IRISH actor Pauline McLynn has been announced among the cast for the West End transfer of Mark Rylance’s hit play Dr Semmelweis.
The play tells the story of one medicine’s greatest pioneers, maverick Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis.
Dr Semmelweis was determined to discover what caused many women to die during childbirth in the mid-19th century and went on to pioneer the use of antiseptic handwash by the clinicians delivering the babies.
However he struggled to get the medical community to believe his findings and was left distraught by thoughts of the many women who died as a result of his work being ignored.
The full company of Dr SemmelweisThe production, which was originally developed by the National Theatre Studio and first staged by Bristol Old Vic, will see the celebrated actor Mark Rylance returning to the stage in the title role.
McLynn will play Anna Müller, the nurse who can see the truth in Dr Semmelweis’ findings, where his medical peers cannot.
The production also features 10 ballet dancers and the Salome string Quartet.
Directed by Tom Morris and co-written by Stephen Brown and Rylance, the play, which is based on an original idea by Rylance, opens at the Harold Pinter Theatre next month.
It will run from July 11 until October 7, with previews from June 29.
For tickets click here.
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