Initial casting announced for Wars of the Roses at Rose Theatre Kingston
Rose Theatre Kingston has announced the initial casting for The Wars of the Roses, with Joely Richardson, Robert Sheehan and Kåre Conradi leading the company for the productions this autumn.
Trevor Nunn is reviving John Barton and Peter Hall's landmark Shakespearean trilogy, adapted from Shakespeare's Henry VI Parts I, II & III and Richard III. The cycle was first produced to great acclaim at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963 – this is its first revival since.
Joely Richardson – best known for her TV appearances in The Tudors and Nip/Tuck – plays Queen Margaret whose story runs through all three plays. Other theatre credits include Lady Windermere’s Fan (Theatre Royal Haymarket), and Steel Magnolias (Lyric Theatre).
Misfits star Robert Sheehan plays Richard III. Previous theatre credits include The Playboy of the Western World (The Old Vic).
Norwegian actor Kåre Conradi plays Edward IV. His credits with the National Theatre of Oslo include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet and Little Eyolf.
Speaking to WhatsOnStage, Nunn said: "I was lucky enough to be in the audience at Stratford-upon-Avon when the production was first performed, and it was an absolutely astonishing achievement. Doing a revival is a way that I can celebrate the extraordinary careers of my great friends John Barton and Peter Hall."
But he emphasised the production at the Rose, which runs from 3 to 31 October 2015 (previews from 16 September), will not be a "replica" of the original, which featured a cast including Peggy Ashcroft, Donald Sinden and Ian Holm.
The production will reunite Nunn with his long term collaborator designer John Napier who, with Mark Friend, will "transform the Rose's auditorium".
The acting company will comprise over 20 professional actors, combined with a local community chorus to complete the ensemble. It will be the largest company to play the Rose's stage since the theatre opened in 2008.
