The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Shakespeare's comment on friendship, love, constancy and fickleness, is to be performed in full on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage in Stratford for the first time in 45 years.
This romantic comedy takes audiences from the controlled world of Verona and Milan to the wildness of the forest where, it seems, anything can happen.
Simon Godwin, associate director of the Royal Court, will make his RSC directing debut. He most recently directed Eugene O'Neill’s Strange Interlude at the National Theatre.
The production features Mark Arends as Proteus and Michael Marcus as Valentine.
The rest of the cast is comprised of Elliot Barnes-Worrell (outlaw), Martin Bassindale (Speed), Pearl Chanda (Julia), Nicholas Gerard-Martin (Thurio), Robert Gilbert (outlaw), Jonny Glynn (The Duke of Milan), Molly Gromadzki (host / singer), Youssef Kerkour (Sir Eglamour), Sarah MacRae (Silvia), Keith Osborn (Antonio), Leigh Quinn (Lucetta) and Simon Yadoo (Panthino / outlaw).
The production is designed by Paul Wills with lighting by Bruno Poet. The music is composed by Michael Bruce with sound by Christopher Shutt. Movement director is Jonathan Goddard.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from Saturday (12 July) until Thursday 4 September. Press night will be on Tuesday 22 July. It then transfers to Newcastle Theatre Royal.
The performance on Wednesday 3 September will be broadcast live into cinemas worldwide.