Theatre News

Full casting announced for Donmar’s Roots

Full casting has been announced for the Donmar Warehouse’s forthcoming revival of Arnold Wesker’s Roots.

Jessica Raine
Jessica Raine
© Dan Wooller

As previously reported, James Macdonald’s production will star Jessica Raine and Linda Bassett. It opens on 8 October 2013 (previews from 3 October) and continues to 30 November.

Joining Bassett and Raine in the cast are: David Burke, Lisa Ellis, Ian Gelder, Nic Jackman, Michael Jibson, Carl Prekopp and Emma Stansfield.

Roots, billed as “the exquisite centrepiece of Wesker’s seminal post-war trilogy”, is a portrait of a young woman finding her voice at a time of unprecedented social change.

It’s 1958. Beatie Bryant has been to London and fallen in love with Ronnie, a young socialist. As she anxiously awaits his arrival to meet her family at their Norfolk farm, her head is swimming with new ideas. Ideas of a bolder, freer world which promise to clash with their rural way of life.

Jessica Raine (playing Beatie) is best known for playing the lead role in BBC drama Call the Midwife. Her theatre credits include The Changeling (Young Vic), Rocket to the Moon, Earthquakes in London, Gethsemane and Harper Regan (all National Theatre), Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith) and Ghosts (West End).

Linda Bassett (playing Mrs Bryant) has previously performed at the Donmar in Phaedra, while other recent stage credits include In Basildon and Love and Information at the Royal Court.