Theatre News

Full cast set for RSC’s The Cherry Orchard

They join the already announced Bill Pullman, Kenneth Branagh and Helen Hunt in the production

| Stratford-upon-Avon |

28 May 2026

Six of The Cherry Orchard cast, provided uncredited by the production

Full casting has been revealed for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Cherry Orchard.

The new version of Anton Chekhov’s final play is by playwright Laura Wade and directed by RSC co-artistic director Tamara Harvey.

Playing this summer in the Swan Theatre, the piece will star Kenneth Branagh as Lopakhin, Helen Hunt as Madame Ranyevskaya, and Bill Pullman as Gaev.

Joining them will be Chumisa Dornford-May as Anya, Alfred Enoch as Trofimov, Esther Smith as Varya and Sophie Stone as Sharlotta.

Harvey said: “Many of the cast are making their RSC debuts alongside Helen Hunt and Bill Pullman – Chumisa Dornford-May, following her incredible performance in Into the Woods, Esther Smith, whom I’ve long admired both on stage and on screen, and Sophie Stone, whose work I’ve loved since we first met at RADA.

“It’s also wonderful to welcome back Alfred Enoch following our recent collaborations on Henry V and Pericles. And of course, a privilege to be working with Kenneth Branagh, returning to the RSC after three decades. I can’t wait to dive in.”

The full company includes Rob Alexander-Adams (Passer By), Michael Elwyn (Firs), Amber Gadd (Dunyasha), Guy Henry (Pishchik), Erin Siobhan Hutching (offstage understudy), Julian Moore-Cook (Yasha), and Andy Rush (Yepikhodov).

Completing the creative team are designer Anna Fleischle, lighting designer Aideen Malone, composer Laura Rossi, sound designer Claire Windsor, movement director Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, fight director Alex Payne, musical director Tomek Pieczora and casting director Charlotte Sutton.