ROS WILL BEGUILE AS YELENA

ROSALIND ELEAZAR has been chosen by director Ian Rickman and producer Sonia Friedman to play Yelena, the married woman who beguiles her admirers in Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Toby Jones takes the title role, with Richard Armitage as the doctor who sees Yelena as a goddess.

There has been a lot of buzz about the brilliant Ms Eleazar, left. She won plaudits for her performance in the BBC production of Howards End. Likewise for her role in Kenneth Lonergan’s play The Starry Messenger at Wyndham’s Theatre (opposite Matthew Broderick) and for her Agnes, opposite Dev Patel, in director Armando Iannucci’s sublime film version of The Personal History Of David Copperfield.

Uncle Vanya, using a new adaptation by Conor McPherson, will start previews at the Harold Pinter Theatre on January 14. It also stars Aimee Lou Wood as Sonya, Ciaran Hinds as the professor, Anna Calder-Marshall as Nana, Dearbhla Molloy as Grand Maman and Peter Wight as Telegin.