Marina Carr’s new play based on the epic tale of Hecuba which explores “war, womanhood and regime change” is to open in the Swan Theatre, Stratford.
Derbhle Crotty returns to the RSC to play the title role. She was Lady Macbeth and Lady Duncan in the company’s 2007 repertory season of Macbeth and Ionesco's Macbett and she has just finished playing Bolingbroke and Henry IV in Druid Shakespeare at various venues in Ireland, New York and at the Kilkenny Festival.
RSC associate artist Ray Fearon also returns to the RSC as Agamemnon. His appearances for the company include Mark Antony in Julius Caesar in 2012 and the title role in Othello in 1999. In 2013 he was Macduff alongside Kenneth Branagh in Macbeth at the Manchester International Festival.
The cast also includes Nadia Albina (Cassandra), David Ajao (Nepotolemus), Edmund Kingsley (Polymestor), Amy McAllister (Polyxena), Chu Omambala (Odysseus) and Lara Stubbs (Hecuba's woman).
RSC deputy artistic director Erica Whyman directs this “visceral” reimagining of the legend of Hecuba. Design is by Soutra Gilmour with lighting by Charles Balfour. Music is composed by Isobel Waller-Bridge with sound by Andrew Franks. Movement is by Ayse Tashkiran.
Hecuba runs in the Swan Theatre, Stratford from Thursday 17 September until Saturday 17 October. Press night will be Thursday 24 September.