Hayley Atwell to star in Dry Powder

Hampstead Theatre presents the UK premiere of Sarah Burgess’ breathtakingly witty and virtuosic comedy, Dry Powder. Directed by Anna Ledwich, this production explores the vision, the vulnerability, and the vilification of those shaping - and skewing - the economy. Hayley Atwell will make her Hampstead Theatre debut as Jenny and she will be joined by Tom Riley and Aidan McArdle.

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In the same week his private equity firm forced massive layoffs at a supermarket chain, Rick threw himself a lavish engagement party - which even featured an elephant - setting off a Public Relations nightmare. However, all’s not lost when you’re the titan of high finance – there’s still an abundance of cash in reserve and Seth, one of Rick’s partners, spots an opportunity to salvage the company’s reputation with an investment that’s both sound and PR-friendly. But Jenny, the third partner, and Seth’s nemesis, has other ideas: she’s not in business to make friends. If there’s money to be made, she’ll do whatever it takes to generate the maximum return, irrespective of what the critics might say…

Hayley Atwell plays Jenny. Her theatre credits include The Man of Mode, Major Barbara (National Theatre) and Prometheus Bound (West End). She has been nominated for two Olivier awards for her performances in A View from the Bridge (Duke of York’s) and in The Pride (Trafalgar Studios). Her television credits include the Agent Carter series, Howard’s End, Pillars of the Earth for which she received a Golden Globe nomination, Black Mirror, Any Human Heart, Restless and The Line of Beauty. Her film credits include Agent Peggy Carter in the Marvel movie franchise, Christopher Robin, Cinderella, All is By My Side, The Duchess, Brideshead Revisited and Cassandra’s Dream. 

Aidan McArdle plays Rick and is currently starring in The Secret Theatre (Shakespeare's Globe). His recent theatre credits include The White Devil (Menier Chocolate Factory), There Came a Gypsy Riding (Almeida Theatre), The Shadow of a Gunman (Tricycle Theatre), Antony and Cleopatra, Othello, Henry VI Parts 1, 2 & 3, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard III (RSC), A Prayer for Owen Meaney (National Theatre), Stairs to the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Democracy (Sheffield Crucible Theatre / Old Vic). His television credits include Jane Eyre, Mr Selfridge, The Maigret Series, The Fall, Miss Marple, Sense 8 and Delicious. His film credits include Ella Enchanted, Not Only But Always, The Duchess, Borderlands, Professor and The Madman and Black 47. 

Tom Riley plays Seth. His theatre credits include Arcadia (Broadway), for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, My City (Almeida Theatre), Paradise Regained, The Vertical Hour, Censorship, Victory, The Entertainer and The Woman Before (Royal Court Theatre). His television credits include Angie, Tribeca, Ill Behaviour, Dark Heart, The Collection, Inside No 9, Doctor Who, Da Vinci's Demons forwhich he won a BAFTA Cymru, Monroe, Twenty Twelve, Bedlam, A Bouquet of Barbed Wire, No Heroics, Poirot: An Appointment with Death, Freezing, Lost In Austen, Lewis, Casualty 1906 & 1907, Miss Marple - Ordeal By Innocence and Paparazzi. His film credits include Ghost Light, Starfish, Modern Life Is Rubbish, Pushing Dead, Kill Your Friends, St. Trinians 2, Happy Ever Afters, Return to The House on Haunted Hill, I Want Candy and A Few Days in September. 

Sarah Burgess' play Dry Powder was a 2016 recipient of the Laurents/Hatcher Award and a 2016 finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Dry Powder premiered at the Public Theater directed by Thomas Kail, starring Claire Danes, John Krasinski, Hank Azaria, and Sanjit De Silva. Her newest play Kings will receive its world premiere in 2018 at the Public Theater. Other plays include Camdenside (Ground Floor selection; Berkeley Rep; Kilroys list 2015) and FAIL: Failures (ANT Fest). Writer for The Tenant (Woodshed Collective) and “Naked Radio,” Naked Angels’ podcast series. Burgess has been a writer-in-residence at SPACE on Ryder Farm and the Cape Cod Theatre Project. WP Lab and Ars Nova Play Group alum.

Anna Ledwich returns to Hampstead Theatre following the critically acclaimed Labyrinth. Her other Hampstead productions include Kiss Me, Donny’s Brain, The Argument and the Olivier Award nominated Four Minutes Twelve Seconds Downstairs. Her other credits include The Stick House (Raucous Collective/Bristol Old Vic) and Lulu (Gate Theatre/Headlong) for which she received the New Directions Award. She was awarded the Michael and Morvern Heller Director's Bursary at Chichester Festival and is an Associate Director at Theatre 503 and co-Artistic Director of Theatre on the Fly at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Further casting to be announced in due course.

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