Laura Dos Santos, Tim Pigott-Smith, Meera Syal Set for West End Willy Russell Season

The Menier Chocolate Factory’s productions of Willy Russell’s Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine will transfer to the West End’s Trafalgar Studios, to run July 8-October 30. as The Willy Russell Season.

Jeremy Sams and Glen Walford, respectively, have directed the productions..
Tim Pigott-Smith and Laura Dos Santos star in Educating Rita and Meera Syal reprises her portrayal of the title character in Shirley Valentine.

The creative team for both production includes Peter McKintosh (production design), Paul Anderson (lighting design) and David Ogilvy (sound design).

Pigott-Smith received a 2010 Olivier Award nomination for his performance as Ken Lay in Enron. Among his many other theater credits are Pygmalion, Little Nell, Hecuba and Mourning Becomes Electra. On the big screen he has been seen in such films as Alice in Wonderland, Quantum of Solace, V for Vendetta and Bloody Sunday.

Dos Santos most recently starred opposite Bill Nighy in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Educating Rita. Her previous theatre credits include We Will Be Gone, Look Back In Anger, Stags and Hens, On The Middle Day and The Morris.

Syal is best known for her television work including Goodness Gracious Me, The Kumars at Number 42, Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee, My Sister Wife and Beautiful People. Later this year she will be seen in the new series of Dr Who playing geologist Nasreen Chowdhury opposite Matt Smith. Her theatre work includes Rafta Rafta, The Vagina Monologues and Serious Money.

For further information, visit: www.willyrussellseason.com