited! And it would be amazing if they would show it Live across the world!coolbounce

 I can do that week Jozie. UJ & Lynne, do you want to come too? Jozie & Lynne, if you are staying over the weekend, then you are welcome to stay at Chez Laura again aww



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coolbounce coolbounce coolbounce YAY NT LIVE!!!!coolbounce coolbounce coolbounce



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Kayla
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Aww the lad is going to be with some quite big actors/actresses !! Love watching his career evolve and see him grow as an actor. It's like a joyful story book :') another lovely thing to look forward too!! Ooohhhh rehearsal photos...

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