Amanda Ryan will play Joy Davidman in Shadowlands

The 2016 national tour of William Nicholson’s Shadowlands, directed by Alastair Whatley, will open on 18th February at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Shadowlands will tour until 30th July, to cities including Birmingham, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Exeter and Richmond, with further dates to be announced.

The cast of the play will star Stephen Boxer (The Iron Lady, Doctors) as C.S. Lewis, Tony Slattery (Whose Line is it Anyway?) as Major W.H. Lewis 'Warnie', and Amanda Ryan (Shameless) as Joy Davidman.

They will be joined by Simon Shackleton as Professor Christopher Riley, Jeffrey Harmer as Rev Harrington, Ian Marr as Alan Gregg, Richard Holliday as Dr Maurice Oakley and Shannon Rewcroft as Douglas. Holly Smith and Alistair Higgins will play multiple supporting roles.

Synopsis

Shadowlands tells the love story of C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters, and American poet Joy Davidman.

What begins as a formal meeting of two very different minds slowly develops into a feeling of connection and love. Lewis finds his quiet life disrupted by the outspoken Davidman, whose uninhibited behaviour offers a sharp contrast to the rigid sensibilities of the male-dominated university where he works.

Each provides the other with new ways of viewing the world, but Lewis’s Christian faith is tested when Joy is diagnosed with cancer.

More about the play

Shadowlands won the Evening Standard Drama Award for Best Play in 1990 and Nicholson was nominated for a Tony Award when it transferred to Broadway.

The film version, which starred Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger, won Best British Film at the 1994 BAFTAs and Nicholson was nominated for Best Screenplay.

This revival of the production is produced by Birdsong Productions, the people behind the recent touring productions of Birdsong and Flare Path.

Group travel organisers should contact their chosen venue for group rates and discounts.

For further information visit www.shadowlandstour.com.