The Royal Shakespeare Company’s winter 2015 season in Stratford will include Henry V, the return of Wendy and Peter Pan, two premières in the Swan Theatre and the company’s first staging of a restoration comedy by Congreve.
The season in the main house opens with Henry V, the fourth in the series of Shakespeare's history plays directed by RSC artistic director Gregory Doran.
Alex Hassell, who played Prince Hal in Henry IV Parts I and II, becomes King Henry V, the monarch who led England to victory in the battle of Agincourt. The production marks the 600th anniversary of the battle.
The play will be designed by RSC director of design Stephen Brimson Lewis, with lighting by Tim Mitchell, music by Paul Englishby and sound by Martin Slavin.
It will be screened live to cinemas worldwide on 21 October as part of the RSC's Live from Stratford-upon-Avon series and streamed free to schools across the UK.
Henry V runs from 12 September until 25 October. Press night will be on Tuesday 22 September.
Ella Hickson's re-telling of J M Barrie's Wendy and Peter Pan, which played to packed houses in 2013, will be revived and will again be directed by Jonathan Munby, designed by Colin Richmond and lit by Oliver Fenwick. There will be a relaxed performance on 28 January 2016.
Wendy and Peter Pan runs from 17 November until 31 January 2016. Press night will be on Wednesday 25 November.
In the summer of 2016 Gregory Doran will direct King Lear with RSC associate artist Antony Sher taking the lead role.
In the Swan Theatre RSC deputy artistic director Erica Whyman will continue the company's commitment to explore questions of gender and power which began with the Roaring Girls season in 2014. She will direct Hecuba by Marina Carr, a new commission which explores war, womanhood and regime change. It runs from 17 September until 17 October, with press night on Thursday 24 September.
This will be followed by the first production by the RSC of Congreve’s restoration comedy Love for Love—only the second Congreve play the company will have performed.
Selina Cadell makes her RSC directorial debut. Tom Piper will design the set, Rosalind Ebbutt the costumes, Vince Herbert the lighting and sound will be by Claire Windsor.
Love for Love will run from 28 October until 22 January 2016. Press night will be on Wednesday 4 November.
After her The Heresy of Love premièred in the Swan Theatre in 2012, the RSC commissioned Helen Edmundson to write Queen Anne, a play about the relationship between Queen Anne and the Duchess of Marlborough.
Natalie Abrahami, an associate director at the Young Vic and associate artist at Hull Truck Theatre, makes her RSC directing debut with Queen Anne which runs from 19 November until 23 January 2016. Press night will be Thursday 26 November.
Gregory Doran said, “I’m delighted we’re continuing to use the Swan stage to bring lesser-known classics to a contemporary audience.”
The RSC is also unveiling the Shakespeare Birthday Song Competition to celebrate its commitment to live music and to mark Shakespeare's birthday in 2015.
The company wants a new musical composition, setting the words from one of Shakespeare's songs to music. The competition is open to professional and amateur composers who are aged 18 and above.
RSC head of music Bruce O'Neil will select the finalists who will be entered into a public vote. The winning song will be performed at Shakespeare's birthday bash on Sunday 26 April.
Competition details and entry forms are available at the RSC web site.