Theatre News

Casting announced for RSC's Love’s Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing

Lisa Dillon joins Edward Bennett who reprises his roles from the 2014 productions

Edward Bennett as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing
Edward Bennett as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (2014)
© Manuel Harlan

The RSC have announced casting for their returning productions Love's Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing.

Christopher Luscombe will return to direct the productions in which Edward Bennett will reprise his roles. Bennett will be joined by Lisa Dillon who takes over from Michelle Terry.

Bennett, who will play Berowne in Love’s Labour's Lost and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, has theatre credits including Photograph 51 (Noel Coward Theatre) and Hamlet (Novello Theatre) whilst Dillon, who will play Rosaline in Love’s Labour's Lost and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, recently starred in The Roaring Girl at the RSC and Birthday at the Royal Court.

The RSC's 2014 pairing of Love’s Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing (or Love’s Labour's Won) arrives in London over Christmas, following runs at Chichester Festival Theatre and Manchester Opera House.

Most of the 22-strong original cast will also return with the show. The full cast includes Sam Alexander, John Arthur, William Belchambers, Paige Carter, Rebecca Collingwood, Nick Harris, Nick Haverson, John Hodgkinson, Tunji Kasim, Emma Manton, Chris McCalphy, Peter McGovern, Chris Nayak, Jamie Newall, Steven Pacey, Roderick Smith, Jamie Tyler, Harry Waller, Anna Wheatley and Leah Whitaker.

The productions will feature design by Simon Higlett and composition by Nigel Hess.

Read our review of Love Labour's Lost here.

Love's Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing will run at Chichester Festival Theatre from 24 September to 29 October, Manchester Opera House from 23 November to 3 December and Theatre Royal Haymarket from 9 December 2016 to 18 March 2017.