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.

Benjamin Dilloway's theatre credits include Step 9 of 12 and Mercury Fur at the Trafalgar Studio 2, Excellent Choice for The Vault Festival at The Old Vic Tunnels, Chicken for Southwark Playhouse, But otherwise went well...for Waterloo East Theatre and The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices for the Old Vic. His film credits include Archers, Hold On Me and Jess//Jim.

Steven Elliott has previously worked with Michael Attenborough on the world premiere of Pentecost at the RSC. His extensive theatre credits also include Frankenstein, The Winter's Tale (both at The National Theatre) and Dancing at Lughnasa (Abbey Theatre, Dublin). His television credits include Judge John Deed, Tess of the D'Urbevilles and Crash. His film credits include Hamlet, Time Bandits and Cold Earth.

Phoebe Fox graduated from RADA in 2010 and was nominated for the 2011 Evening Standard Outstanding Newcomer award for her performance as Celia in As You Like It at the Rose Theatre. Her other theatre credits include There is a War for The National Theatre, The Acid Test for the Royal Court and Sixty-Six Books for the Bush. Her television credits include Black Mirror, New Tricks and Coming Up.

Ian Gelder's extensive theatre credits include Henry IV (Parts 1 and II), His Dark Materials and Stuff Happens for The National Theatre as well as The Crucible, Titus Andronicus and Richard III for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His television credits include Game of Thrones, Absolutely Fabulous, Psychoville and Silent Witness. His film credits include Pope Joan, Little Dorritt and The Fool.

Richard Goulding can currently be seen in Posh at the Duke of York's Theatre, in a role he originated at the Royal Court in 2010. His other theatre credits include Trevor Nunn's Royal Shakespeare Company productions of King Lear and The Seagull, There is a War and Edgar and Annabel for The National Theatre and The Soldier and the Maker at the Barbican and Good at the Royal Exchange Theatre. On television his credits are Foyles War and M.I High and on film The Iron Lady.

Richard Hope has previously been at the Almeida in Michael Attenborough's production of When the Rain Stops Falling. His other extensive theatre credits include The Swan, A Prayer for Owen Meaney, War and Peace, Hamlet, Pravda, The Government Inspector and Much Ado About Nothing all for The National Theatre, Democracy for Sheffield Crucible and Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre. On television his credits include Doctor Who, Holby City, EastEnders, Peak Practice and Brideshead Revisited. His film credits include the upcoming Mr Morgan's Last Love.

Jenny Jules returns to the Almeida having previously performed in Michael Attenborough's productions of The Homecoming and Big White Fog and Indhu Rubasingham's production of Ruined for which she won the Critics' Circle Best Actress Award for her performance as Mama Nadi. She has also worked extensively for the Tricycle Theatre in productions including Fabulation, Gem of the Ocean, Walk Hard, The Colour of Justice and The Great White Hope. Her film work includes A Short Stay in Switzerland, Octane, Up 'N' Under and Spiders and Flies. On television she has been seen in Vexed, Judge John Deed, Golden Hour and A Respectable Trade. She has most recently been seen at The National Theatre in Moon on A Rainbow Shawl.

Barry McCarthy's theatre credits include A Round- Heeled Woman at the Riverside Studios and the Aldwych Theatre, Realism at the Soho Theatre, The White Guard at The National Theatre, The Canterbury Tales and As You Like It for the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as House and Garden, Body Language and Things We Do for Love, all directed by Alan Ayckbourn at the Stephen Jones Theatre, Scarborough. He has previously been at the Almeida in Last Seen, part of the 2009 Summer Festival. On television he has appeared in Doctors, Holby City, Missing, Judge John Deed, Peak Practice and The Final Cut and on film his credits include Notes on a Scandal, Kinky Boots and The Food of Love. He has worked extensively with Michael Attenborough.

Chook Sibtain played Mercutio in Michael Attenborough's Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Romeo and Juliet. His other theatre credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe, The King and I at the Leicester Curve, An Enemy of the People for Sheffield Crucible and A Streetcar Named Desire at the Nuffield Southampton. On film his credits include the recent short film Ghost Recon: Alpha as well as Naachle London and We Make Music. On television he has had roles in Hustle, Dr Who and Casualty.

Zoe Waites was previously at the Almeida in Thea Sharrock's production of Mrs Klein and Howard Davies' production of The Play About The Baby. She has previously been directed by Michael Attenborough at the Royal Shakespeare Company in The Prisoner's Dilemma, Othello and Romeo and Juliet. Her other theatre credits include Hobson's Choice at the Crucible Theatre, Birdsong at the Comedy Theatre and Hedda Gabler for the Theatre Royal Bath. On television her credits include The Other Boleyn Girl, Love In a Cold Climate and Unknown Soldier.

Clive Wood was most recently seen at the Almeida in Michael Attenborough's production of Filumena, following roles in both The Tempest and Flare Path as part of Trevor Nunn's season at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. His previous theatre credits include Richard II, Richard III, Nicholas Nickleby and the title role in Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2), all for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Michael Attenborough also directed Wood in the RSC productions of Antony and Cleopatra and Les Liaisons Dangereuses. His recent television credits include What To Do When Someone Dies, Waking The Dead and Land Girls. His film credits include Dirty Bomb, The Crucifer of Blood and Treasure Island.

Alix Wilton Regan's theatre credits include In Parallel for the Arcola Theatre, Numbers at the King's Head and To Kill a Mockingbird at the Tricycle Theatre. On film her credits include Real Playing Game, World of the Dead, Life Just is and The Symmetry of Love. Her television credits include Come Fly With Me and Hustle.

This year Michael Attenborough celebrates ten years as Artistic Director of The Almeida Theatre. Attenborough, who succeeded Jonathan Kent and Ian McDiarmid, began his Artistic Directorship with the opening of the refurbished Islington based theatre.

Michael Attenborough's productions over the last ten years as Artistic Director have been The Mercy Seat, Five Gold Rings, Brighton Rock, The Late Henry Moss, Enemies, There Came A Gypsy Riding, Big White Fog, Awake and Sing!, The Homecoming, In a Dark Dark House, When the Rain Stops Falling, Measure for Measure, Through A Glass Darkly, The Knot of the Heart, Reasons To Be Pretty and, most recently, Filumena. Previously, Attenborough was Associate Director at Mercury Theatre, Colchester (1972-74), Leeds Playhouse (1974-79), Young Vic (1979-80); and Artistic Director at Palace Theatre, Watford (1980-84) and Hampstead Theatre (1984-89); and was Principal Associate Director for the Royal Shakespeare Company (1990-2002). On leaving the Royal Shakespeare Company he became an Honorary Associate Artist. Attenborough's freelance work includes productions at The National Theatre, the Royal Court, in the West End and on Broadway. He is the recipient of two Honorary Doctorates and is Honorary Professor of English at the University of Sussex.

The Almeida Theatre is grateful to its Principal Partner Aspen whose three year commitment started last summer, building on the long term relationship between the two companies. Aspen's commitment to The Almeida Theatre ensures continued bold programming, artistic endeavour and risk taking. Aspen, established in 2002, is a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance company with over 670 employees in eight countries. www.aspen.bm

For more information, visit www.almeida.co.uk.