By Mark Shenton
30 Oct 2009

The Donmar Warehouse is to revive Lanford Wilson's rarely-seen Serenading Louie and present the world premiere of writer Mark Haddon's playwriting debut with Polar Bears as part of its spring 2010 season. Further ahead, it will also stage a revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's 1994 Broadway musical Passion.

The theatre is continuing to extend its work overseas, with its productions of Strindberg's Creditors at BAM (running April 16-May 16, 2010) and Stephen Dillane reprising his reading of TS Eliot's Four Quartets at New York's Baryshnikov Arts Centre, as part of the Lincoln Center's Great Performers Series (running Dec. 2-3).

In a press statement, artistic director Michael Grandage, currently represented on Broadway by his Donmar production of Hamlet, has commented, "There will be seven Donmar productions playing at home and around the world in the coming months."

He added, "I am also delighted to announce that in honour of Stephen Sondheim's long association with the Donmar Warehouse, the theatre will lead the U.K. celebrations to mark the composer's 80th birthday — Jamie Lloyd will direct a new production of Passion alongside a number of events to acknowledge this very special occasion."

Lloyd is currently also represented abroad by his Donmar production of Piaf playing at the Liceo Theatre in Buenos Aires through Feb. 28, with Elena Roger reprising her Donmar Warehouse performance in the title role.

Lanford Wilson's 1970 play Serenading Louie will begin performances Feb. 11, 2010 (prior to an official opening Feb. 16), for a run through Mach 27, and subsequently embark on a three-week tour to the Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays (March 30-April 3, 2010), the Cure in Leicester (April 6-10, 2010) and the Hall for Cornwall in Truro (April 13-17, 2010). Wilson's play is described in press materials as "a timeless portrait of two suburban American couples," exploring "the destruction of dreams and the loss of passion and hope."

In the play, Carl and Alex, who have been friends since college, are struggling to deal with the harsh realities of adulthood as they enter their thirties. Disillusioned by work and struggling to keep their marriages alive, they're desperately trying to make sense of it all.

Simon Curtis directs, with designs by Peter McKintosh, lighting design by Guy Hoare and composer and sound design by Adam Cork. Curtis, who has previously ran the Royal Court's Theatre Upstairs (where he directed the world premiere of Jim Cartwright's Road, and subsequently staged the play at New York's Lincoln Center), has also directed Cartwright's The Rise and Fall of Little Voice for its American premiere at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, which subsequently transferred to Broadway. For TV, his credits include directing "Cranford," "A Short Stay in Switzerland," "Freezing" and Pinter's "Old Times" with John Malkovich. As executive producer of performance at the BBC he was responsible for over 50 productions including Poliakoff's "Shooting the Past" and "Pride." Wilson's other plays include the Pulizer-prize winning Talley's Folly as well as Home Free!, Balm in Gilead, The Rimers of Eldritch, Lemon Sky, The Hot L Baltimore, Fifth of July, Angels Fall, Burn This, Redwood Curtain, Sympathetic Magic, Book of Days and Rain Dance.

Serenading Louie will be followed by the world premiere of Mark Haddon's debut play Polar Bears, beginning performances April 1, 2010 (prior to an official opening April 6), for a run through May 22. According to press materials, the play portrays "one man's struggle to love, support and live with someone suffering from a psychological condition." John has never met anyone like Kay. When the moon is in the right phase, she is magnetic and amazingly alive. But when the darkness closes in, she is lost to another world, a world in which John does not belong.

Jamie Lloyd directs, with designs by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Jon Clark, and music and sound design by Ben and Max Ringham.

Lloyd is associate director of the Donmar, where he has directed Piaf and readings as part of the TS Eliot Festival and the Tennessee Williams season. He has also re-directed Michael Grandage's Donmar production of Guys and Dolls for Australia and was associate director for the run at the West End's Piccadilly Theatre. Other West End credits include Richard Greenberg's Three Days of Rain at the Apollo Theatre and Pinter's The Lover and The Collection presented in a double-bill at the Comedy Theatre. In January, he will direct the West End premiere of Douglas Carter Bean's The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick Theatre.

Writer Mark Haddon's work as an author includes "A Spot of Bother," "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" (winner of the Whitbread prize, Guardian children’s fiction prize, The British Book Awards – Children's Book of the Year & Literary Fiction Award and Book Trust Teenage Fiction Award), "The Real Porky Philips," "Agent Z" and "Titch Johnson – Almost World Champion." For television, his work includes "Coming Down the Mountain," "Fungus the Bogeyman" (adapted from Raymond Briggs' book, INDIE Award for Best Children's Programme), "1000 Ships," "Hot Cakes" and "Microsoap"(BAFTA, RTS and Broadcast Award for Best Children’s Programme, New York TV Festival – Gold Award, and Munich's Prix Jeunesse Award).

Priority booking for Donmar members for Serenading Louie and Polar Bears opens Nov. 16, with public booking from Dec. 14. Booking dates for Passion will be announced at a later date. To book tickets, contact the box office on 0844 871 7624, or visit www.donmarwarehouse.com