Former EastEnders star James Bye to play Mr Darcy in new stage production
Known for portraying Martin Fowler in BBC’s EastEnders, James Bye will play Mr Darcy in the stage adaptation of PD James’ Death Comes To Pemberley.
Former EastEnders star James Bye will play “romantic leading man” Mr Darcy in the stage production of a Jane Austen-inspired murder mystery.
Bye is best known for playing Martin Fowler in the BBC soap EastEnders until he was killed off during the 40th anniversary live episode earlier in February and he also competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022.
The 41-year-old will take the lead role of Fitzwilliam Darcy in the world premier stage production of crime novelist PD James’ Death Comes To Pemberley.
He said: “I am leaving EastEnders on an absolute high after the explosive live 40th anniversary episode.
“After a decade of gritty storylines it’s going to be quite a switch to put on period clothes as one of literature’s romantic leading men, but I can’t wait for this new chapter to begin.”
The best-selling murder mystery is inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice characters and follows the lives of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet six years after they got married.
Living on their Pemberley estate, their lives are turned upside down when Elizabeth’s sister, Lydia, shares the news that a man was murdered in the woods, casting doubt on everyone’s innocence.
The stage whodunnit is directed by Joe Harmston and was adapted by Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff, the team behind the stage adaptations for The Girl On The Train and The Da Vinci Code.
PD James, also known as Baroness Phyllis Dorothy James White, was a crime novelist known for her poet-detective Adam Dalgliesh mysteries.
The production will tour from May through to September starting at The Mill at Sonning from May 1 to June 28 before moving on to the Theatre Royal in Windsor from July 22 to 26 and the New Theatre in Cardiff from July 29 to August 2.
From August the production will be staged at the Theatre Royal in Bath from August 5 to 9, before moving to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford from August 12 to 16, the Churchill Theatre in Bromley from August 19 to 23 and Wycombe Swan Theatre from August 26 to 30.
The production will wrap up at the Theatre Royal in Brighton from September 2 to 6 with final performances at Richmond Theatre in London from September 9 to 13.
