(c) Daniel Sutka, Ruth Crafer, YellowBaby

The Young Vic Theatre today announces casting for The Earthworks directed by Andrea Ling, the 2023 Genesis Future Directors Award recipient. Written by Olivier Award winner Tom Morton-Smith (My Neighbour Totoro, Oppenheimer at the RSC), it will be in the Young Vic’s Clare Theatre from 26 March to 6 April.

Olivier Award nominated actress Natalie Dew (Mates in Chelsea, Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical) will play Clare, Mark Edel-Hunt (Leopoldstadt, Sister Boniface Mysteries) will play Fritjof and Anemone Rasmussen makes her professional theatre debut as Herta.

The universe doesn’t care if we know how it works.

A hotel bar in Geneva, the night before the Large Hadron Collider is switched on. A woman walks up to a man. She’s a journalist, trying to write a career-defining article, and he is a scientist, still reeling from a recent loss. What could have an obvious ending, turns into a story of two people’s worlds colliding for a brief, yet life-changing moment. The Earthworks is a moving and hilarious exploration into carrying the weight of grief and knowing when it’s time to let go.

The creative team is completed by Designer Emma Bailey, Lighting Designer Bethany Gupwell, Sound Designer XANA, Movement Director Chi-San Howard and Casting Director Polly Jerold.

Made possible by the Genesis Foundation, the Genesis Future Directors Award provides early-career directors with the opportunity to explore and develop their craft by creating their first fully resourced production at the Young Vic, with mentoring and support from the theatre’s core artistic team including Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah and Taio Lawson, Genesis Fellow / Associate Director.

Since its inception in 2012, the Genesis Future Directors Award has supported 16 emerging directors and theatre-makers. Among them are Diyan Zora, who directed Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? this summer at Chichester Festival; Debbie Hannan, Associate Director at the National Theatre of Scotland; Nancy Medina, Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic; Matthew Xia, Artistic Director and joint CEO of Actors Touring Company; Lekan Lawal, Artistic Director of Eclipse Theatre; Tinuke Craig, who directed August Wilson’s Jitney in 2022 at Leeds Playhouse and the Old Vic.

Natalie Dew (Clare) has appeared across stage, television and film. Her recent credits include Mates in Chelsea at the Royal Court, The Capture (BBC), and Sandylands (Gold). Natalie received an Olivier nomination for portraying Jess Bhamra in Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical (West End) and returns to the Young Vic where she previously played Olivia in Twelfth Night.

Mark Edel-Hunt (Fritjof) has appeared across stage and screen. He most recently appeared in Leopoldstadt (West End) with recent television credits including All The Light We Cannot See (Netflix), Sister Boniface Mysteries (BBC), The Royal Mob (Sky) and The White Princess (Starz).

Anemone Rasmussen (Herta) is a recent East 15 Acting School graduate. The Earthworks will be her professional debut.

BSL Performance: Thu 4 April 2024, 7.45pm

Captioned Performance: Fri 5 April 2024, 7.45pm

Audio Described Performance: Sat 6 April 2024, 7.45pm

Book tickets for Earthworks