The Book Of Will will visit Octagon Theatre Bolton and Shakespeare North Playhouse, opening April 27.
It’s a new production of Lauren Gunderson’s award-winning comedy coming to UK audiences in its European première.
This love letter to theatre is a co-production from the Octagon, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Shakespeare North.
The full cast is Hollyoaks stars Jessica Ellis and Helen Pearson alongside Zach Lee (ITV’s Coronation Street, Emmerdale plus Bouncers, John Godber Company, A Christmas Carol, Hull Truck); Tomi Ogbaro (Seagulls, Octagon Theatre Bolton, The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Theatre Royal Stratford, Jayne Eyre, Stephen Joseph Theatre and New Vic).
They will be joined by Radio 4 favourite Carrie Quinlan (BBC Radio 4’s John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme, Orpheus Descending, Theatr Clwyd / Menier Chocolate Factory); Russell Richardson (ITV’s Coronation Street, Last Tango in Halifax plus A View From The Bridge, Hindle Wakes, Octagon Theatre Bolton); Callum Sim (ITV’s Emmerdale and Coronation Street) and Tarek Slater (The Jungle Book, Oldham Coliseum, Beauty and the Beast, the Dukes).
Completing the cast is star of stage and screen Bill Ward (ITV’s Coronation Street, Emmerdale & BBC’s Eastenders plus UK tour of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, UK tour of Bath Theatre Royal’s Shakespeare in Love); and Andrew Whitehead (The Book Thief, Octagon Theatre Bolton, A Christmas Carol, Hull Truck).
The Book of Will tells the story of the race against time to gather all of Shakespeare’s works and save them for the ages.