Cast set for new musical With Courage

Full cast and creative team for the upcoming London run of the new British folk musical With Courage has been revealed.

The production will be staged at the Other Palace from 17 to 22 September, with a special gala night on 18 September. The run coincides with the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

With Courage is written by Jon Hare, known for Charming and Never Again, and produced by Steph Weller for PlayWell Productions. It is directed by Olivier Award-winning director and dramaturg Charlotte Westenra, whose previous credits include The Wicker Husband and The Agreement.

The show weaves together life-saving stories from across two centuries, developed through research and interviews with RNLI volunteers and crew. It focuses on two narratives: in 1886, Charles and Marion Macara rally a town in grief, inspiring a nationwide movement after witnessing a tragedy. In the present day, Shannon, a navigator, grapples with her family’s legacy of life-saving.

The cast features Hannah Azuonye (Girl From The North Country) as Marion Macara / Alex, Lara Lewis (Brief Encounter) as Shannon / Annabelle, Gerard McDermott (Much Ado About Nothing) as Eddie / Captain, Tom Moores (The Trial of Josie K) as Charles Macara / Jack Ross, and Olivia Thompson (Whose Life Is It Anyway?) as Mrs Johnson / Liz Ross.

The production team includes musical direction by Mary Erskine, choreography by Jane McMurtrie, design by Anna Kelsey, lighting design by Sam Bernstein, and sound design by Joe Dines.

Also on the team are associate director Alasdair Buchan, associate music director Rob Gathercole, production manager Harry Armytage, and stage manager Jamie Kubisch-Wiles. Additional support comes from Lara Aabbar, with associate production by Lexi Clare and Elizabeth Peace.

PlayWell is the official theatre partner for the RNLI, which celebrates its bicentenary and 146,000 lives saved in 2024.

As part of the RNLI’s Sing to Save Lives project, PlayWell Productions has released a community choir arrangement of the show’s title song “With Courage”.

Available for free, it has been downloaded by over 115 choirs, with 12 choirs performing the song together in Milton Keynes in July 2024.