Kenneth Branagh to return to the RSC for the first time in over 30 years

Kenneth Branagh will be returning to the RSC next year, marking his first appearances with the company in over 30 years.

Branagh will appear in two major productions, taking on the role of Prospero in The Tempest, and playing Lopakhin in a new version of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard.

The Tempest, directed by Richard Eyre, will run in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 13 May to 20 June, with a press night on 26 May. The production marks Branagh’s first time playing Prospero and Eyre’s directorial debut with the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon, following his tenure as artistic director of the National Theatre from 1988 to 1997.

Joining Eyre are set designer Bob Crowley, costume designer Fotini Dimou, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone, composers Akintayo Akinbode and Stephen Warbeck, sound designer Nicola T Chang, movement director Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster and casting director Charlotte Sutton, with further details to be announced.

From 10 July to 29 August, The Cherry Orchard will run in the Swan Theatre in a new version by Olivier Award-winning playwright Laura Wade. Directed by RSC co-artistic director Tamara Harvey, the production will see Branagh joined by Academy Award-winning actress Helen Hunt, making her RSC debut as Madame Ranyevskaya.

The set and costume designer is Anna Fleischle and the casting director is Sutton, with further names to be announced.

This marks a reunion between Wade and Harvey, who previously collaborated on The Constant Wife at the Swan earlier this year.

Priority booking for members and supporters opens from Monday 22 September at 10am with public booking from Wednesday 8 October at 10am.

See more about the 2026 season plans.