The Royal Shakespeare Company has revealed the professional cast for the national tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation, leading the company’s celebrations for the Shakespeare anniversary year of 2016.
The production will visit each nation and region of the UK. An 18-strong professional ensemble will be joined by amateur theatre companies who will play the Mechanicals while schoolchildren will form part of Titania’s fairy train.
Ayesha Dharker will play queen of the fairies Titania. In summer 2015 she was Emilia in the RSC production of Othello. She also played Daljit in Tanika Gupta’s adaptation of Meera Syal’s Anita and Me at Birmingham REP and at Theatre Royal Stratford East. Her other theatre credits include the Broadway and West End production of Bombay Dreams.
On taking the role, she said, “I’ve fallen in love with the RSC because every project I’ve done with them involves strong women and magical stories with ancient roots—from Scheherazade to Titania. I’m looking forward to working with talented actors from all over the country and can’t wait to work with (director) Erica Whyman.”
Ayesha Darker will be joined by Jamie Cameron (fairy), Lila Clements (fairy), Lucy Ellinson (Puck), Aimee Gray (fairy), Peter Hamilton Dyer (Egeus), Laura Harding (Hippolyte), Jack Holden (Lysander), Chris Nayak (Demetrius), Mercy Ojelade (Hermia), Chu Omambala (Oberon), Sam Redford (Theseus), Laura Riseborough Helena), Isaac Ssebandeke (first fairy), Alex Tomkins (fairy) and Jon Trenchard (Philostrate). Further casting will be announced later.
RSC deputy artistic director Erica Whyman said, “I’m thrilled by the professional acting company and the creative team we’ve brought together. They are hugely talented and offer me a wonderfully wide range of expertise so I’m looking forward very much to getting into rehearsals and responding to this magical play.
“They all have big hearts and will rise to the unique challenge of this project with skill and generosity.”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is designed by Tom Piper. Lighting is designed by Charles Balfour, composer is Samuel Kenyon, movement is by Siân Williams and associate directors are Kimberley Sykes and Sophie Ivatts.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford in February 2016 before going on a nationwide tour and returning to Stratford in June 2016.