Beale, Rhys & Shrapnel Join Fiennes for BITE's Caesar

Simon Russell Beale, Paul Rhys and John Shrapnel are set to join Ralph Fiennes in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar as part of the Barbican International Theatre Events BITE: 05 festival. The production, featuring a cast of over 100 and directed by Deborah Warner, will run at the Barbican Theatre from April 14 through May 17 before embarking on a brief European tour.

Beale, who will play Cassius, is one of the most acclaimed stage actors in London. He is an associate of the RSC, National and Almeida Theatres. He made his Broadway debut last season in Jumpers, receiving a Tony nomination for his work in the show. His theater credits includeVolpone 1996 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Othello, Battle Royal, Candide 1999 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, Money, Summerfolk, Hamlet, Humble Boy, The Winter's Tale, The Art of Success, Everyman in his Humour, The Fair Maid of the West, The Storm, Speculators, Restoration, The Constant Couple, The Man of Mode, Some Americans Abroad, Mary and Lizzie, Playing with Trains, Troilus and Cressida, Edward II, Richard III, Love's Labour¹s Lost, The Seagull, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Ghosts, King Lear, The Tempest, Women Beware Women, The Duchess of Malfi, Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya 2003 Olivier Award for Best Actor.

Rhys, who will play Brutus, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. His theatrical credits include The Invention of Love, King Lear 1998 Olivier Award nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role, Bent, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Design For Living, The Government Inspector, Ghetto, The Orphan, La Vie Parisienne, A Woman of No Importance, Bouncers and Measure for Measure.

Shrapnel is set to play the title role. His stage credits include Macbeth and South Pacific. His film credits include Nicholas and Alexandra, Testimony, How to Get Ahead in Advertising, Two Deaths, England, My England, 101 Dalmatians, Notthing Hill, Gladiator, Alone, K-19: The Widowmaker and Troy.

After the Barbican, Julius Caeser will head to Théâtre National de Chaillot, Paris, Teatro Espanõl, Madrid and Grand Théâtre de la Ville, Luxembourg, which, with BITE: 05, Barbican are co-producers of the project.