Pine: Full cast announced

The cast of Jacqui Honess-Martin’s delightful festive comedy will be Lucy May Barker, Hannah Britland, David Mumeni, Ronak Patani, and Matt Whitchurch.

‘Tis the season to be jolly – but the employees at Festive Pines are certainly not getting into the festive spirit.

Gabby has a first class honours degree and an MA but somehow is stuck – for the third year running – counting Norwegian Spruce. Betty wishes she was ice skating with her mates at Somerset House rather than ‘gaining work experience’. Joe is nursing a broken hand, and heart, by lugging trees. Taj can’t decide whether he’s in love with Gabby or Betty. And they’re all being driven out of their minds by Michael Bublé’s Feliz Navidad on repeat…

Jacqui Honess-Martin’s delightful festive comedy explores the value of learning on the job, the rose-tinted expectations of recent graduates, and the inability to see the wood for the trees.

Jacqui Honess-Martin’s previous theatre credits as a Writer include Tell Out My Soul (Public Theatre, New York), We Have Fallen (Ideas Tap Underbelly Award, Edinburgh 2014) SMITH and an adaptation of Antigone (both InSite Performance).

Lisa Spirling returns to Hampstead Downstairs after directing sell out hits Fault Lines and Deposit. Other credits include Michael Frayn’s Here (Rose Theatre, Kingston) and Hundreds & Thousands (Soho Theatre).

Lucy May Barker plays Betty. Recent theatre credits include Earthquakes In London and Really Old Like Forty Five (National Theatre); The Crucible (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Reluctant Debutante (UK tour); Sweeney Todd (Chichester Festival Theatre/West End); Thark (Park Theatre); Ace of Clubs (Union Theatre); Oklahoma! (UK tour) and Spring Awakening (Lyric Hammersmith/Novello). Film and television credits include The Culshaw & Stephenson Impressions Show; Scoop! and Doctors (BBC) and feature film The Woman In Black.

Hannah Britland plays Gabby. Recent theatre credits include Crushed Shells & Mud (Southwark Playhouse); Our American Cousin (Finborough Theatre) and Hobson’s Choice (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). Television credits include Death in Paradise and A Gert Lush Christmas (BBC); Scrotal Recall and Fresh Meat (Channel 4); Our World War (BBC); Home and Away (Channel 5); Skins: Rise (Channel 4); Vera (ITV) and Misfits (Channel 4). Film credits include The Boy with the Thorn In His Side; Still Romance; Ivory Stage; The Best Offer and Rush.

David Mumeni plays Sami. Recent theatre credits include Lela And Co. (Royal Court); True Brits (HighTide Fesitval); Mush and Me (Bush Theatre/Underbelly Edinburgh); The Machine (Donmar/Manchester International Festival/New York); ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore (Barbican/International tour) and Product Placement (Watford Palace/Nabokov). Television credits include Love, Nina (BBC); Finding Jesus (CNN); The Last Hours of Laura K (BBC); PhoneShop (Channel 4); Cuckoo (BBC); Confessions From The Underground (Channel 4); Fresh Meat (Channel 4); Doctors (BBC) and Whitechapel (ITV). Film credits include The Huntsman; Noble and The Inbetweeners Movie.

Ronak Patani plays Taj. He trained at Royal School of Speech and Drama and recent theatre credits include Primetime (Royal Court) and Behind the Beautiful Forevers (National Theatre). Television and film credits include Stella (Sky); Point Break and Schemata.

Matt Whitchurch plays Joe. He trained at RADA and recent theatre credits include We Know Where You Live (Finborough Theatre) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Liverpool Everyman). Television credits include The Outcast; Call the Midwife and Some Girls (BBC).