Kyoto world premiere at the RSC – first look

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and Good Chance have unveiled first look photos for the world premiere of Kyoto, based on the historic 1997 Kyoto climate summit.

Premiering in the Swan Theatre from 18 June to 13 July 2024, the political thriller reunites the creative team behind the multi award-winning hit The Jungle which began life in the refugee camps of Calais in 2015 and became a sell-out hit in the UK and internationally.

Written by Good Chance co-founders Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson and directed by Stephen Daldry (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, The Inheritance) and Justin Martin (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Prima Facie), Kyoto recounts a tense negotiation which led up to the historic signing of the UN’s landmark climate conference in December 1997.

Making his RSC debut in the role of American oil lobbyist and master strategist is Tony award-nominated actor Stephen Kunken (Enron, Frost/Nixon), joined by Jenna Augen (Shirley Pearlman), Jorge Bosch (Argentinian ambassador Raul Estrada Oyuela), Vincent Franklin (Fred Singer), Dale Rapley (Bert Bolin) and Olivia Barrowclough (Secretariat).

Completing the cast are Andrea Gatchalian as Kiribati / AOSIS, Raad Rawi as Mohammad Al Sabban / OPEC, Kwong Loke as Professor Shukong Zhong / China, Nancy Crane as USA/Wirth/Eisenstat, Ingrid Oliver as Angela Merkel / Germany, Jude Akuwudike as Professor Mark Mwandosya / Tanzania, Ferdy Roberts as UK/Prescott/Houghton and Togo Igawa as Hiroshi Ohki / Japan.

The full creative team includes Miriam Buether (set designer), Natalie Pryce (costume designer) Aideen Malone (lighting designer), Christopher Reid (sound designer), Akhila Krishnan (video designer), Gemma Stockwood (dramaturg) and Julia Horan (casting director).