Full casting announced for David Edgar’s THE NEW REAL at the RSC

Full casting has been announced for David Edgar’s fiercely topical new play, The New Real, which runs in the RSC’s The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon from 3 October - 2 November.

Directed by Holly Race Roughan (Artistic Director of Headlong), this is the tenth of David’s plays to be premiered by the RSC.

Opening just ahead of this year’s US election in a world where populist leaders are transforming the political landscape, The New Real explores the battle between mainstream politics and a new national-populist Right.

The full cast comprises: Daon Broni as Don/Justin, Edyta Budnik as Natalia, Ziggy Heath as Oleg, Roderick Hill (Everybody; The Bald Soprano, Budapest) as Petr Lutsevic, Patrycja Kujawska (Blue Beard; Little Match Girl, Wise Children) as Liudmilla Bezborodko, Martina Laird (Casualty, Unforgotten, Dreamland) as Rachel Moss, Jodie McNee (Venice Preserved; A Life of Galileo, RSC) as Caro Wheeler, Lloyd Owen (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) as Larry Yeates, and Sergo Vares as Zhudov.

Set during presidential elections in a former communist Eastern European country, The New Real sees two American political strategists engaged in a grudge match far from home, working for competing candidates, and redrawing the political faultline. They think they’ve come to teach the East how to do elections, but is the learning the other way around? And will what they’ve learned spread to Western Europe, Britain and America? An origin story of the contemporary political scene, Edgar’s panoramic play explores the wider themes of how political and personal ideals are expressed, challenged and betrayed.

David Edgar said: “Following the success of Marine le Pen’s National Rally and other national-populist parties in mainland Europe, the rise of the Reform Party in Britain, and the possibility of a second Trump term, a play about the rise of national populism couldn’t be more timely. I’m delighted that the play is being premiered in Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey’s first season at the RSC, in the 50th anniversary year of The Other Place, and directed by Headlong’s groundbreaking Artistic Director Holly Race Roughan. Critic Michael Billington described the original The Other Place as the most productive tin hut in history. I’m privileged that this will be the fifth of my plays to be premiered there.”

The production features set and costume design by Alex Lowde, lighting by Joshie Harriette, composition by Monika Dalach Sayers, sound by Max Perryment, movement direction by Michela Meazza, video design by Luke Halls, and casting by Matthew Dewsbury CDG.

For more info, please click here.