Corrie star Gray O’Brien to play Rebus at York Theatre Royal
TV star Gray O'Brien is heading to York to play legendary detective John Rebus in a new play at the Theatre Royal.
Gray, best known for his roles in Coronation Street, Casualty and Peak Practice, will take on the role of Rebus, the fictional hero of Ian Rankin's best-selling detective novels and TV dramas.
Rankin has co-written a new crime story exclusively for the stage, Rebus: A Game Called Malice.
It will be coming to York Theatre Royal from October 15-19.
Starring alongside Gray will be Abigail Thaw and Billy Hartman.
The new story has been crafted by Rankin and Simon Reade.
It is set at a dinner party in an Edinburgh mansion where the hostess has created a murder mystery game.
A murder needs to be solved, but the guests have secrets of their own, threatened by the very game they are playing.
And among them is Inspector John Rebus.
The publicity notice for the play reads: "True crime is his calling. Is he playing an alternative game, one to which only he knows the rules? There are suspects, clues and danger with every twist and turn - and a shocking discovery will send this game called Malice hurtling towards a gasp-inducing conclusion."
Rankin is the award-winning bestselling author of more than 30 novels. His books have been translated into 36 languages and have been adapted for radio, the stage and the screen.
His Rebus novels have dominated the crime fiction market for decades and the BBC recently broadcast a new adaptation of his Rebus stories starring Outlander's Richard Rankin as the infamous detective.
As an added bonus for York Rebus fans, Ian Rankin and members of the company will take part in a post show discussion on October 18.
Gray O'Brien is best known for his portrayal of the Weatherfield businessman Tony Gordon in Coronation Street from 2007–2010, and as Richard McCaig in the BBC medical drama Casualty from 1996–1998.
For more information and tickets, visit: yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
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