Full casting announced for RSC’s PERICLES at Swan Theatre

Full casting has been announced for the RSC’s forthcoming production of Shakespeare’s Pericles, running at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 26 July–21 September.

Joining the previously announced Alfred Enoch in the titular role, are Rachelle Diedericks (The House Party, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Marina, Leah Haile (The Lovely Bones, UK tour) as Thaisa, Chukwuma Omambala (Scandaltown, Lyric Hammersmith) as Cleon, Christian Patterson (The American Clock, Old Vic) as Simonides, and Gabby Wong (Macbeth, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Dionyza.

Completing the cast are Miles Barrow as Thaliard/Boult, Philip Bird as Helicanus, Jacqueline Boatswain as Cerimon/Bawd, Chyna-Rose Frederick as Antiochus’ Daughter/Lychorida/Diana, Sasha Ghoshal (Ensemble), Felix Hayes as Anitochus/Pande), Kel Matsena as Lysimachus, Miriam O’Brien (Ensemble), Emmanuel Olusanya (Ensemble), and Sam Parks as Escanes/Leonine.

Shakespeare’s stirring tale of love, hope and miracles will see RSC Co-Artistic Director, Tamara Harvey, make her directorial debut with the company. Harvey said: “Daniel and I are now a year into our tenure as Co-Artistic Directors. In building our first season, we have always come back to the question of “why this show and why now” – of how particular stories, however new or old, might be in conversation with our world today. As one of Shakespeare’s late, great plays, Pericles has so much to say about who we are and who we might become; about what it means to be a leader, what it means to love and to lose everything; what it is to navigate a course through adversity and what it takes to keep striving in a desperately fragile world.

“Like so many artists joining us across the year, this will be my first time directing at the RSC. To be making my début alongside Alfred Enoch, whom I last worked with during lockdown on a screen adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray, is both an extraordinary joy and a privilege. I am so looking forward to collaborating with this wonderful company of actors, immersing ourselves in the unique magic of Shakespeare’s language and bringing this story to life in the exquisite intimacy of the iconic Swan Theatre. The journey begins…”

Joining Tamara on the creative team are set designer Jonathan Fensom, costume designer Kinnetia Isidore, lighting designer Ryan Day, composer Claire van Kampen, sound designer Claire Windsor, movement director Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, and casting director Charlotte Sutton CDG.

Pericles will then transfer to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater from 20 October.

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