Jonathan Pryce, Kieran Bew et al to Lead Attenborough's KING LEAR; Full Cast Announced!

Michael Attenborough will direct Jonathan Pryce as William Shakespeare's KING LEAR running at The Almeida Theatre from the 31 August – 3 November 2012, with press night 11 September. Designs are by Tom Scutt with lighting by Jon Clark and sound and music by Dan Jones. The Almeida's production of King Lear is part of the World Shakespeare Festival. The festival, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company for London 2012, will showcase the best of the UK and international creative talents, exploring the contemporary relevance of Shakespeare.

Jonathan Pryce is joined by Kieran Bew (Edmund), Michael Byrne (Fool), Steven Elliott (Oswald), Phoebe Fox (Cordelia), Ian Gelder (Kent), Richard Goulding (Edgar), Richard Hope (Albany), Jenny Jules (Regan), Barry McCarthy (Lear's Loyal Servant), Chook Sibtain (Cornwall), Zoe Waites (Goneril), Clive Wood (Gloucester) and Alix Wilton Regan (Gloucester's Loyal Servant).

When Lear asks each of his daughters to profess their love for him, he is flattered by the false hyperbole of Regan and Goneril. When his youngest daughter Cordelia confesses to love him simply as a daughter should, his pride is dented and he casts her out of his kingdom. Too late to realise his mistake, and forced from power by his offspring, an increasingly impotent and frail Lear descends into madness.

Tony and Olivier award-winning actor Jonathan Pryce made his Almeida debut playing Martin in Edward Albee's The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? His extensive theatre credits includes The Caretaker for Liverpool Everyman and Bath Theatre Royal, which he has also performed at the Trafalgar Studios, and on a world tour culminating at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music in New York, Dimetos at the Donmar Warehouse, Glengarry Glen Ross at the Apollo Theatre, A Reckoning for Soho Theatre and My Fair Lady at The National Theatre and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane as well as Oliver at the London Palladium, Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Hamlet for the Royal Court, Measure for Measure at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Comedians at the Old Vic. His film and television work includes Cranford, Hysteria, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tomorrow Never Dies, What a Girl Wants, Victoria and Albert, Evita, Unconditional Love, Brazil and Carrington.

Kieran Bew returns to the Almeida having previously appeared in Michael Attenborough's productions of Reasons To Be Pretty and The Knot of the Heart. He has recently completed the run of After Miss Julie at the Young Vic. His other theatre credits include The House of Special Purpose for Chichester Festival Theatre and Richard II at the Old Vic. On television his credits include Inspector George Gently, Waking The Dead, Silent Witness and Personal Affairs, The Street, Whistleblower and Spooks. His film credits include 1234 and Green Street.

Michael Byrne's extensive theatre credits include The Chairs for the Gate, Burial at Thebes for Nottingham Playhouse, Death and the Maiden and New World Order for the Royal Court, Entertaining Strangers for The National Theatre and most recently, Molly Sweeney also for the Gate Theatre. His film credits include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Braveheart and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. His television credits include the role of Ted Paige in Coronation Street, Waking the Dead and Silent Witness.

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