Full casting has been announced for A Child of Science at Bristol Old Vic theatre.
Written by Gareth Farr and directed by Matthew Dunster (Shirley Valentine, 2:22 A Ghost Story), A Child of Science tells the pioneering story of Robert Edwards, Patrick Steptoe and Jean Purdy’s creation of IVF, and the army of women whose bravery helped them achieve the impossible.
Tom Felton (Harry Potter film franchise, 2:22 A Ghost Story, DC’s The Flash) stars as maverick doctor Robert Edwards, Jamie Glover (Waterloo Road) plays obstetrician Patrick Steptoe, Meg Bellamy (Kate Middleton in The Crown) plays embryologist Jean Purdy and Adelle Leonce (A Discovery of Witches) plays Margaret, representing the hundreds of anonymous women who took part in the gruelling medical trials.
Sonoya Mizuno (House of the Dragon, La La Land, Annihilation, Crazy Rich Asians) plays roles including philanthropist Lillian Lincoln Howell and Sheena Steptoe.
The cast is completed by Saikat Ahamed, Gruffudd Glyn, Bobby Hirston, Amy Loughton, Bebe Sanders and Everal A Walsh.
Of the acting company, Matthew says: “I’m very excited about the actors that are heading to Bristol to work with me on Gareth Farr’s extraordinary, revelatory and emotional play. I’ve worked with Tom Felton recently in the West End and I know what a terrific stage actor he is, and I’ve admired so many of our other actors from afar, not least Meg Bellamy in her detailed and sensitive portrayal of Kate Middleton in The Crown recently. This will be Meg’s stage debut, and she and the rest of this exciting ensemble are raring to go and can’t wait to bring this story to life at Bristol Old Vic.”
Gareth Farr, Matthew Dunster and their partners were only able to have children thanks to the science of IVF. The creative team was very carefully selected so that this personal story was told by a diverse and passionate group of artists, many of whom have their own fertility stories.
The creative team includes set design by Anna Fleischle, costume and associate set design by Angelica Rush, lighting Desig by Sally Ferguson, sound design by Holly Khan, music composed by Genevieve Dawson, video design by Gino Ricardo Green, Hair and Make Up design by Zoë Louise Gale and Associate Director Alix Harris .
A Child of Science runs from 5 June to 6 July 2024 at Bristol Old Vic.
