David Hare’s Straight Line Crazy will make its world premiere in spring 2022 with Tony winner Ralph Fiennes in the lead role and Nicholas Hytner at the helm. The production will play London's The Bridge March 16–June 18.
Fiennes will star as Robert Moses, once one of the most powerful men in New York and the "master builder" of many new parks, bridges, and over 600 miles of expressways. Though never elected to office, he manipulated many with a mix of charm and intimidation.
Fiennes (Hamlet, Faith Healer), Hytner (One Man, Two Guvnors), and Hare (Skylight) previously collaborated on Hare's Beat the Devil, which ran at The Bridge in 2020.
Bob Crowley will design Straight Line Crazy. Further casting and creative team will be announced at a later time.
The Bridge has also announced full casting for Philip Pullman’s The Book of Dust–La Belle Sauvage, also directed by Hytner. The new stage adaptation by Bryony Lavery will run December 2–February 19, 2022.
The cast includes Julie Atherton, Holly Atkins, Wendy Mae Brown, Pip Carter, Samuel Creasey, Ella Dacres, Ayesha Dharker, Heather Forster, Naomi Frederick, Richard James-Neale, John Light, Dearbhla Molloy, Tomi Ogbaro, Sid Sagar, Nick Sampson, and Sky Yang.
Set 12 years before Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, the story centers on two young people caring for the child who holds the fate of the future.
Co-directors are Emily Burns and James Cousins with designs by Crowley, puppetry by Barnaby Dixon, lighting design by Jon Clark, sound by Paul Arditti, video designs by Luke Halls and Zakk Hein, and music by Grant Olding. James Cousins is movement director, Kate Waters is fight director, and illusions are by Filipe Carvalho.
