Atonement announces casting update with Siân Phillips withdrawing from the show

The stage version of Ian McEwan’s Atonement has given a casting update.

The well-known novel will be adapted for the stage by Christopher Hampton and receive its world premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre, running from 29 May to 20 June, with a press night on 5 June. The production is directed by Adam Penford.

Set on an English country estate during the summer of 1935, the story follows 13-year-old Briony Tallis, who witnesses an encounter between her elder sister Cecilia and Robbie, the son of the family’s housekeeper. Briony’s accusation following the incident has lasting consequences for those around her, and the narrative spans from the 1930s, through the Second World War, and to the decades beyond.

Siân Phillips will no longer play the older Briony Tallis, with Jessica Turner stepping into the role. Performances will continue as planned.

Also in the cast are Miriam Petche as Cecilia, Jasper Talbot as Robbie and Isabella Dempster as the younger Briony. The company also includes James Backway, Tom Chapman, Yanexi Enriquez, Debra Gillett, Gabin Kongolo, Natasha Magigi and Jonathan Oliver.

Phillips said today: “It is with heartfelt regret that I have had to step back from my role in Christopher Hampton’s brilliant version of Atonement at Chichester Festival Theatre. I adored every single moment of my time rehearsing with the wonderful director Adam Penford.

“The production will be fantastic and I aim to see it just as soon as I am able. I would also like to express my grateful thanks for all the extraordinary kindness shown to me by Justin Audibert and his brilliant team.”

McEwan’s novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and has been listed by Time Magazine and the Guardian among the 100 greatest novels of the past century. It was then adapted into a much-loved film starring Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan and James McAvoy.

The stage adaptation is by Hampton, whose previous work includes The Philanthropist and Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the latter winning the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Play and currently being revived at the National Theatre.

Penford is artistic director of Nottingham Playhouse, where his recent productions include James Graham’s Punch, which has also been staged in the West End and on Broadway. He previously directed The Sound of Music in Chichester in 2023.

The creative team includes designer Anthony Ward, lighting designer Aideen Malone, composer and sound designer Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, movement and intimacy director Ben Wright, video designer Andrzej Goulding, and casting director Helena Palmer.