Jessica Raine: Returning to stage for space odyssey is a dream come true

Actress Jessica Raine says her latest role, in a futuristic play set on Pluto, is “a dream come true” because of the inspiring writing.

Raine, who starred in period drama Call The Midwife, plays a crew member on a research base that has lost contact with Earth in X at the Royal Court Theatre.

She told the Standard appearing at the Sloane Square venue had been on her bucket list — and praised the play’s “fantastic” writer, Alistair McDowall.

“I was just aching to be on that stage,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be at this theatre, I’ve always come to it and watched plays here.

“This is a complete dream come true because my philosophy is, ‘The writer is king’. For me it’s always about the writer and the play, so I’m thrilled.”

Raine, who appeared in Wolf Hall and also recently starred opposite David Walliams in Partners In Crime, married Mr Selfridge actor Tom Goodman-Hill last September.

She said: “It’s been about two years since I’ve been back on stage and I knew that I really needed to work those muscles again.

"But I also knew I couldn’t do any old play, I wanted to do something that meant a lot to me. This play means an awful lot to me. I can’t even tell you why — it’s got a lot of heart and soul embedded in the writing.

“I feel very inspired by this play. Alistair has a fantastic head on his shoulders, he lives in Manchester and doesn’t get too whizzed up by hype which is really good. I just know he’s going to keep writing excellent plays.”

McDowall, whose first major hit Pomona transferred to the National last year, admitted the subject matter of his latest work is “not going to be for everyone”.

He said: “It’s got the trappings of science fiction but actually it’s more a psychological drama.

"It’s important to me that at every point — no matter how weird it gets — there is something recognisable about it.”