EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winner Timothy Hutton has headed to London to star in the world premiere of The Sex Party written and directed by Tony Award laureate Terry Johnson.
Rehearsals are now underway at the Menier Chocolate Factory, located in the shadow of London Bridge on the south side of the capital, where the raunchy drama, that starts off as a cheese and wine evening, will begin previews performances on November 4, with an opening night set for November 15.
“It’s a play about poking fun at all things woke, it will offend everybody,” said a gleeful David Babani, the Menier Chocolate Factory’s artistic director.
Babani explained that Hutton, who won a best supporting actor Academy Award for his role in Ordinary People over four decades ago, will play Jeff, described as a shady businessman, who hooks up with Magdalena, an equally shady Russian lady, played by Amanda Donohoe (Liar Liar). “They’re headed to a swingers sex bash in Islington ,as you do,” said Babani, adopting a matter of fact tone.
The party’s hosted by Alex and Hetty, the king and queen of the North London swingers. They’re played by Jason Merrells (Agatha Raisin) and Molly Osborne (Call the Midwife). ”What it explores,” said Babani, “is our sexual identity and our sexual assumptions.”
The show marks Hutton’s UK theater debut, though he has played on Broadway. Hutton appeared, for a handful of guest performances, in A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters in 1989.The following year he starred in Craig Lucas’s Prelude to a Kiss.More recently Hutton appeared in tv drama Women of the Movement.
Playwright Terry Johnson won an Olivier Award for his comedy Hysteria,and collected a best director of a musical Tony Award for a revival of La Cage Aux Folles that originated at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
Other members of The Sex Party troupe are: Lisa Dwan (Top Boy), John Hopkins (Poldark), Pooya Mohseni (Law & Order:Special Victims Unit), Kelly Price (The English Game) and Will Barton (Theresa vs. Boris: How May Became PM). They’re all be swinging on stage until January 7, 2023.
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