RSC associate artist David Troughton will play the title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of the Bard’s bloodiest work Titus Andronicus.
It is the third play in the RSC’s Rome season and is cross-cast with Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra.
Troughton appeared as Gloucester in Gregory Doran’s 2016 production of King Lear. Previously he played several leading roles at the RSC including Richard III in 1995.
The cast also includes Stefan Adegbola (Aaron), Joseph Adelakun (Mutius), Kristin Atherton (nurse), Will Bliss (clown), David Burnett (Quintus), Paul Dodds (Goth), Patrick Drury (Marcus Andronicus), Nia Gwynne (Tamora), Sean Hart (Demetrius), Martin Hutson (Saturninus), Amber James (Goth / midwife), Tom Lorcan (Martius), Luke MacGregor (Chiron), Tom McCall (Lucius), Hannah Morrish (Lavinia), Anthony Ofoegbu (Emillius), Dharmesh Patel (Bassianus), Jon Tarcy (Alarbus) and Marcello Walton (Publius).
Shakespeare’s gory revenge tragedy presents murder as entertainment and, as the body count piles up, poses questions about the nature of sexuality, family, class and society.
Blanche McIntyre returns to the RSC after her debut directing The Two Noble Kinsmen in 2016.
All the productions in the Rome season are designed by Robert Innes Hopkins with associate designer James Turner. Music for Titus Andronicus is composed by Tim Sutton. Sound is designed by Emma Laxton, with lighting by Malcolm Rippeth. Fights are by Philip D’Orléans and movement is by Georgina Lamb.
Titus Andronicus runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford from Friday 23 June until Saturday 2 September. It then transfers to London’s Barbican from 7 December until 19 January 2018.