Cast Set to Join Jonathan Bailey in RICHARD II at the Bridge Theatre

London Theatre Company has announced the full cast for the brand-new production of Richard II opening 10 February 2025 and running until 10 May 2025 at the Bridge Theatre. Directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring the award-winning screen and stage actor Jonathan Bailey, Richard II will feature a talented cast to illuminate Shakespeare’s powerful work.

The cast features: Royce Pierreson (The Witcher, Judy, Line of Duty) as Henry Bolingbroke, Christopher Osikanlu Colquhoun (Absentia, The Doctor – Duke of York’s Theatre,Comedy of Errors – RSC) as Earl of Northumberland, Olivia Popica (The Wheel of Time, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, The Tattooist of Auschwitz) as Queen Isabel, Amanda Root (Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream,  Macbeth – RSC, Persuasion) as Green and the Duchess of York, Phoenix Di Sebastiani (The Great, Top Boy, Anne Boleyn) as Thomas Mowbray and Groom, and Clive Wood (London's Burning, The Tempest – Theatre Royal Haymarket, Antony and Cleopatra – Shakespeare’s Globe) as John of Gaunt. Returning to the Bridge Theatre is Michael Simkins (Guys & Dolls – Bridge Theatre, The Crown, Silent Witness) as the Duke of York.

In addition, the cast includes Adam Best (Peaky Blinders, The Crown, Twelfth Night – National Theatre) as Sir John Bagot, Seamus Dillane (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, The Invention of Love – Hampstead Theatre) as Lord Surrey, Vinnie Heaven (Cowbois –  RSC, A Midsummer Night's Dream –  Shakespeare's Globe, Cuckoo – Soho Theatre) as Aumerle,Jordan Kouamé (Wolf Hall 2, The Mirror and the Light –  RSC) as Sir John Bushy and Harry Percy, Gerard Monaco (A Small Family Business, Children of the Sun, The Kitchen – National Theatre, A View from the Bridge – Duke of York’s Theatre) as Sir Stephen Scroop and Keeper, George Taylor (The Lady In The Van, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows) as Fitzwater, and Badria Timimi (Our Girl, My Brilliant Friend – National Theatre) as Abbess of Carlisle.

The understudy cast includes Emma Bown (Romeo and Juliet – Original Shakespeare Co, Sex Education), Martin Carroll (Twelfth Night, Richard III – The Apollo, The Royal Hunt of the Sun – National Theatre) and Stephan Boyce (Aladdin – Lyric Hammersmith, The Coloured Valentino – Arcola Theatre).

Richard II is charismatic, eloquent, and flamboyantly witty. And a disastrous King – dishonest, dangerous, and politically incompetent. Echoing down the centuries is the perennial problem: how to deal with a ruler who has a rock-solid right to rule but is set on wrecking the country he leads. Shakespeare’s subtle, ambiguous, and powerful play revolves round two startlingly modern figures: Richard, an autocrat who believes he is divinely sanctioned, and Henry Bolingbroke, a hard-headed pragmatist who has genuine authority.

Richard II will be designed by Bob Crowley (for the Bridge Theatre: Straight Line Crazy; The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage; in the West End: Olivier Award-winning An American in Paris) with Lighting Design by Bruno Poet (for the Bridge Theatre: Julius Caesar; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; in the West End: Tina – The Tina Turner Musical) and Sound Design byCarolyn Downing (Olivier Award-winning: Chimerica, Summer and Smoke and Life of Pi). Grant Olding (For the Bridge Theatre: The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage, A Christmas Carol; Two Ladies; A Midsummer Night's Dream; Alys, Always and Young Marx) is the Composer. The Casting Director is Robert Sterne (for the Bridge Theatre: Straight Line Crazy; The Southbury Child; for screen: Game of Thrones; The Crown) and Christopher Worral is Casting Associate. Lily Dyble is Associate Director, Jaimie Todd is Associate Designer, Charlie Smith is Associate Sound Designer. Eleanor Dolan is the Costume Supervisor and Lily Mollgaard is the Props Supervisor.

Jonathan Bailey shot to global fame as Lord Anthony in the popular period drama Bridgerton. He has recently starred in the critically acclaimed Showtime series Fellow Travelers.Bailey plays the lead love interest, Fiyero in the highly anticipated Wicked film. Bailey has recently wrapped production on Jurassic World, leading the film alongside Scarlett Johansson. His prolific and acclaimed stage career includes playing Edgar in Ian McKellen’s King Lear and winning an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Jamie in Company.  

For the Bridge Theatre, Nicholas Hytner has directed Young Marx; Julius Caesar; Allelujah!; Alys, Always; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Two Ladies; Beat the Devil; The Shrine; Bed Among the Lentils; A Christmas Carol; Bach & Sons; The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage; Straight Line Crazy; The Southbury Child; John Gabriel Borkman; and Guys & Dolls. Previously he was Director of The National Theatre from 2003 to 2015.

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