Full casting announced for RSC Hamlet with Jonathan Slinger

Actress Charlotte Cornwell is set to return to the RSC after an absence of 32 years to play Gertrude in David Farr’s new production of Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

The production, which runs from 14 March until 28 September 2013, stars Jonathan Slinger as Hamlet alongside Greg Hicks as Claudius and Pippa Nixon as Ophelia.

Part of the final season programmed by Michael Boyd as outgoing artistic director of the RSC, the cast is part of an ensemble cross-cast in three Shakespeare plays for the Summer 2013 season – Hamlet, As You Like It and All’s Well That Ends Well.

Charlotte Cornwell last appeared in the RSC’s London run at The Warehouse in 1980 in Much Ado About Nothing, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Bastard Angel. Her more recent theatre credits include Carlotta in The Cherry Orchard and Mrs Lintott in The History Boys at Centre Theatre Group in Los Angeles 2008. Her numerous TV and film credits include the 1970s classic Rock Follies and more recently Family Affair and The West Wing.

The cast also includes: Karen Archer (Player Queen), Cliff Burnett (Player King), Kiza Deen (Courtier), Daniel Easton (Reynaldo), David Fielder (First Gravedigger/Voltemand), Dave Fishley (Barnardo), Michael Grady-Hall (Osric), Rosie Hilal (Second Gravedigger), Chris Jared (Fortinbras), Mark Holgate (Francisco), Natalie Klamar (Courtier/Student/Player), Luke Norris (Laertes), Oliver Ryan (Rosencrantz), Robin Soans (Polonius), John Stahl (Priest/Player), Samuel Taylor (Marcellus), Nicolas Tennant (Guildenstern) and Alex Waldmann (Horatio).

David Farr said: “I am thrilled to be directing Hamlet in Michael Boyd’s final season. He has been a remarkable person to work with for the four years I have been associate under him. Jon Slinger is one of the great classical actors of his generation and I love working with him. He has an emotional access that is truly rare. This will be the fifth time Greg Hicks and I have worked together. He is a fabulously powerful Shakespearean actor, and to see him and Jon Slinger face off against each other should be something special. I am also thrilled to be working with Charlotte Cornwell, Robin Soans and Pippa Nixon for the first time. It’s a great company.”