ZapGossip

Tristan Gemmill and Michell Collins cast in Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party

Tristan Gemmill and Michelle Collins have been cast in ‘The Birthday Party’.
The two ‘Coronation Street’ alumni – who played Robert Preston and Stella Price during their respective stints on the soap, but didn’t cross over as co-stars – will be treading the boards on tour this year in the latest production of Harold Pinter’s 1957 dark comedy.
Michelle wrote on Twitter: "Can’t wait ! X (sic)"
The upcoming performances will be directed by Everyman Theatre creative director Paul Milton, with ‘Children of the Sun’ actor Paul Hickey also part of the cast.
The tour starts in Cheltenham in April, before moving onto the Lowry in Salford, the Oxford Playhouse, Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud, the Kings in Edinburgh, Norwich Theatre Royal, Cardiff New, and the Richmond Theatre before coming to an end in June at the Milton Keynes Theatre.
Pinter’s classic play – which has been described as a comedy of menace – is set in a boarding house, following a group of characters arriving on a birthday as sinister events unfold.
Tristan – who left ‘Corrie’ last year after Robert was killed off on Christmas Day (25.12.19) – has already been busy after departing the soap.
Over Christmas, he enjoyed a pantomime stint as villain Captain Hook in the Swansea Grand’s run of ‘Peter Pan’.
On Sunday night (12.01.20), he tweeted crocodile and Jolly Roger flag emojis, writing: "Panto done! What a fabulous experience at the marvellous
@SwanseaGrand with a truly delicious company of folk.
"Farewell Pan – I’ll get you next time!!
"Hooky-Wooky xxxxx (sic)"