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Miller & McCrory Lead As You Like It to Wyndham’s

As previously tipped (See The Goss, 18 Feb 2005), Sienna Miller (pictured) and Helen McCrory will star in a new West End production of As You Like It. The Shakespearean comedy, directed by Young Vic artistic director David Lan, will open on 21 June 2005 (previews from 3 June) at Wyndham’s Theatre, where it will have a limited season to 3 September.

Rosalind (McCrory) and Celia (Miller) have been banished from Court. In fear of their lives, they disguise themselves (as a boy and a pauper) and seek sanctuary in the Forest of Arden. Amongst the magical and ancient boughs, Rosalind discovers her exiled father, uncovers various truths about herself and others, and falls helplessly in love with Orlando (to be played by Dominic West). But in this earthly paradise nothing is quite what it seems: men do not always act like men, and women can be anything at all.

A multi award-winning stage actress, McCrory has recently been seen at the Donmar Warehouse, Old Times and Sam Mendes’ farewell productions of Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya. Her many other theatre credits, at the National, Almeida, Donmar and elsewhere, include, Trelawny of the Wells, Blood Wedding, Fuenieovejuna, Devil’s Disciple, The Seagull, Triumph of Love, Platonov and Five Gold Rings. On screen, she’s been seen in the likes of Anna Karenina, Lucky Jim, The Jury, Charlotte Gray, The Count of Monte Cristo, Hotel Splendide and Enduring Love.

Though now best known as Jude Law’s actress-fiancée and fashion icon, Miller has appeared in the films Layer Cake and Alfie (on the set of which she met Law). West’s credits include: on screen, 28 Days, Metal God, Nicholas Nickleby and Surviving Picasso; and on stage, Design for Living on Broadway, De La Guarda, The Seagull and The Country Wife.

As You Like It is designed by Richard Hudson and produced by Sonia Friedman Productions in association with the Young Vic. Despite its South Bank home being closed since last July for a two-year, £12.5 million refurbishment, the Young Vic has been working prodigiously on other projects. Its productions of Simply Heavenly and the Icelandic Romeo and Juliet both transferred to the West End, its Sleeping Beauty was staged at the Barbican before New York and Lan’s own production of A Raisin in the Sun is now running at the Lyric Hammersmith ahead of a UK tour.

Not long after Miller, McCrory and co get under way in the West End, the Royal Shakespeare Company will mount its own production of As You Like It, as part of this year’s Comedies collective in Stratford-upon-Avon. Directed by Dominic Cooke, the RSC production stars Lia Williams as Rosalind and this year’s Best Supporting Performance Olivier winner Amanda Harris as Celia. It runs in repertory at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 17 August (previews from 5 August) to 13 October 2005.

- by Terri Paddock

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