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Hartnett is main man in Old Vic's 24 Hour Plays
Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent11.11.08
JOSH Hartnett, Martin Freeman, Dervla Kirwan and Jessica Hynes are four of the stars who will take part in this year's 24 Hour Plays Celebrity Gala at the Old Vic.
The now annual fundraiser involves actors, writers and directors joining forces to create and present a series of six plays all within a day. This year the event, on 30 November, will be hosted by James Corden and Johnny Vaughan.
The night finishes with The 25th Hour, a post-show party with the stars at Plaza on the River, which supporters with the more expensive tickets can attend.
Previous 24 Hour participants have spoken of the risky nature of the venture. But it has not deterred willing participants. This year Jenny Agutter, Hugh Bonneville, Julia Davis, David Harewood, Sally Phillips, Tim Pigott-Smith, Michelle Ryan and Lia Williams are signed up. Hartnett is currently in Rain Man at the Apollo Theatre.
Kevin Spacey, artistic director of the Old Vic, said: "The 24 Hour Plays is a quite brilliant, exhilarating event for everyone concerned. We're delighted such a terrific cast of actors is already on board and Johnny and James have agreed to hold it all together as hosts.
"This is adrenaline-fuelled theatre and the audience is in for a real treat."
Joining the fun will be writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, the partnership behind TV comedy hits such as The New Statesman and Birds Of A Feather. Amelia Bullmore currently on stage at the Old Vic in The Norman Conquests, is taking part as a playwright.
Directors signed up to bring order to the mayhem include Anna Mackmin, Jonathan Munby and Bush Theatre artistic director Josie Rourke.
The event will raise cash for Old Vic New Voices, which works with young people to develop talent and build audiences. Ryan, currently in Merlin on BBC1 but best known for EastEnders, said she had wanted to take part as soon as she saw The Norman Conquests at the theatre: "It's such a dynamic incredible production. Then I remembered the 24 Hour Plays and was thinking that would be an exciting challenge.
"We will be completely exposed but in a really good way. I think it will be exhilarating, and it's about giving something back to the community." Tickets are £250 with pre-show drinks and post-show party; £125 with post-show party; or £75. The Old Vic has no public subsidy.
