Natascha McElhone, Jodhi May to Star in New Play QUEEN ANNE at the RSC's Swan Theatre This Winter

Natascha McElhone, perhaps best known for THE TRUMAN SHOW and the more recent TV series CALIFORNICATION, will star in Helen Edmundson's new play QUEEN ANNE at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Swan Theatre this winter.

According to the Daily Mail, McElhone will play 'Sarah', first Duchess of Marlborough, who uses her relationship with the queen, played by THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL's Jodhi May, to exercise great power in politics, foreign affairs and, above all, money matters.

The official description of QUEEN ANNE reads, "1702. William III is on the throne and England is on the verge of war. Princess Anne is soon to become Queen, and her advisors vie for influence over the future monarch. Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, a close friend with whom Anne has an intensely personal relationship, begins to exert increasing pressure as she pursues her own designs on power. Contending with deceit and blackmail, Anne must decide where her allegiances lie, and whether to sacrifice her closest relationships for the sake of the country."

Natalie Abrahami, who recently helmed HAPPY DAYS at the Young Vic, will direct the production, running November 19, 2015 through January 23, 2016 in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Photo Credit: Dan Wooller