The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the casts for its summer 2015 productions of The Merchant of Venice and Othello which will run in repertoire in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford.
Palestinian-Israeli actor Makram J Khoury will make his RSC debut as Shylock in Polly Findlay’s production of The Merchant of Venice.
Khoury has worked on stage and screen for more than 50 years; he was awarded the 2014 Jerusalem Film Festival’s achievement award as well as the Israel Prize for acting—regarded as its highest honour.
His credits include international films such as Fatih Akin’s The Cut, which was nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2014, Steven Spielberg’s Munich and Sukaryot and Magic Men, for which he won an Israeli Film Academy award for best actor in 2014. He also toured with Peter Brook’s theatre production 11 and 12.
Making her RSC debut in the role of Portia is Patsy Ferran, winner of most promising newcomer at the 2014 Critics’ Circle awards. She is currently playing Jim Hawkins in the National Theatre production of Treasure Island, also directed by Polly Findlay.
Her other credits include the maid Edith in Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit at the Gielgud Theatre in the West End and the Paines Plough touring production of James Graham’s The Angry Brigade.
The Merchant of Venice cast also includes Nadia Albina (Nerissa), David Ajao (singer/citizen of Venice), Jamie Ballard (Antonio), Scarlett Brookes (Jessica), James Corrigan (Lorenzo), Eva Feiler (lady/attendant), Owen Findlay (Salerio), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (Bassanio), Guy Hughes (singer/citizen of Venice), Rina Mahoney (Portia’s servant/Duke of Venice), Ken Nwosu (Gratiano/Morocco), Brian Protheroe (Aragon), Jay Saighal (Solanio) and Tim Samuels (Launcelot Gobbo/Tubal).
The Merchant of Venice set is designed by German designer Johannes Schütz, the costumes are by Anette Guther, with lighting by Peter Mumford. The music is by Marc Tritschler with sound by Gareth Fry. Movement is by Aline David.
As previously announced, Hugh Quarshie and Lucian Msamati will return to the RSC to play Othello and Iago in Iqbal Khan’s production of Othello.
Joining them in the role of Desdemona is Joanna Vanderham, making her RSC debut. She is best known for playing Denise Lovett in the BBC series The Paradise.
The cast of Othello also includes Nadia Albina (Duke of Venice), David Ajao (Montano), Scarlett Brookes (Bianca), James Corrigan (Roderigo), Ayesha Dharker (Emilia), Eva Feiler (citizen of Venice), Owen Findlay (gentleman of Cyprus), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (Cassio), Guy Hughes (soldier), Rina Mahoney (citizen of Venice), Ken Nwosu (gentleman of Cyprus), Brian Protheroe (Brabantio), Jay Saighal (gentleman of Cyprus) and Tim Samuels (Lodovico).
The set and lighting are designed by Ciaran Bagnall, with costume design by Fotini Dimou. Music is composed by Akintayo Akinbode with sound by Andrew Franks. Movement is by Diane Alison Mitchell and the fight director is Kev McCurdy.
The Merchant of Venice runs from Thursday 14 May until Wednesday 2 September. Press night will be on Thursday 21 May.
Othello runs from Thursday 4 June until Friday 28 August. Press night will be on Thursday 11 June.