Full cast announced for Maxine Peake's Hamlet

Full casting has been announced for Hamlet starring Maxine Peake, which opens at Manchester's Royal Exchange this Autumn.

Featuring alongside Peake is Claire Benedict as Player King; Gillian Bevan as Polonia; Jodie McNee as Rosencrantz; Barbara Marten as Gertrude; John Shrapnel as Claudius and the Ghost; Katie West as Ophelia and Ashley Zhangazha as Laertes.

The cast will also include Thomas Arnold, Michelle Butterly, Dean Gregory, Tachia Newall, Peter Singh and Ben Stott.

This productions sees the reunion of Peake and the Royal Exchange's resident artistic director, Sarah Frankcom, following their previous success with The Masque of Anarchy which featured as part of last year's Manchester International Festival.

The opening of this production also sees Peake join the Exchange as an associate artist, involving her in the theatre's work with the community and young people.

Hamlet opens at the Royal Exchange in Manchester on 11 September and runs until 18 October.