Second Half Productions have begun rehearsals for their upcoming production of Long Day’s Journey into Night, which will begin previews at Wyndham’s Theatre from 19 March 2024.
Evening Standard Theatre Award-winner Laurie Kynaston (Spring Awakening, The Son, Fool Me Once) joins the production in the role of Edmund Tyrone, replacing Anthony Boyle who has had to withdraw due to personal reasons. You may remember that Boyle was a replacement for Alex Lawther who had to withdraw himself due to a scheduling conflict.
Laurie will star alongside Emmy award-winner Brian Cox (Succession) who will play James Tyrone, Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning actress Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects) as Mary Tyrone, BAFTA award-nominee Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) as James Jr and Louisa Harland (Derry Girls) as Cathleen.
Following his recent acclaimed productions of Ulster American, A Mirror and Best of Enemies, director Jeremy Herrin’s new production will bring into sharp focus the universality of O’Neill’s beautifully crafted characters and language. Long Day’s Journey into Night is designed by Lizzie Clachan with lighting design by Jack Knowles, sound design by Tom Gibbons, movement by Polly Bennett, voice by Hazel Holder, and casting by Jessica Ronane CDG. The associate director is Justina Kehinde.
Often regarded as the greatest American play of the 20th Century, O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize-winning piece depicts a summer day in the life of the Tyrones, closely based on O’Neill’s own dysfunctional family. Moving and inspiring in equal measure, O’Neill’s masterpiece is a compelling story of love, hate, betrayal, addiction and the impossible fragility of family bonds.
Long Day’s Journey into Night will run at Wyndham’s Theatre from 19 March – 8 June 2024 with opening night on Tuesday 2 April 2024. Fifty seats at £25 are available for every performance throughout the run.
Laurie Kynaston is currently starring in Netflix’s hit series Fool Me One as well as The Doll Factory for Paramount+. He can also be seen starring opposite Bel Powley in Disney+ series A Small Light, the Showtime/CBS series The Man Who Fell To Earth alongside Chiwitel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris and Netflix’s The Sandman written by Neil Gaiman.
Following his standout performance in the Olivier Award nominated production of Spring Awakening at the Almeida as the lead Melchior, Laurie led the cast of the Royal Court’s Mates In Chelsea. He is the winner of the Best Emerging Talent Award at the 65th Evening Standard Awards for his title role in The Son directed by Mike Longhurst for the Duke of York’s Theatre, West End. The Evening Standard Rising Star 2017 and Screen Star of Tomorrow 2018, Laurie previous credits include Caitlin Moran’s feature How To Build A Girl for Film4 and “Krissi” the young male lead opposite Beanie Feldstein in ITV drama Des.
