Daniel Casey is making his Library Theatre debut in writer Caryl Churchill's remarkable play A Number, directed by Sarah Punshon, one of the country's hottest young directors working today. A Number is at the Library Theatre in Manchester between Thursday 23 April - Saturday 9 May. A Number begins when Bernard (Daniel Casey) discovers that rather than being his father's only son, he is in reality one of a number of genetically identical clones. As the play progresses, Salter, the father, played by John Benfield, confronts three of his sons and a series of astonishing revelations about his past come to light. Daniel now takes on the challenge in A Number of playing three identical men - Bernard 1, Bernard 2, and Michael - Salter's sons. He will be pounding the city's streets on his days off during rehearsals and once the production opens as he will be running the BUPA Great Manchester Run on Sunday 17 May in aid of Leukaemia Research. In putting the spotlight on one of early 21st century's most contentious issues - human cloning and the conflicting claims of nature versus nurture - A Number, described by Nicholas De Jongh  of the London Evening Standard as "the first true play of the 21st century," asks the audience to examine our individual identity. Are we really who we think we are?

Daniel Casey (Bernard 2) and John Benfield (Salter)

Salter, the father. He has also appeared on the big screen in films including Hidden Agenda, In the Name of the Father, and Charlotte Gray. Please note this production contains some strong language.

Sarah Punshon, who studied for a Master of Drama (Directing) degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama after graduating from Cambridge University with a First Class degree  in the History and Philosophy of Science in 2001, has worked at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. She has trained at the BBC in directing for TV, and has directed a number of episodes of Emmerdale and, most recently, EastEnders. John Benfield, who is familiar to TV viewers from programmes such as The Bill, Holby City, Dalziel and Pascoe, Inside Out, and Prime Suspect, plays   John Benfield (Salter) and Daniel Casey (Bernard 1)

Tickets are available from Manchester Library Theatre Library Theatre, Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester M2 5PD Box office: 0161 236 7110   PHOTOS BY GERRY MURRAY