Cast announced for Almeida Bakkhai with Ben Whishaw

Full casting has been announced for the Almeida Theatre's upcoming production of Bakkhai, part of its Greeks season.

As previously announced, Ben Whishaw makes his Almeida debut as Dionysos, and Bertie Carvel who returns to the venue as Pentheus in James Macdonald's production.

They'll be joined in the principal cast by Kevin Harvey, who appeared in Mike Bartlett's Game at the Almeida earlier this year.

The chorus will include Amiera Darwish, Eugenia Georgieva, Kaisa Hammarlund, Helen Hobson, Hazel Holder, Melanie La Barrie, Elinor Lawless, Catherine May, Louise Mills and Belinda Sykes.

According to press material:

Pentheus has banned the wild, ritualistic worship of the god Dionysos. A stranger arrives to persuade him to change his mind. Euripides' electrifying tragedy is a struggle to the death between freedom and restraint, the rational and the irrational, man and god.

Design is by Antony McDonald, with light by Peter Mumford, sound by Paul Arditti, composition by Orlando Gough and musical direction by Lindy Tennent-Brown. Choreography is by Jonathan Burrows and Gillie Kleiman. Casting is by Anne McNulty.

Bakkhai, which will use a new version of Euripides' text by Anne Carson, runs from 23 July to 19 September 2015.