Alfred Molina Stars in Donmar Warehouse's Premiere of John Logan's Red, Starting Dec. 3

By Mark Shenton
03 Dec 2009

Red stars Eddie Redmayne and Alfred Molina
Red stars Eddie Redmayne and Alfred Molina
Photo by Hugo Glendinning

The world premiere of John Logan's Red begins performances Dec. 3, prior to an official opening on Dec. 8, for a run to Feb. 6, 2010. Alfred Molina returns to the London stage for the first time since 1992 to play artist Mark Rothko, with Eddie Redmayne as his assistant, in director Michael Grandage's production.

The play is described in press materials as a moving and compelling account of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, whose struggle to accept his growing riches and praise became his ultimate undoing. Under the watchful gaze of his young assistant and the threatening presence of a new generation of artists, Rothko takes on his greatest challenge yet: to create a definitive work for an extraordinary setting.

Logan's previous plays include Never the Sinner, Hauptmann, Speaking in Tongues, Scorched Earth and Riverview. His new adaptation of Ibsen's The Master Builder was seen in the West End in 2003. As a screenwriter, his work includes "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (Golden Globe Award), "The Aviator," "Gladiator," "The Last Samurai," "Any Given Sunday" and "RKO 281" (WGA Award).

Molina returns to the London stage to play Mark Rothko. His New York theatre credits include Howard Katz and Molly Sweeney (both for the Roundabout Theater Company in New York), The Cherry Orchard (Mark Taper Forum, LA), Fiddler on the Roof and Art (both Broadway). He was last seen on the London stage in a National Theatre production of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana in 1992, and the original London production of David Mamet's Speed the Plow, also at the National Theatre, in 1989. His films include "The Lodger," "The Da Vinci Code," "As You Like It," "Spiderman II," "Frida," "Chocolat," "Magnolia," "Boogie Nights," "Anna Karenina," "An Enchanted April", "Prick Up Your Ears" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

Redmayne has previously appeared at the Donmar in Hecuba. Other theatre work includes Now or Later (Royal Court) and The Goat (Almeida Theatre and Apollo Theatre). His television credits include "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," "Elizabeth I" and "In Search of Shakespeare"; and for film, "1939," "Powder Blue," "Yellow Handkerchief," "The Other Boleyn Girl," "Savage Grace," "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" and "The Good Shepherd."

Donmar artistic director Michael Grandage has previously directed The Chalk Garden, Othello, John Gabriel Borkman, Don Juan in Soho, Forst/Nixon, The Cut, The Wild Duck, Grand Hotel, Henry IV, After Miss Julie, Caligula and The Vortex at the theatre. He has also directed the Donmar productions of Guys and Dolls, Ivanov, Twelfth Night, Madame De Sade and Jude Law as Hamlet in the West End at Wyndham's. The latter subsequently transferred to Broadway, where it is currently running at the Broadhurst Theatre through Dec. 6.

The staging is designed by Christopher Oram, with lighting by Neil Austin and Adam Cork as composer and sound designer.

To book tickets, contact the box office on 0870 060 6624, or visit www.donmarwarehouse.com