Rula Lenska to star in new play Evelyn, written by Tom Ratcliffe

Evelyn will run between 3-12 June at Mercury Theatre and then 23rd June-16th July at Southwark Playhouse.

Inspired by real life events, Evelyn is a story of mob-justice in modern day Britain that interrogates the question: when is justice really served?

The production takes a no-holds-barred look at vigilantism, social media, and our collective quickness to judge, to scorn, to threaten and sometimes, to attack.

Rula takes on the role of unsuspecting landlady Jeanne who takes pity on Sandra, a stranger who might not be who she says she is …

The premise of Evelyn saw writer Tom Ratcliffe shortlisted for the 2016 intake of the Old Vic 12 before the play reached the longlist of 27 plays for the 2017 Verity Bargate Award. The play has also been longlisted for the Papatango New Writing Prize and the Theatre503 playwriting Award.

Since her breakthrough in Rock Follies in 1976, Rula has appeared in numerous movies, television programmes and stage productions. Her credits include EastEnders, Doctor Who, One Foot In The Grave and Footballers’ Wives. She also had the joint leading role with her friend John Inman in the 1981 comedy series Take A Letter Mr Jones.

Rula is probably best known in recent years for the role of Claudia Colby – a business and love rival of Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) in Coronation Street, which she played between 2009-2011 and 2018-2021.

In 2006, Rula appeared on the fourth series of Celebrity Big Brother and created one of the show’s most memorable moments when she engaged in some cat owner / cat roleplay with politician George Galloway.

01 June – 12 June 2022: Mercury Theatre, Colchester www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/event/evelyn/
23rd June – 16 July 2022: Southwark Playhouse https://www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/the-large/evelyn/