West End Return of Emma Rice's Brief Encounter Announces Full Casting

Isabel Pollen and Jim Sturgeon will star in the new West End mounting of Emma Rice's acclaimed take on Noël Coward's Brief Encounter. The previously announced production has booked the Empire Cinema Haymarket as its venue, with previews beginning on March 2, 2018 and an opening set for March 11. Prior to the West End, Brief Encounter will play Birmingham Repertory Theatre from February 2-17 and The Lowry, Salford from February 20-24.

In Brief Encounter, a chance meeting in a railway station café brings together Laura (Pollen) and Alec (Sturgeon). The award-winning Kneehigh production of Brief Encounter, which was originally produced at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, played the West End in 2008 and Broadway in 2010 prior to a worldwide tour.

Joining Pollen and Sturgeon in the cast will be Lucy Thackeray as Myrtle, Beverly Rudd as Beryl, Jos Slovick as Stanley and Dean Nolan as Fred/Albert, with Katrina Kleve and Peter Dukes. Brief Encounter will feature design by Neil Murray, with lighting by Malcolm Rippeth, original music by Stu Barker, sound by Simon Baker and projection by Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll.

Look back at the sweeping Broadway production of Brief Encounter in the montage below.