Cast for All's Well That Ends Well at the RSC announced

The casting has been announced for the RSC's production of All's Well That Ends Well.

Starring in the show, which opens on 16 August in Stratford-upon-Avon, will be Bruce Alexander (King of France), Laila Alj (First Soldier), Micah Balfour (Older Dumain), Oscar Batterham (Lord/Second Soldier), Claire Benedict (The Countess), Sophie Cartman (Rinaldo/Duke of Florence), Callum Coates (Gentleman), Simon Coates (Lafeu), Matthew Duckett (Lord/First Gentleman), Will Edgerton (Lavache), Jessica Layde (Mariana), Funlola Olufunwa (Widow), Olivia Onyehara (Diana), Ewan Orton (Lord/Escalus), Thom Petty (Second Gentleman), Joeravar Sangha (Lord), Eloise Secker (Younger Dumain), Rosie Sheehy (Helena), Jamie Wilkes (Parolles) and Benjamin Westerby (Bertram).

The show follows a young woman whose unrequited love sparks a major political palaver, thanks largely to the petulance of the man she adores.

Blanche McIntyre, who directs the production, said: "I am so excited to have the chance to direct Shakespeare's most modern comedy at the RSC. All's Well that Ends Well, as full of grief and nostalgia as romance and adventure, with its story of sexual politics, class prejudice and generation gaps, would always have felt contemporary.

"But the fantasy relationships and fake identities in the play make it a perfect match for our anxious, idealistic, lonely, social-media-addicted age."

The creative team features Richard Howell (lighting), DJ Walde (music), Gregory Clarke (sound), Douglas O'Connell (video), Asha Jennings-Grant (movement and intimacy) and Kate Waters (fights).

The show is part of the RSC's 2022 summer season, which was announced earlier this year.

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