The Old Vic announces Summer/Autumn Season; Kevin Spacey returning to Old Vic stage

The Old Vic has announced its programme for Summer/Autumn 2014. 

The CQS Space, The Old Vic in the round, will be home to the whole season of productions, continuing after Other Desert Cities which opens this month. The plays will be performed in the round, a transformation of The Old Vic’s auditorium first seen for the award-winning 2008 production of The Norman Conquests. 

In June 2014, Kevin Spacey stars in a compelling one-man play about the pioneering lawyer of 19th century America, Clarence Darrow, in a limited run in aid of The Old Vic, directed by Old Vic Associate Thea Sharrock, who returns following the success of Cause Célèbre. 

Multiple award-winning director and playwright of international acclaim, Yaël Farber will direct Arthur Miller's riveting modern classic The Crucible which opens in July 2014. Her productions of Mies Julie and Nirbhaya have toured the world, including London, New York and the Edinburgh Festival and garnered wide international critical acclaim. 

From October 2014, Sophocles' Electra, in a version by Frank McGuinness, will reunite director Ian Rickson with Kristin Scott Thomas, in a co- production with Sonia Friedman Productions.

Kevin Spacey said: "I am thrilled to be returning to The Old Vic stage, for the first time performing in the round, such an exciting transformation of our Old Vic space for actors and audiences alike. As I celebrate ten years at the helm of this very special theatre it feels great to be returning to the character of Clarence Darrow, whom I played both onstage in Inherit the Wind and 22 years ago in the PBS film Darrow, directed by one of my House of Cards collaborators, John Coles. 

"I am particularly pleased to be working with Thea Sharrock, one of the most exciting directors of her generation. With Other Desert Cities about to open and this new raft of productions announced to follow this is a diverse programme of classic and new work which we are very proud to present to theatre goers, as we close our tenth season of work and open our eleventh season this September. 

"To present Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is an honour and I am delighted to be joining forces with Ian Rickson and Kristin Scott Thomas and our long- time co-producer Sonia Friedman to come together with Electra. I know our audience will be excited by this programme and I can’t wait to be back on stage myself."

Follow @West_End_Frame