Paapa Essiedu and Tanya Moodie among cast of RSC's Hamlet

Casting has been announced for the RSC's production of Hamlet which will open at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in March 2016.

Directed by Simon Godwin who returns to the RSC following his acclaimed production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona in 2014, the production will see Paapa Essiedu taking the title role of Hamlet.

Essiedu will be joined by Tanya Moodie as Gertrude and Cyril Nri as Polonius. Moodie was recently seen in The Globe's production of King John whilst Nri recently appeared in the Channel 4 series Cucumber.

The cast also includes Bethan Cullinane (Guildenstern), Marcus Griffiths (Laertes), Theo Ogundipe (Fortinbras/Marcellus/Lucianus), Natalie Simpson (Ophelia), and Clarence Smith (Claudius).

The show, which will open in the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare’s death, will feature design by Paul Wills, lighting by Paul Anderson, music by Sola Akingbola and sound by Christopher Shutt.

Further casting is yet to be announced.