Casting announced for Much Ado About Nothing at Theatr Clwyd

Casting has been announced for Tamara Harvey's directorial debut production of Much Ado About Nothing, which opens at Theatr Clwyd next month.

Harvey will direct Lisa Palfrey as Beatrice and John Ramm as Benedick. Palfrey's theatre credits include The Seagull (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Carthage (Finborough Theatre) and Canvas (Chichester Festival Theatre), whilst Ramm's recent credits include As You Like It (National Theatre) Merry Wives of Windsor (RSC) and The Physicists (Donmar Warehouse).

The cast will be completed by David Bark-Jones (39 Steps, Criterion) as Don Pedro, Jonathan Harden (Children of The Sun, National Theatre) as Borachio, Siân Howard (Julius Caesar, RSC) as Leonata, Nakay Kpaka (Rachel, Finborough Theatre) as Claudio, Steven Meo (Great Expectations, Theatr Clwyd) as Don John, Catherine Morris (One Man, Two Guvnors, National Theatre, UK tour) as Margaret, Lowri Palfrey (Cardiff East, National Theatre) as Hero, Kerry Peers (Jumpy, Theatr Clwyd) as Friar Frances and Sion Pritchard (Cyrano De Bergerac, Theatr Clwyd) as Dogberry.

The production will be Theatr Clwyd's 400th show and marks the first time the play has ever been staged at the theatre.

Harvey commented: "I'm thrilled to be directing my first production at Theatr Clwyd and working with such a wonderful company. Much Ado About Nothing is a play about love and laughter and that moment when you fall in love with the last person in the world you expect to fall in love with. Also, the fact that women have the right to choose who they spend their lives with.

"For this production we’ve brought the stage into the centre of the Anthony Hopkins Theatre and the audience are seated around it to add intimacy to the space and ensure that everyone feels they’re part of the celebration. We’ve set the play in Portmeirion to create the feeling of being by the seaside, of summer – dancing and making merry."

Much Ado About Nothing runs at Theatr Clwyd from 14 June to 2 July.