The Country Girl is the powerful story of washed-up actor Frank Elgin, a desperate and demanding alcoholic who is offered a comeback chance to star in the next Broadway play by hotshot director Bernie Dodd. Believing the actor’s long-suffering wife Georgie is the reason for his decline, Bernie strikes up a stormy relationship with her - but in 1950s New York how far will a woman go to redeem the man she loves?

Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove, stars of the multi-award-winning BBC drama Judge John Deed, are reunited to appear on stage together for the very first time, in this prestigious tour prior to the West End. They take on the roles played by Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand on Broadway in 2008, and by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the Oscar-winning 1954 movie version, with direction by Rufus Norris, whose credits include the Critics Circle and Evening Standard Award-winning ‘Festen’ and Olivier Award-winning production of ‘Cabaret’.

Martin Shaw’s most recent stage appearance was in the West End hit A Man for All Seasons: ‘Martin Shaw is magnificent’ (Daily Express). His role in the iconic TV series The Professionals ensured his status as a British screen idol of the era, whilst more recently Martin is best known for starring in George Gently.  He is joined by his co-star from Judge John Deed Jenny Seagrove, whose many starring screen roles include: Emma Harte in A Woman of Substance, The Betrothed with Burt Lancaster and Don’t Go Breaking My Heart with Anthony Edwards. Jenny’s extensive theatre credits have seen her play lead roles in almost every West End playhouse. Her most recent West End performance was in Peter Hall’s critically-acclaimed production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Bedroom Farce, which followed her starring in the West End premiere of A Daughter’s A Daughter, described as: ‘the finest performance of her career’ (Daily Telegraph). Bernie Dodd is played by Mark Letheren, whose numerous TV and theatre credits include lead roles in Wire in the Blood, Silent Witness and Cloud 9 at the Almeida Theatre.