Originally premiered at the National Theatre in a production directed by Richard Eyre and starring Michael Gambon and Lia Williams, it subsequently transferred to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre, and then Broadway's Royale Theatre in 1996, with Gambon and Williams reprising their London performances. It was revived in the West End in 1997, when Nighy first starred in it.
In the play, set on a bitterly cold London evening, schoolteacher Kyra Hollis (Mulligan) receives unexpected visits from her former lover, Tom Sergeant (Nighy), a successful and charismatic restaurateur whose wife has recently died, as well as Tom's son Edward (Beard). As the evening progresses, Kyra and Tom attempt to rekindle their once passionate relationship only to find themselves locked in a dangerous battle of opposing ideologies and mutual desires.
Mulligan will make her West End stage debut in Skylight. Previous stage credits include The Seagull at the Royal Court (subsequently transferring to Broadway's Walter Kerr) and Through a Glass Darkly at New York Theater Workshop in Atlantic Theater Company's production. Film credits include "An Education" (2010 Best Actress BAFTA), "Inside Llewellyn Davis," "The Great Gatsby" and "When Did You Last See Your Father?" She has recently finished filming "Far From the Madding Crowd," directed by Thomas Vinterberg, due for release later this year. She begins filming "Suffragette," directed by Sarah Gavron and written by Abi Morgan, later this month.
Nighy has previously appeared in London in David Hare's plays Pravda, Map of the World and the 1997 production of Skylight, and on Broadway in the world premiere of The Vertical Hour. Film credits include "Love Actually," the pirate captain Davy Jones in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End" and Minister Rufus Scrimgeour in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Park One." He has also been seen recently in "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," "Wrath of the Titans" and "Total Recall." Last year saw him in "Jack and the Giant Slayer" and "About Time." As well as Skylight, his other 2014 projects include "I, Frankenstein," "Pride" and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2." He will also be reunited with David Hare for "Turks & Caicos" and "Salting the Battlefield," his second and third instalments of "The Worricker Trilogy" television series.
Beard, who will make his stage debut in Skylight, has appeared on film as Blake Morrison in "And When Did You Last See Your Father?" (nominated for Best Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards and the Evening Standard Film Awards), "An Education" (appearing alongside Carey Mulligan), "One Day," "Chat Room" and "The Look of Love." Later this year he will be seen in the film adaptation of Laura Wade's "Posh," as well as "The Imitation Game" and "Singularity." In 2012 he starred in the TV miniseries "Labyrinth," which aired on Channel 4 and in The Movie Network’s 2013 miniseries "Rouge," opposite Thandie Newton. The production will be designed by Bob Crowley with lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Paul Arditti and music by Paul Englishby. It is produced in the West End by Robert Fox Limited.
To book tickets, contact the box office on 0844 482 5120 or visit www.SkylightWestEnd.com.
