The RSC announces complete casting for Middlemarch

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the full cast for its forthcoming production of Middlemarch, directed by Jeremy Herrin.

George Eliot’s novel, an expansive study on provincial life, has been adapted for the stage by Nina Raine. It follows a series of private stories within the community of Middlemarch during the dawning of social progress and political reform.

The cast will be led by Nia Towle as Dorothea Brooke, alongside Amanda Root as George Eliot and Mrs Cadwallader. They will be joined by John Hodgkinson as Mr Bulstrode and Borthrop Trumbull, Rory Alexander as Will Ladislaw and Andrew Richardson as Tertius Lydgate.

The company is completed by Lizzie Annis (Celia Brooke / Mary Garth), Emma Bown (Understudy), Gunnar Cauthery (Farebrother / Sir James Chettam), Ian Drysdale (Mr Casaubon / Caleb Garth), Steven Dykes (Understudy), Dave Fishley (Mr Vincy / Bambridge / Powderell), Peter Forbes (Mr Brooke / Featherstone / Raffles), Ebenezer Gyau (Fred Vincy), Mackenzie Heynes (Understudy) Penny Layden (Mrs Bulstrode / Mrs Garth / Lady Chettam), Emma McDonald (Rosamond Vincy), Anita Reynolds (Mrs Vincy / Mrs Mawmsey / Mrs Abel), and Molly Watton Williams (Understudy).

Herrin commented: “George Eliot’s Middlemarch is an entertaining story full of great humanity, wisdom and wit. Nina Raine has distilled this epic, beloved novel into a very beautiful play in two parts, which has attracted a great ensemble and creative team to the Swan. I can’t wait to explore its many pertinent themes: family, marriage, love, purpose, religion, morality and more. Theatre is a great form for a story that luxuriates in how we are all essentially connected.”

Joining Herrin and Raine on the creative team are set and costume designer Grace Smart, lighting designer Ben Jacobs, composer Paul Englishby, sound designer Nicola T Chang, movement director Lucy Cullingford, dramaturg Rebecca Latham, casting directors Charlotte Sutton and Christopher Worrall, music director Nathan Feeney, voice and dialect coach Emma Woodvine and associate director Molly Stacey.

Co-produced with Second Half Productions, Part 1 of Middlemarch is scheduled to run from 1 October at the RSC’s Swan Theatre, with Part 2 following from 10 October, and concluding on 16 January. Press performances are set for 28 October at 1pm and 7pm.