CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE RSC’S 2020 PRODUCTION OF THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare
Directed by Phillip Breen
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Saturday 25 April – Saturday 3 October 2020
Press night: Tuesday 5 May, 7pm
Box Office: 01789 331111, rsc.org.uk
Casting details are announced for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) 2020 Summer production of The Comedy of Errors, which plays in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 25 April 2020. Joining the previously announced Miles Jupp, who will make his RSC debut as Antipholus of Syracuse, is Jonathan Broadbent (Dromio of Syracuse), Justin Edwards (Antipholus of Ephesus), Greg Haiste (Dromio of Ephesus), Georgia Landers (Luciana) and Annette McLaughlin (Adrianna). Directed by Phillip Breen, the production will be cross-cast with The Winter’s Tale (from 28 March 2020) and Pericles (from 15 August 2020). All three plays are sponsored by Darwin Escapes.
A fairytale farce of everyday miracles and double vision that asks how we really know who we are? A man arrives in a strange town only to find that everyone knows his name, but thinks he’s someone else. A woman wonders why her husband is not the man he was, but starts to rather like it. Confusion mounts as identities split apart. Will they ever find themselves again? And do they really want to?
Following its run in Stratford-upon-Avon, the production, along with The Winter’s Tale and Pericles, will transfer to the Barbican in London.
Phillip Breen said, “I am absolutely thrilled that Miles is making his Royal Shakespeare Company debut after our collaboration on A Day in the Death of Joe Egg at the Glasgow Citizens. He is joining this brilliant and talented ensemble and I am really happy to be bringing this collaboration to the RSC. Miles is known for his great improvised wit and humour as a comedian but here he brings the other side of his game; his serious chops as a classical actor.”
Jonathan Broadbent will play Dromio of Syracuse. His previous RSC credits include The Tempest, Queen Anne and Love for Love. Other theatre credits include Henry VI Parts 1,2 and 3, Richard III, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 and Henry V, all for Shakespeare’s Globe, The Double Dealer and Humble Boy for the Orange Tree Theatre, The Wizard of Oz for Sheffield Crucible, The Norman Conquests for Chichester Festival Theatre and My Night with Reg both at the Donmar Warehouse and at the Apollo Theatre in the West End. Jonathan’s screen credits include The Crown, Father Brown, Silent Witness, EastEnders and Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptations of The Magic Flute and As You Like It.
Justin Edwards will make his RSC debut as Antipholus of Ephesus. Justin was most recently seen on stage in The Ferryman, both in the West End and on Broadway. His film credits include Sam Mendes’ multi award-winning feature 1917, the Richard Curtis/Danny Boyle feature Yesterday, The Man Who Invented Christmas, Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin and Whit Stillman’s Love and Friendship. Justin is also well known for his extensive work in comedy and television including The Thick of It, In and Out of the Kitchen, and Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip as well as returning in the forthcoming second series of acclaimed show There She Goes alongside David Tennant and Jessica Hynes.
Greg Haiste will make his RSC debut as Dromio of Ephesus. His numerous theatre credits include Quiz for Chichester Festival Theatre and the Noël Coward Theatre in the West End, Richard III and Nell Gwynn for Shakespeare’s Globe and its West End run at the Apollo Theatre, 39 Steps at the Criterion Theatre, Peter and the Starcatcher and A Christmas Carol both at Royal and Derngate, Lysistrata, at the Rose Theatre, Kingston, Low Pay, Don’t Pay at the Salisbury Playhouse andThe Lady in the Van, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Hamlet and The Accrington Pals, all for the West Yorkshire Playhouse. His TV credits include Pennyworth, Timewasters, Home Fires, True Crimes, See How They Run, Heartbeat, Jane Hall, Emmerdale, and Touch Me, I’m Karen Taylor whilst film credits include The Current War, The Time of Our Lives and Starfish.
Miles Jupp makes his RSC debut as Antipholus of Syracuse. Miles’ most recent theatre credits include the West End productions of The Life I Lead and Neville’s Island, as well as Rules for Living and Alan Bennett’s People, both at the National Theatre. Miles played Nigel McCall in the Bafta-winning BBC series Rev. and Basil in ITV’s The Durrells. His other television credits include Howard’s End, The Crown,The Thick of It, Bad Move, A Young Doctor’s Notebook and Watership Down. His film credits include Journey’s End, Misbehaviour, The Man Who Invented Christmas and the Michael Winterbottom films The Look of Love and Greed. Miles hosted BBC Radio 4’s flagship topical comedy show The News Quiz for four years and wrote and starred in the series In And Out Of The Kitchen, for Radio 4 for and for BBC television. His book Fibber In The Heat was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book Of The Year.
Georgia Landers makes her RSC debut as Luciana. Her previous theatre credits include A Woman of No Importance on UK tour, Anna and Antony and Cleopatra both for the National Theatre. Her screen credits include the BBC One series Press and The Looming Tower.
Annette McLaughlin plays Adrianna. Her previous RSC credits include Volpone, Love’s Sacrifice, The Jew of Malta, Measure for Measure, Written on the Heart, and the West End company of Matilda the Musical. Other theatre credits include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, Pinocchio for the National Theatre, Twelfth Night for Shakespeare’s Globe, the UK Tour of Billy Elliot, Kneehigh’s Brief Encounter on tour in UK, St Ann’s Warehouse Brooklyn and Studio 54 on Broadway, Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre and Adelphi Theatre, Anything Goes at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Our Town for the Almeida Theatre, She Loves Me, 5/11, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying all for Chichester Festival Theatre. Her TV credits include Heartbeat, Law & Order and Lunar V1 whilst her film credits include Leigionaire.
Further cast comprises Alfred Clay (Dr Pinch), Andrew French (Duke Solinus), William Grint (Merchant), Avita Jay (Luce), Cornell S. John (Egeon), Zoe Lambert (Aemilia), Mogali Masuku (Courtesan), Dyfrig Morris (Jailer/Merchant), Baker Mukasa (Merchant), Patrick Osborne (Balthasar) and Zach Wyatt (Angelo).
Joining Phillip Breen on the creative team are Max Jones (Designer), Tina MacHugh (Lighting), Paddy Cunneen (Music), Dyfan Jones (Sound), Charlotte Broom (Movement) and Renny Krupinski (Fights).
The production will be broadcast live into cinemas on 15 July 2020.