The Hired Man – Jenna Russell and John Owen-Jones lead cast

John Owen-Jones and Jenna Russell (pictured below) will lead the cast of a concert version of The Hired Man at the Cadogan Hall

Jenna Russell and John Owen-Jones will take centrestage in this September’s special concert presentation of Howard Goodall and Melvyn Bragg’s The Hired Man at London’s Cadogan Hall.

Russell (Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park With George) will star opposite John Owen-Jones (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera) in the roles of John and Emily in the one-off event on 22 September.

Owen-Jones is currently performing as Jean Valjean on Broadway, while Russell was most recently seen in Jamie Lloyd’s production of Doctor Faustus at the Duke of York’s Theatre.

Also in the cast are Matthew Seadon-Young (Billy Elliot, Urinetown) who will appear in the role of Jackson, while John’s brothers Isaac and Seth will be played by Nigel Richards (The Phantom of the Opera) and Stewart Clarke (Assassins) respectively. Clarke’s parents, actors Paul Clarkson and Julia Hills, created the roles of John and Emily in the original production of The Hired Man.

Completing the front line as May is Evelyn Hoskins, currently appearing in Alan Ayckbourn’s Hero’s Welcome in New York and recently seen in Carrie at Southwark Playhouse and Wonder.land at the National Theatre.

Based on Melvyn Bragg’s 1969 novel, the first of the author’s best-selling Cumbrian Trilogy was transformed into an award-winning musical in 1984 by Bragg and composer Goodall.

As previously announced, the performance will be narrated by Bragg and directed by Samuel Hopkins.
The first major concert presentation of the show in over 20 years, The Hired Man at Cadogan Hall’s creative team will be designed by Barret Hodgson and produced by Andrew Linnie who will also serve as conductor.

Angela Thomas