New Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Josie Rourke Announces Inaugural Season

London's Donmar Warehouse has announced its first productions under the supervision of incoming artistic director Josie Rourke, who will succeed Tony winner Michael Grandage beginning January 1, 2012.

The season kicks off with Rourke directing George Farquhar’s classic comedy The Recruiting Officer in a production that will run February 9 through April 14. Robert Holman’s Making Noise Quietly, directed by Peter Gill, will follow from April 19 through May 26. A new version of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s satirical drama The Physicists by Jack Thorne will begin May 31 for a limited engagement through July 21. 

"These three plays present three firsts for the Donmar and open my inaugural season as the new artistic director," Rourke said in a statement. "With Farquhar's dark and sparkling comedy, The Recruiting Officer, written in 1706, we will present a play from this era on the Donmar's stage for the first time. With Robert Holman and Peter Gill we are drawing together two of the great lyrical voices of British theatre who, astonishingly, have never worked together before. The variety of this work, from a classic comedy to a contemporary lyrical British drama, through to a European rediscovery in a version by one of our most exciting young playwrights both offers something new and celebrates what is rightly loved about this extraordinary theater space.”

The company also announced that Anthony Weigh will serve as associate artist, with Michael Bruce appointed as composer in residence, a first-time position for the company. Rourke is currently the artistic director at London's Bush Theatre and previously worked as the Donmar’s resident assistant director scheme in 2000.