Anthony’s seen the cranes go up.ÌýHe’s living in the Capital of Culture.ÌýSo why is it that everything in the Dingle area of Liverpool feels the same? What’s a boy to do if he wants to talk about the latest subtitled film and drink green tea? Anthony plans his escape, but when you go away what do you leave behind? The play is written by Jonathan Larkin, a graduate of the Everyman and Playhouse Young Writers’ Programme. Paradise Bound is Jonathan’s first play and was originally developed through the Young Writers’ Programme.ÌýAn earlier draft of the play was performed under the title Master of None, in a rehearsed reading during the theatres’ Everyword new writing festival in 2004. Critically acclaimed director Sue Dunderdale directs a cast featuring Ciaran Griffiths (The Bill), Michael Ryan (Dream Team), Mary Jo Randle (The Lakes) and Kerry Peers (Billy Liar) at the Everyman from Friday 28 April – Saturday 20 May 2006.
 | | Jonathan Larkin - photo by Jim Connolly. |
Ciaran Griffiths makes his Everyman debut as Anthony. Best known to television audiences as PC Gary Best in The Bill, he will soon be appearing on the ±«Óãtv in Jimmy McGovern’s new drama The Street.ÌýPlaying his best friend, Danny, is Liverpool actor Michael Ryan, with theatre credits for The Doll Tower (Unity), Road and Hayfever (Neptune) and Dracula at the Everyman in 2000.ÌýMichael plays Dean Boyle in Sky One’s Dream Team and his film credits include the John Lennon biopic, In His Life.Ìý Playing Danny’s abandoned Mum, Kathleen, is esteemed actress Mary Jo Randle.Ìý RADA trained Mary Jo has many theatre credits including What’s In The Cat? (Contact, Manchester and Royal Court Upstairs) The Memory of Water (Hampstead), Divine Right (Birmingham Rep), Revello (Soho) and As You Like It for the RSC.ÌýHer television credits include Bernie in The Lakes I and II, Cutting It, Inspector Morse, Between the Sheets and as DS Jo Morgan in The Bill.Ìý Kerry Peers makes a very welcome return to Liverpool after her role as mum Alice Fisher in Billy Liar (Playhouse) in February 2006.Ìý Kerry will play Kathleen’s best friend, Ann.Ìý Her theatre credits include Streetcar Named Desire and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Clwyd Theatr Cymru), Be My Baby and The Government Inspector (Oldham Coliseum) and in 2003 won a Manchester Evening News Award for Brighton Beach Memoirs (Oldham Coliseum). Sue Dunderdale is a freelance director and writer, and is also the Head of the Directing Course at RADA.Ìý She has been Artistic Director of Pentabus Theatre Company, the Soho Theatre and Greenwich Theatre.ÌýThis is her Everyman debut, following a successful production of Mrs Pat by Pam Gems at the York Theatre Royal.ÌýOther directorial credits include Bottle Universe (The Bush Theatre); Cold Hands (Theatre 503, Battersea); Squint (The Chelsea Theatre); and Killing the Cat (Royal Court Theatre). In 2004 she wrote and directed her first short film, Last Laugh and has directed and written numerous dramas for television. Paradise Bound
Friday 28 April – Saturday 20 May 2006
Liverpool Everyman, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1
Evenings at 7.45pm
Box Office: 0151 709 4776 | 
