Casts for the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Congreve’s Love for Love and Helen Edmundson’s new play Queen Anne, both playing in repertory in the Swan Theatre, have been revealed.
Tom Turner, best known for playing Nate in the Channel 4 series Hollyoaks, will play Valentine in Restoration comedy Love for Love. Nicholas Le Prevost, who plays Valentine’s father Sir Sampson Legend, returns to the RSC after playing Benedick in the 2002 production Much Ado About Nothing. Earlier in 2015 he played Roebuck “Granny” Ramsden in George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman at the National Theatre.
Queen Anne will be played by Jodhi May. In 2010 she took the role of Kay in Mark Haddon’s Polar Bears at the Donmar Warehouse and she has also appeared in the TV series Game of Thrones.
The company for both plays comprises Daisy Ashford, Jonathan Broadbent, Robert Cavanah, Jonathan Christie, Daniel Easton, Michael Fenton Stevens, Hermione Gulliford, Richard Hope, Nicholas Le Prevost, Jodhi May, Natascha McElhone, Justine Mitchell, Hywel Morgan, Beth Park, Carl Prekopp, Jenny Rainsford, Elliott Ross, Michael Thomas, Anna Tierney, Tom Turner, Ragevan Vasan and Zoe Waites.
Selina Cadell makes her RSC directorial debut with Love for Love which the company is performing for the first time. Set design is by Tom Piper with costume design by Rosalind Ebbutt and lighting by Vince Herbert. The music is composed by Eliza Thompson with sound by Claire Windsor. Movement is by Stuart Sweeting.
Natalie Abrahami directs Queen Anne which is designed by Hannah Clark with lighting by Charles Balfour. The music and sound are by Ben and Max Ringham. Movement is by Ann Yee and video by Will Duke.
Love for Love runs from 28 October until 22 January 2016, with press night on Wednesday 4 November. Queen Anne runs from 19 November until 23 January, with press night on Thursday 26 November.