Theatre might have been crippled by the pandemic, but Broadway in New York has a saviour, and his name is Mr Paul Mescal. Yep, the star of everybody’s favourite weepy lockdown binge Normal People has been announced as one of the three main cast members in a virtual reading of Kenneth Lonergan’s This is Our Youth.
The play, which first debuted Off-Broadway in 1996, starring none other than Mark Ruffalo, follows three teenagers caught in the whirlwind world of Manhattan’s Upper West Side during Reagan’s America.
It takes place in the apartment of a character known as Dennis Ziegler, and focuses on his friendship with the freshly homeless descendant of a lingerie tycoon called Warren, and a fashion student called Jessica. While we’re not sure what role Paul will play specifically, he’ll be appearing alongside the excellent Oscar-nominee Lucas Hedges and The Meyerowitz Stories star Grace Van Patten.
Other actors who’ve appeared in productions of the play in the past include Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin and Tavi Gevinson. Though this version won’t be the full staged production (we assume Paul will be tuning in remotely from Greece, where he’s shooting Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut), it will be a pleasant reminder of that beautiful feeling that sitting in a theatre brings.
The best bit about this? The exclusive one-time performance will be available to watch worldwide via TodayTix by clicking this link here. You’ve just got to select your donation amount (minimum $5) and tune in for the main event next Tuesday 20 October.