The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the cast for its summer outdoor production of The Comedy of Errors which will run in Stratford before going on a short tour.
The production, directed by Phillip Breen, was due to be part of the RSC's 2020 season but was postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 17-strong cast includes members of the original acting company, with several roles recast.
Jonathan Broadbent and Greg Haiste, making his RSC debut, retain their roles as Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus respectively. Hedydd Dylan (Adrianna), Guy Lewis (Antipholus of Syracuse) and Rowan Polonski (Antipholus of Ephesus) join the company. Original cast member Avita Jay will now play Luciana.
The cast also comprises Toyin Ayedun-Alase (courtesan), Antony Bunsee (Egeon), Alfred Clay (Dr Pinch), William Grint (second merchant), Zoe Lambert (Aemilia), Dyfrig Morris (second merchant / bodyguard), Baker Mukasa (Angelo), Patrick Osborne (Balthasar), Nicholas Prasad (Duke Solinus), Riad Richie (first merchant / young Egeon) and Sarah Seggari (Luce / messenger).
Breen said, "when we first conceived of this Comedy of Errors back in 2019, we had no idea that the production would welcome the RSC's audience back from a global pandemic.
“But this play of family reunions—people finding each other once again, people holding each other at sunset—seems entirely apt for this moment, and we can't wait to get back to work with this fabulous company of actors with this old play on a new stage for this very new world."
The Comedy of Errors will run in the Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre in the Swan Theatre Gardens, Stratford from Tuesday 13 July until Sunday 26 September. It will then go on tour and be performed indoors at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham from Friday 22 until Sunday 24 October, the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury from Wednesday 27 until Saturday 30 October and the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford from Tuesday 2 until Saturday 6 November. A London run has yet to be confirmed.