Full cast for Richard III at Royal Shakespeare theatre with Arthur Hughes announced
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has announced full casting for its upcoming production of Richard III.
Directed by Gregory Doran, the piece will run from 23 June – 8 October 2022 at the Royal Shakespeare theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Joining the previously announced Arthur Hughes as Richard are Rosie Sheehy as Anne, Minnie Gale as Margaret, Ashley D Gayle as Edward, Ben Hall as Clarence, Conor Glean as Murderer, Nicholas Armfield as Richmond, Micah Balfour as Hastings, Claire Benedict as Duchess of York, Kirsty Bushell as Elizabeth, Callum Coates as Brackenbury, Oscar Batterham as Rivers, Sophie Cartman as Keeper, Matthew Duckett as Catesby, Will Edgerton as Tyrell, Olivia Onyehara as Dorset/Citizen 2, Thom Petty as Ratcliffe, Joeravar Sangha as Murderer, Simon Coates as Stanley, Eloise Secker as Mistress Shore/Citizen 1 and Jamie Wilkes as Buckingham.
Richard III features Set and Costume design by Stephen Brimson Lewis with Lighting by Matt Daw. Music is by Paul Englishby and Sound Design by Claire Windsor. Movement is by Sian Williams with Fights by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown. The Associate Director is Aaron Parsons.
Young Richard of Gloucester uses the chaos of the Wars of the Roses to begin his unscrupulous climb to power. Despite being manifestly unfit to govern, he seizes the crown, as King Richard III. But how does he do it?
How do we let tyrants get away with it? How does it happen? How do they find their way to power? Who enables them? Why do we buy in to it? And how can it be stopped?
Richard III is a darkly comic analysis of the exercise of power. It reminds us both of the dangers of tyranny, and of our duty not to let it go unchecked.
For more information and tickets, visit rsc.org.uk/richard-iii
Gregory Doran, Director of Richard III said: “It’s a real thrill to be back in the rehearsal room at last working with this fantastic company of actors which includes several familiar faces from current double-bill of Henry VI Rebellion and The Wars of the Roses alongside returning company members from across the years and those making their debut with the RSC this Summer.
“Richard III has a quartet of extraordinary women’s roles and I am delighted that we have enticed RSC veteran Claire Benedict back, (having taken a few years out) to play The Duchess of York; Kristy Bushell (The White Devil) to play Queen Elizabeth; Rosie Sheehy (King John) to play Lady Anne, and of course Mariah Gale returning in the role of Queen Margaret.
“Richard III completes the bloody cycle of plays covering the War of the Roses, one of the most turbulent periods in English history. It’s the story of Richard, Duke of Gloucester’s unscrupulous climb to power and I’m delighted to be working with Arthur Hughes, whose own particular lived experience’will, I’m sure, bring a new urgent and unexpected perspective to the role of Richard.
“Past productions of Richard III at the RSC have included many memorable performances of this role, from Ian Holm to Jonathan Slinger and of course, Antony Sher. Nearly 40 years on from his celebrated performance as Shakespeare’s ‘bottled spider’, I’m delighted to be putting disabled talent centre stage in this savage analysis of tyranny and the dangers of letting it go unchecked.”
