Oscar Wilde’s LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN to be broadcast live to cinemas
The play will be broadcast direct from London’s Vaudeville Theatre and will feature Bafta Award-winning actor Jennifer Saunders as the Duchess of Berwick and BAFTA-nominated Kevin Bishop as Lord Darlington, alongside Joshua James (McMafia and Black Mirror) and Grace Molony (Mary Queen of Scots and The Country Girls) as Lord and Lady Windermere respectively.
The play masterfully executes the wit that has come to define Oscar Wilde’s extraordinary body of work, and boasts the wonderful Jennifer Saunders in a role she was born to play.
Award-winning director Kathy Burke (The Quare Fellow and Once a Catholic) has brought together a talented comedic cast in this beautifully staged production designed by Paul Wills. Jennifer Saunders guest stars as the Duchess of Berwick, marking her return to the West End stage for the first time in over twenty years. As a comedian, screenwriter and actor she is best known for writing and starring in the BAFTA-winning sketch show, French and Saunders, and the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, which won international acclaim, a BAFTA and an Emmy.
Double Olivier Award-winner Samantha Spiro stars as the mysterious ‘other woman’ Mrs Erlynne. She first came to fame playing a young Barbara Windsor in Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dickat the National Theatre, a role she recently reprised for the BBC drama Babs. She won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in Merrily We Roll Along and Hello, Dolly! Her other credits include Carnage, Psychobitches and Grandma’s House.
Following his starring role in the BBC’s remake of the classic comedy Porridge, Kevin Bishop returns to the stage as Lord Darlington. As well as starring in Tracey Ullmann’s Show, Rebel Wilson’s Super Fun Night and Peep Show, Bishop is also known for co-writing and starring in Channel 4’s The Kevin Bishop Show, which ran for two series. His recent stage credits include the one-man show, Fully Committed, and Once In A Lifetime at the Young Vic.
Lady Windermere’s Fan also features rising star Grace Molony, who recently won Best Actress in The Stage Debut Awards 2017 and will star in the upcoming feature film Mary Queen of Scotsalongside Oscar Nominees Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. The role of Lord Lorton is played by Joseph Marcell, best-known for his role as Geoffrey the butler alongside Will Smith in hit TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Joshua James plays the role of Lord Windermere. His recent stage credits include King Lear at Shakespeare’s Globe and Joe Wright’s Life of Galileo at the Young Vic, and he won a commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards for his performance in Young Chekhovat the National Theatre.