Design For Living

Design For Living

Design for Living

The Old Vic is looking forward to staging a host of high quality shows later in 2010 and amongst them there will be various acting talents to bring them to life. One of them is the actress Lisa Dillon, who will be starring in both “A Flea in Her Ear” and “Design for Living” and with the latter she will also be starring alongside Tom Burke and Andrew Scott, whilst Anthony Page directs. It is likely to be a compelling performance as the “Cambridge Spies” star inhabits one of three morally questionable characters, whose attitude towards relationships is shocking and flippant.

Noel Coward’s classic play has been around since the 1930s, where it was successfully staged both in New York and over here in London, whilst also being immortalised in a 1933 movie. Now it makes the journey to the Old Vic Theatre where it will be presented to new audiences under the direction of Anthony Page, who brings with him his years of experience directing shows for Broadway and British television.

The plot follows four characters, three of whom – Gilda, Leo and Otto – have questionable standards when it comes to dating. We watch them as their lives change and their attitudes stay the same over the course of three and a half years, with the show beginning as Gilda and Otto live together in a relationship. But when their art dealer friend Ernest informs Gilda of the arrival of Leo, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems, with Gilda having already slept with Leo the night before. Fast-forward in time and Gilda is now seeing Leo, with Otto arriving back on the scene to rekindle Gilda’s feelings. But instead of getting back with him she turns her back on them both, instead turning her attentions to Ernest, whose trust she will hurt once again two years later as Otto and Leo return to get her back.

Actor Tom Burke is a young performer who has appeared in various shows in the last decade, including the likes of “Casanova” and “Donkey Punch”, with theatre credits that include “Creditors” at the Donmar Warehouse.

Design for Living starts its run at the Old Vic Theatre on Wednesday 15th September 2010 (with previews from Friday 3rd September 2010) and continues to Saturday 27th November 2010.