Initial Casting Announced for National Theatre Artistic Director Rufus Norris’ First Season
The National Theatre has announced initial casting for select shows in its 2015 season. As previously announced, the lineup will include a reimagined take of Everyman starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Three Days in the Country (written and directed by Patrick Marber) and a new Alice in Wonderland-inspired musical titled wonder.land. This marks the first season with National Theatre vet Rufus Norris as artistic director.
Three Days in the Country will open on July 28 at the Lyttelton Theatre with a cast that includes Amanda Drew, Gawn Grainger, John Simm and Cherrelle Skeete.
The Bristol Old Vic’s staging of Jane Eyre comes to the National beginning September 8. Sally Cookson helms the ensemble production, which features Benji Bower, Will Bower, Craig Edwards, Felix Hayes, Phil King, Melanie Marshall, Simone Saunders, Maggie Tagney and Madeleine Worrall.
The cast for Caryl Churchill’s Light Shining in Buckinghamshire will include Leo Bill, Joe Caffrey, Elizabeth Chan, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Daniel Flynn, Nicholas Gleaves, Trystan Gravelle, Ash Hunter, Joshua James, Amanda Lawrence, Adelle Leonce, Ashley McGuire, Simon Manyonda, Ann Ogbomo, Steffan Rhodri, Joseph Rowe, Alan Williams and Sargon Yelda.
Joining Ejiofor in Norris’ mounting of Everyman are Stephen Aintree, Philip Martin Brown, Paul Bullion, Adam Burton, Michelle Butterly, Sharon D Clarke, Dermot Crowley, Kate Duchêne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amy Griffiths, Nick Holder, Nicholas Karimi, Joshua Lacey, Penny Layden, Ira Mandela Siobhan, Coral Messam, Jeshaiah Murray, Amanda Minihan, Itxaso Moreno, Tumo Reetsang, Kiruna Stamell, Clemmie Sveaas and Joshua Tikare. Opening night is set for April 29.
The Beaux’ Stratagem opens in the Olivier on May 26 with a cast that includes Esh Alladi, Samuel Barnett, Jamie Beamish, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Jane Booker, Cornelius Clarke, Susannah Fielding, Molly Gromadzki, John Hastings, Richard Henders, Lloyd Hutchinson, Chris Kelham, Nicholas Khan, Barbara Kirby, Ana-Maria Maskell, Amy Morgan, Pearce Quigley, Ana-Maria Maskell, Amy Morgan, Mark Rose, Chook Sibtain, Geoffrey Streatfeild and Timothy Watson.
The U.K. premiere of The Motherf**ker with the Hat will star Nathalie Armin, Lisa Caruccio Came, Ricardo Chavira, Alec Newman, Flor De Liz Perez and Yul Vazquez.
Recently added to the season is the Orange Tree Theatre production of Alistair McDowall’s Pomona. The Ned Bennett staging will run in repertory from September 10 through October 10 at the Temporary Theatre.