World premiering at the Donmar Warehouse, “The King’s Ransom” is set in 1977 Memphis and stars Cox as Vince Black, a small-time crook who is offered the opportunity of a lifetime. “The plan is simple: Kidnap Elvis Presley’s corpse. Stash him in a chest freezer. Collect the million-dollar ransom,” the play’s synopsis says. “Vince assembles a crack team of misfits and dropouts to attempt the heist of the century.”
The ensemble includes “The Inbetweeners” star Blake Harrison as Rusty, Tom Fletcher as Charlie, Matthew Flynn as Mr. Bluefield, Leo Patrick as Jessie Lee, Jenny Rainsford as Rhonda/ Jenny, Christopher Short as Elvis, Cherrelle Skeete as Mike and Ronnie Yorke as Red, with the role of Martha played by Ruby Barker, Eira Kay and Trixie Willis.
Matthew Dunster (“2:22: A Ghost Story,” “The Hunger Games on Stage”) directs. “The King’s Ransom” will open on Dec. 16, with previews starting Dec. 5, and runs through Feb. 6, 2027.
“The King’s Ransom” creative team includes set designer Anna Fleischle, costume designer Jean Chan, lighting designer Sally Ferguson, sound designer Holly Khan, illusion designer Chris Cox, fight and intimacy directors Ruth Cooper-Brown and Rachel Bown-Williams of Rc-Annie, and casting director Lotte Hines CDG.
