Theater News

Rory Kinnear, Lloyd Owen, Sharon Small, Toby Stephens, et al. Set for Summer and Fall National Theatre Productions

Toby Stephens
Toby Stephens

The National Theatre has announced additional casting for several of its upcoming productions for Summer and Fall 2010.

Michael Grandage’s production of Danton’s Death by Georg Buchner, in a new version by Howard Brenton, which will open in the Olivier on July 22. The cast will include David Beames, Max Bennett, Stefano Braschi, Kirsty Bushell, Jason Cheater, Judith Coke, Emmanuella Cole, Ilan Goodman, Taylor James, Michael Jenn, Phillip Joseph, Barnaby Kay (as Camille Desmoulins), Gwilym Lee, Elliot Levey (as Robespierre), Eleanor Matsuura, Elizabeth Nestor, Alec Newman (as Saint-Just), Chu Omambala, Rebecca O’Mara, Rebecca Scroggs, David Smith, Toby Stephens (as Danton), Jonathan Warde, and Ashley Zhangazha.

Rupert Goold’s production of Mike Bartlett’s Earthquakes in London, opening at the Cottesloe on August 4, has also announced full casting: Gary Carr, Brian Ferguson, Polly Frame, Tom Godwin, Tom Goodman-Hill, Michael Gould, Bryony Hannah, Clive Hayward, Anne Lacey, Syrus Lowe, Anna Madeley, Bill Paterson, Jessica Raine, Maggie Service, Geoffrey Streatfeild and Lia Williams.

JT Rogers’ new play Blood and Gifts, to be directed by Howard Davies, will begin September 7 and opening on September 14. The company will include Philip Arditti, Danny Ashok, Nick Barber, Kammy Darweish, Ian Drysdale, Robert Gilbert, Mark Healy, Adam James, Simon Kunz, Gerald Kyd, Katie Lightfoot, Matthew Marsh, Lloyd Owen, Jessica Regan and Nabil Stuart.

Neil Bartlett and Handspring Puppet Company’s Or You Could Kiss Me will begin performances at the Cottesloe September 28, with an opening on October 5. The cast is Adjoa Andoh, Finn Caldwell, Basil Jones, Adrian Kohler, Craig Leo, Tommy Luther and Mervyn Millar.

Nicholas Hytner’s production of Hamlet, at the Olivier (beginning September 30, and opening on October 7) will feature the previously reported Rory Kinnear in the title role, and Clare Higgins as Gertrude, along with Matthew Barker, David Calder (as Polonius), Jake Fairbrother, Ferdinand Kingsley, Alex Lanipekun, James Laurenson (Ghost/Player King), Patrick Malahide (Claudius), Ruth Negga (Ophelia), James Pearse, Saskia Portway, Victor Power, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Nick Sampson, Michael Sheldon, Leo Staar, Zara Tempest-Walters, Giles Terera, and Ellie Turner.

Josie Rourke will direct Ena Lamont Stewart’s Men Should Weep, at the Lyttelton beginning October 18, with an opening on October 26. Karen Dunbar and Sharon Small will star.
In addition, the National’s production of Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art, directed by Hytner, will play a return engagement at the Lyttelton beginning July 15 prior to a UK tour. The production will star Desmond Barrit as WH Auden, Malcolm Sinclair as Benjamin Britten and Selina Cadell as Kay, and will also include Tom Attwood, Simon Bubb, Danny Burns, Martin Chamberlain, Philip Childs, Matthew Cottle, Barbara Kirby, Joss Littler, Luke Norris, Leighton Pugh, Matthew Shilling, and Aaron Wetheridge.

For further information on the National’s upcoming productions, see our previous news stories on the summer season, the 2010-2011 season, and our story on the casting of the musical Fela!

For more information, visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.