Sophie Hunter and her husband Benedict Cumberbatch are preparing to welcome their first baby soon, but the pregnant theatre director has no plans to slow down. The 37-year-old has taken on two projects this year, and this summer will direct Phaedra at the Beckett Festival.
Speaking about the tragedy written by British composer Benjamin Britten, Sophie said she was hoping to create "an intimate experience in an epic space".
"At the heart of it is the story of a woman who has taken in poison and is dying over 15 minutes," she added to the BBC. "The music mimics the effect of the poison that is coursing through her veins."
Sophie Hunter will direct Phaedra at the Beckett Festival this summer
Sophie has chosen the ruined Necarne Castle as her set. The piece will be debuted at the annual festival held in Northern Ireland, which has been running for the past four years and celebrates the life and works of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett.
The festival will take place from 31 July to 10 August, by which time Sophie and Benedict are expected to have welcomed their little bundle of joy.
While her new play has melancholic overtones, Sophie's home life couldn't be happier. She and Benedict married on Valentine's Day on the Isle of Wight, after announcing their engagement in November.
The newlyweds will have just welcomed their first baby together when the paly starts
The Sherlock star chose to reveal his engagement news in a very traditional manner, by posting an eight-line note in the "Forthcoming Marriages" section of The Times.
The couple wed in front of family and friends including Tom Hiddleston at the 12th century Church of St. Peter and St. Paul on the small island, followed by a reception at the Mottistone Manor. The venue held particular significance for pregnant Sophie, who is related to the Nicholson family who once owned the manor.
Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch married on Valentine's Day
The bride showed little signs of her growing baby bump in her Valentino custom-made silver grey wedding dress, which defied the traditional choice of white.
Sophie's exquisite gown featured a high neckline, empress waist, long sleeves and a sweeping train, and was embroidered with motifs of vines and pomegranates.
"It seemed to encapsulate everything I'd been speaking about," Sophie told Vogue at the time. "It feels very much of nature, and it's so detailed and extraordinary that I'm still trying to get my head around how beautiful it is."