London Downton Abbey News

Downton Abbey star Laura Carmichael, who plays Lady Edith, is making her West End debut alongside Anna Friel in a production of Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Our correspondent Lucrezia Millarini went along to meet her:

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Anna Friel told London Tonight that she is "absolutely loving" performing in her first Chekhov play.

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Anna Friel, Laura Carmichael, Samuel West and Ken Stott have united onstage in Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece Uncle Vanya.

Directed by Lindsay Posner and adapted by Christopher Hampton, this new production has opened at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Vanya (Ken Stott), Yelena (Anna Friel), Astrov (Samuel West) and Sonya (Laura Carmichael) are all in love, with the past, with ideals and with each other.

As their universe shifts around them they struggle to keep their emotions at bay in this comedy of the trials and tribulations of the human condition.

Laura Carmichael is best known for playing Edith Crawly in the TV series Downton Abbey.

Anna Friel returns to the stage after a run as Holly Golightly in the West End production of Breakfast at Tiffanys.

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Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville hosts two charity fundraisers at the Royal Albert Hall this Sunday to raise money for leukaemia and lymphoma research.

Bonneville is taking a day off from filming series three of the hit TV drama to preside over the Night of 1000 Voices spectacular.

He'll be joined by a host of West End musical stars including Bonnie Langford, Kerry Ellis and Clive Rowe as well as the City of London Philharmonic orchestra.

Charity chief Cathy Gilman said: "We are so happy the musical theatre community supports us with such open hearts".

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