RSC announces complete cast of Cymbeline

The Royal Shakespeare Company has revealed complete casting for Gregory Doran’s upcoming staging of Cymbeline.

The production will mark the 50th show that Doran has directed for the RSC and his final one as artistic director emeritus. He commented: “2023 is the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio. Without the Folio, we would not have half of Shakespeare’s plays today, including many of his most famous and loved works. This year we are doing five of them. We opened the year with the first play to appear in that miraculous book, The Tempest, and I am directing the last one in it, Cymbeline.

“It happens to be my 50th production of the RSC, and I am delighted to be working on it with some long-time collaborators: designer Stephen Brimson-Lewis, composer Paul Englishby, and movement director Síân Williams, as well as some familiar faces in the cast, many of whom I have had the privilege of working with on previous productions.

“I have often wondered why Cymbeline is the last play in the Folio. It is listed under the tragedies, but it could just as easily have been placed in the comedies or even the histories as it is set in Ancient Britain at the time of the Romans. Though its thrilling story threatens to end in tragedy, its astonishing denouement is full of joy. I think the compilers of the Folio put Cymbeline at the end of the book because it defies categories and won’t be pinned down – that is what makes it so exciting.

“I am honoured to be opening Cymbeline as this year’s birthday play on Shakespeare’s birthday weekend, which coincides with the publication of a book. My Shakespeare: a director’s journey through the First Folio concludes with an epilogue as I set out on rehearsals for Cymbeline. When we open, I shall be able to say I have worked on every single play in that amazing life manual, Shakespeare’s First Folio.”

My Shakespeare: a director’s journey through the First Folio is set to be published on 20 April.

The full company of Cymbeline includes Jeff Alexander (as Soothsayer), Adam Baker (as Roman), Iwan Bond (as Roman), Tom Chapman (as Second Lord), Peter De Jersey (as Cymbeline), Alexandra Gilbreath (as The Queen), Conor Glean (as Cloten), Scott Gutteridge (as Guiderius), Mark Hadfield (as Pisanio), Amber James (as Imogen), Marcia Lecky (as 1st Gent/Lady/Mother), Jake Mann (as Cornelius), Theo Ogundipe (as Caius Lucius), Keith Osborn (as Philario/Sicilius), Christian Patterson (as Belarius), Ed Sayer (as Posthumus), Daf Thomas (as Arviragus), Barnaby Tobias (as First Lord), Cat White (as 2nd Gent/Helen) and Jamie Wilkes (as Iachimo). Casting is by Helena Palmer CDG.

The production will also feature designs by Brimson-Lewis, music by Englishby, movement and intimacy direction by Williams, sound by Jonathan Ruddick, lighting by Matt Daw, puppetry direction by Rachel Leonard, music direction by Ben McQuigg and text and voice work by Emma Woodvine.

Cymbeline runs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 22 April to 27 May 2023, with a press night scheduled for 3 May.

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