Be Near Me

Showing at: Donmar Warehouse

Box Office: 0870 060 6624 (Booking opens 17 November)

Age: General

Genre: Play

Sub Genre: Drama

Be Near Me follows David Anderton, an Oxford-educated Catholic priest who is assigned to a parish in a dispirited Scottish town on the Ayrshire coast. Lonely and adrift he befriends two unstable teenagers from the local school and is drawn into their exotic world. As events spin out of control he is forced to face his greatest trial yet.

Adapted for the stage by actor, writer and director Ian McDiarmid, from Andrew O’Hagan’s Booker Prize-nominated novel, Be Near Me is a lyrical story about love, morality and regret.

In addition to adapting Be Near Me, McDiarmid also plays the lead role of Father Anderton. The performer, whose credits include Six Characters In Search Of An Author (Gielgud theatre) and Tony-winning Broadway hit Faith Healer, returns to the Donmar Warehouse where he previously appeared in John Gabriel Borkman and Pirandello’s Henry IV. The former Artistic Director of the Almeida theatre, McDiarmid’s film appearances include Sleepy Hollow, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and the Star Wars series.

Be Near Me is directed by John Tiffany, Associate Director of the National Theatre of Scotland, which co-produces the production. Tiffany’s credits include the much-lauded Black Watch, The Bacchae, Elizabeth Gordon Quinn and Home: Glasgow.

O’Hagan’s novel Be Near Me was published in 2006. His other works include Our Fathers, which was shortlisted for both the Booker and Whitbread First Novel Awards, Personality and The Atlantic Ocean.

Following its run at the Donmar Warehouse, Be Near Me embarks on an eight-week UK tour.

Performance Details

  • previews from: 22 Jan 2009
  • opening night: 26 Jan 2009
  • closing: 14 Mar 2009

show times: Mon-Sat 19:30, Mats Wed & Sat 14:30

ticket prices: £15-£29 (previews £13-£24)

Assisted Performances

captioned performance: By STAGETEXT on Mon 23 Feb at 19:30 T: 020 7845 5813/5822 E: access@donmarwarehouse.com  E:  access@donmarwarehouse.com

audio described performance: By VocalEyes on Sat 28 Feb at 14:30 (Touch Tour at 13:30) T: 020 7845 5813/5822 E: access@donmarwarehouse.com  E:  access@donmarwarehouse.com

sign language interpreted performance: By Jacqui Beckford on Mon 16 Feb at 19:30, tickets £12 T: 020 7845 5822  E:  access@donmarwarehouse.com

 

cast: Ian McDiarmid, Blythe Duff, Kath Howden, David McGranaghan, Richard Madden, Helen Mallon, Colette O'Neil, Jimmy Yuilll

author: Andrew O'Hagan

director: John Tiffany

sound: Gareth Fry

lighting designer: Guy Hoare

designer: Peter McKintosh

producer: Donmar Warehouse in a co-production with the National Theatre of Scotland

 

map: View Map

address: Earlham Street, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9LX

nearest tube: Covent Garden (275m)

nearest bus: 14, 19, 24, 29, 38, 176

parking: Westminter City Council car park at Cambridge Circus. NCP at Drury Lane and Upper St Martin's Lane. Meters in Earlham Street and Mercer Street. 1 Disabled parking bay outside theatre.

air conditioned: Yes

 

Assisted Performance Booking Information

Access Booking: Tel: 020 7845 5813 Fax: 020 7240 4878  EMAIL:  access@donmarwarehouse.com

Accessible Facilities Venue Information

discounts: Discounts available for disabled theatregoers and their companions.

limited mobility: Aisle seats have the most legroom, except row A in the Stalls. C9 and C30 in the Stalls have unlimited legroom.

access description: A portable ramp can be placed over the 15cm step into entrance on Earlham Street. Box office counter is straight ahead from the Earlham Street entrance. Lift up to all floors of the auditorium, to the right of the box office counter. All staircases have handrails on both sides and steps are highlighted. Stalls up 26 steps from the foyer and have one step between rows. Circle up 48 steps from the foyer, with one step between rows. The Stalls is level, the Circle is raked.

hearing impaired: Infra-red system with 8 headsets. Headsets can be collected from the Box Office. Returnable deposit of credit card or driving licence required. Portable induction loop at the Box Office.

guide dogs policy: Guide dogs are allowed in the auditorium, alternatively staff are happy to dog-sit. The theatre can accommodate 4 guide dogs per performance.

wheelchairs: Slight slope up from the lift to the back of the Stalls. 1 space for a wheelchair user in the Stalls. Up to 4 wheelchair transfer seats available. Wheelchair/Scooters are stored beside the Box Office.

toilets: Women’s and men’s off the Circle bar, off the foyer and 4 steps up from the Stalls.

disabled toilets: Adapted toilet off Circle bar.

bars: 2 licensed bars. No steps to both the Stalls and the Circle bars. Both have fixed seating and limited space. Drinks may be taken into the auditorium in plastic cups, or brought to customers.

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