Closer will be directed by David Leveaux, and Temple by Howard Davies, both of whom have what Rourke described in a press statement as "deep-rooted connections to the Donmar." Leveaux is a former associate director of the theatre during Sam Mendes' regime, and Davies ran the theatre when it was the RSC's new writing studio in the late 1970s.
Closer will begin performances Feb. 12, 2015, prior to an official opening Feb. 23, for a run through April 4. The cast will comprise Nancy Carroll as Anna, Oliver Chris as Dan, Rachel Redford as Alice and Rufus Sewell as Larry. In the play, Dan rescues Alice. Anna photographs Dan. Larry meets Anna online. Alice rescues Larry. According to press materials, "This is London at the end of the twentieth century, where lives collide and fates change in an instant. Strangers become lovers and lovers become strangers."
Marber has previously been represented at the Donmar by his plays plays After Miss Julie, Don Juan in Soho and his adaptation of Arthur Wing Pinero's Trelawny of the Wells. Leveaux has previously directed Donmar Warehouse productions of The Late Middle Classes, Zoë Wanamaker’s Olivier Award-winning performance in Electra, The Real Thing (also Albery Theatre and Broadway) and the musical Nine.
The Vote will begin performances April 24 for a run through May 7 only. It reunites director Josie Rourke and writer James Graham from their Donmar collaboration on Privacy. Described in press materials as a "real-time play for the stage and television," it is set in a fictional polling station during the last 90 minutes of the poll. It will use cutting edge fixed rig technology to bring the production into homes across the U.K. on Channel 4's More4 on the last night of its run at the Donmar, which is the night of the next U.K. general election.
In a press statement, John Hay, Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor of Art, commented, "Channel 4 arts programming is all about collaborating with artists who can offer us new perspectives on contemporary social and political issues, so this is a perfect project for us. The use of the rig, and the creation of a moment when the drama exactly parallels real life, promise a ground-breaking piece of event television. We’re very excited to be working with the Donmar on it." Temple will begin performances May 21 prior to an official opening May 27, for a run through July 25. A fictionalized account of the events that took place during the 2011 Occupy demonstration outside St. Paul’s Cathedral, it will star Simon Russell Beale as the cathedral's Dean. Beale has previously appeared at the Donmar in The Philanthropist, Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya (for which he won the 2003 Olivier Award for Best Actor).
Tickets for The Vote will be available via a ballot, details of which are still to be announced. Public booking for the rest of the season opens Nov. 26. To book tickets, contact the box office on 0844 871 7624, or visit www.donmarwarehouse.com.
