Haydn Gwynne plays Thatcher opposite Mirren’s Queen in The Audience

Haydn Gwynne will play Margaret Thatcher opposite Helen Mirren as The Queen in next year’s premiere of Peter Morgan’s new play The Audience.

It’s also been announced that Robert Hardy will play Winston Churchill and Paul Ritter John Major in the play, which centres on the weekly meetings between the Queen and her Prime Ministers.

Stephen Daldry‘s production will preview at the Gielgud Theatre from 15 February 2013 (opens 5 March) and is currently booking to 15 June 2013. 

Haydn Gwynne reunites with Daldry having played Mrs Wilkinson in the world premiere of Billy Elliot The Musical, a role she later recreated on Broadway where she won the Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.  She can currently be seen on tour playing Stephanie Abrahams opposite William Gaunt in Duet for One.

Paul Ritter‘s recent credits include the National Theatre’s acclaimed production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which recently announced a West End transfer.

Robert Hardy has played Churchill seven times, including Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years and most recently in Celui qui a dit Non in Paris.  His extensive theatre career includes four seasons in Stratford for the Royal Shakespeare Company and two seasons at the Old Vic.

The Audience is produced in the West End by Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions, Robert Fox and Andy Harries.