Conor McPherson's Uncle Vanya Sets West End Premiere with Toby Jones & Richard Armitage

A new adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya from playwright Conor McPherson will debut in London's West End in 2020. Ian Rickson will direct the production, set to feature Toby Jones (Glass) in the title role and Richard Armitage (The Hobbit) as Astrov. Previews will begin on January 14 ahead of a January 23 opening night at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Uncle Vanya is set in the heat of the summer at the turn of the 20th century, as Sonya and her uncle Vanya (Jones) while away their days on a crumbling estate deep in the countryside, visited occasionally only by the local doctor Astrov (Armitage). When Sonya's father suddenly returns with his beautiful new wife declaring that he intends to sell the house, the polite facades crumble and repressed feelings start to emerge with devastating consequences.

McPherson is known for his dark dramas including The Weir, Shining City, The Seafarer, The Night Alive, Port Authority, Dublin Carol and St. Nicholas. His acclaimed musical collaboration with Bob Dylan, Girl From the North Country, is scheduled to arrive on Broadway in the spring of 2020.

The new West End staging of Uncle Vanya will feature scenic design by Rae Smith, lighting design by Bruno Poet, sound design by Ian Dickinson and original music by Stephen Warbeck. Full casting will be announced soon.

The production is scheduled to play a limited engagement through May 2, 2020.