Cast set for First Folio comedy ”The Book of Will”’s European premiere

Casting has been set for Lauren Gunderson’s award-winning comedy The Book of Will, making its European premiere.

A co-production from Octagon Theatre Bolton, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, and Shakespeare North Playhouse, the piece will feature a stellar cast of ten actors and will be directed by the Octagon’s artistic director Lotte Wakeham.

The production will run at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 27 April to 13 May, before transferring to Octagon Theatre Bolton from 17 May to 3 June and Shakespeare North Playhouse from 19 October to 11 November.

The cast includes Hollyoaks stars Jessica Ellis and Helen Pearson, Zach Lee (Coronation Street), Tomi Ogbaro (Seagulls), Carrie Quinlan (John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme), Russell Richardson (Last Tango in Halifax), Callum Sim (Coronation Street), Tarek Slater (The Jungle Book), Bill Ward (Emmerdale), and Andrew Whitehead (The Book Thief).

The Book of Will tells the comedic story of The King’s Men as they band together for a near-impossible plan – to collect all of Shakespeare’s plays and compile the First Folio. Directed by Lotte Wakeham, the play takes the audience on a race against time through 1620s London.

The creative team includes Carla Goodman as the designer, Simeon Miller as the lighting designer, Andy Graham as the sound designer, Jonnie Riordan as the movement director, Olivia Barr as the casting director, Natalie Grady as the accent coach, Ryan McVeigh as the assistant director, and Ngozi Ugochukwu as the observer director.

Wakeham said today: “I am thrilled to announce this incredibly talented cast of actors and fantastic creative team for our highly anticipated co-production of The Book of Will. Our brilliant playwright Lauren Gunderson is one of the most frequently produced playwrights in the world, and I’m delighted to share her talent with UK audiences, where I’m sure she’ll quickly become a firm favourite.”

2023 marks 400 years since the First Folio was first published. Tickets for The Book of Will are on sale now.