Philip Seymour Hoffman to Direct Riflemind in the West End

Philip Seymour Hoffman is set to direct the European premiere of Andrew Upton's Riflemind. The play, which will begin performances at Trafalgar Studios on September 15 and open on September 18, stars John Hannah and Paul Hilton.

Twenty years after their frontman walked offstage for good, the iconic rock band Riflemind is set to get together again. For John Hannah, a reunion might be his second chance; for his wife Lynn Susan Prior, it could be the end of the world as she knows it... As the band descends upon John's country manor, one weekend fast becomes the ultimate test of talent, friendship and loyalty. Hannah is best known for his roles in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sliding Doors and he is co-The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. His theater credits include Neil LaBute's The Mercy Seat at the Almeida and Miss Julie at the Young Vic.

Hilton has starred in many London stage productions including Rosmersholm at the Almeida Theatre, The Wild Duck at the Donmar Warehouse and Mourning Becomes Electra at the Royal National Theatre.

Riflemind, directed by Hoffman, originally premiered in 2007 at the Sydney Theatre Company in 2007, where Upton is the co-artistic director. In addition to Hannah and Hilton and original cast member Prior, the West End production features Australian cast members Steve Rodgers and Jeremy Sims.

Oscar-winning actor Hoffman is co-artistic director of the LAByrinth Theater Company in New York. His LAByrinth directing credits include the world premieres of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Our Lady of 121st Street, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train and In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings, each written by Stephen Adly Guirgis. As an actor, his most recent theater credits include Jack Goes Boating The Public Theater, Long Day's Journey Into NightBroadway, The Seagull The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival and True West Broadway. Hoffman's forthcoming films include The Boat That Rocked, Synecdoche, NY and Doubt.

Riflemind will launch a new phase of international collaboration for Trafalgar Studios as a producing house in the West End. Sydney Theatre Company, whose joint artistic directors are playwright Upton and his wife, actress Cate Blanchett, will join Trafalgar as an associate company of the venue. As an associate company, STC and Trafalgar will jointly develop new work, forming an international creative bridge in both directions.