Cook, Hamilton & Varma Join Jacobi\’s Twelfth Night

Further casting has been announced for the second offering in the Donmar West End season at Wyndham’s Theatre: artistic director Michael Grandage’s new production of Twelfth Night, starring Derek Jacobi, which runs from 10 December 2008 (previews from 5 December) to 7 March 2009.

In another all-star ensemble, akin to the current launch production of Ivanov, Jacobi will be joined by Victoria Hamilton as Viola, Indira Varma as Olivia, Samantha Spiro as Maria, Mark Bonnar as Orsino, Lloyd Hutchinson as Antonio, Zubin Varla as Feste, Guy Henry as Andrew Aguecheek and Ron Cook (pictured) as Sir Toby Belch.

Shipwrecked and fearing her twin brother dead, Viola is swept onto the shores of Illyria. Disguising herself as a boy, she takes a post in the Duke’s court and, on his behalf, attempts to woo his loved one, the Lady Olivia.

Derek Jacobi plays Malvolio. Jacobi’s most recent stage credits include Don Carlos, The Tempest, both directed by Grandage, and A Voyage Round My Father, which transferred from the Donmar to Wyndham’s in 2006.

Also in the cast are Norman Bowman (Curio), James Howard (Valentine) and Alex Waldmann (Sebastian). Twelfth Night is designed by Christopher Oram, with lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Fergus O’Hare and music by Julian Philips.

– by Terri Paddock

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