Sean Foley makes his Royal Shakespeare Company directorial debut this week with Thomas Middleton’s Jacobean “city comedy” A Mad World My Masters.
The play is described as “an outrageously wicked, brilliantly plotted farcical satire of lies and lust”. This will be the first time the play has been performed at the RSC.
Sean Foley and Phil Porter’s edited version of Middleton’s play is transposed to Soho, London in 1956 “where glamour rubs up against filth and likes it; where the posh mix with musicians, whores and racketeers; and where a dashingly impecunious bachelor in need of quick cash and a good time has to live on his wits”.
Foley says A Mad World My Masters is “one of the most hilariously wicked plays ever written”.
His directorial credits include The Ladykillers at Liverpool Playhouse and in the West End and What The Butler Saw at the Vaudeville Theatre.
The cast comprises Richard Goulding as Dick Follywit; John Hopkins as Penitent Brothel; Sarah Ridgeway as Truly Kidman; Joe Bannister (footman), Ellie Beaven (Mrs Littledick), Ishia Bennison (Mrs Kidman), Ben Deery (Sponger), Richard Durden (Spunky), Gwilym Lloyd (caretaker / Sir Aquitaine Squodge), Harry McEntire (oboe), Perry Millward (waiter / footman), Ciarán Owens (Master Whopping Prospect), Nicholas Prasad (Master Muchly Minted), Ian Redford (Sir Bounteous Progress), Rose Reynolds (debutante/escort), Steffan Rhodri (Mr Littledick), David Rubin (private detective / Andrew Skunknodger), Badria Timimi (waitress / escort), Dwane Walcott (Constable) and Jonny Weldon (waiter/footman).
The production is designed by Alice Power, with lighting by James Farncombe and sound design and music by Ben and Max Ringham.
Choreography is by Kate Prince and fight direction by Alison de Burgh.
A Mad World My Masters runs in the Swan at Stratford from Thursday (6 June). Press night is 13 June. It continues until 25 October.