RSC Announce Twelfth Night and Arabian Nights

RSC Chief Associate Gregory Doran will direct one of the country's leading actors Richard Wilson in his RSC debut in the role of Malvolio in Twelfth Night this winter. He will be joined by Nancy Carroll as Viola and Alexandra Gilbreath as Olivia, both making a welcome return to the company. This new production of Shakespeare's comedy will perform a straight five-week run from October 15 at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Richard Wilson is best known for his much-loved role of Victor Meldrew in the TV comedy series One Foot in the Grave for which he has won many awards including the British Comedy Awards Top Television Comedy Actor Award and two BAFTAs. His long and distinguished career as both actor and director in theatre, film and TV most recently includes (as actor) Merlin (BBC1), Demons (ITV), New Tricks (BBC1), Whipping it Up (Bush Theatre/West End), Waiting for Godot (Royal Exchange) and What the Butler Saw (NT). As director his recent work includes Rainbow Kiss, The Woman Before (both Royal Court) and Primo (NT, South Africa, Hampstead, Broadway and then for television on BBC/HBO), amongst many others. Richard is a former associate director of the Royal Court Theatre, and was awarded an OBE in 1994 for services to drama as director and actor.

In December, a cast of eighteen will paint a dazzling array of stories and characters in Dominic Cooke's adaptation of the Arabian Nights. Shahrazad's bewitching tales, which include Ali Baba and Es-Sindibad, celebrate the power of the imagination and storytelling, and will be told through a heady mixture of song, dance, puppetry and illusion.

Former RSC Associate Director Cooke (now Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre in London) returns to the RSC to direct his own adaptation of the tales, which will be the first family show to play in The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The show, aimed at audiences from seven upwards, will perform a straight 8 week run over the Christmas period.

Originally created and performed at the Young Vic in 1998 and followed by a successful tour which included the Edinburgh Festival, Dublin and New York, this version will be expanded and developed specially for the RSC's Courtyard Theatre. Dominic worked on the original tales held in eighteen volumes at the British Library to come up with his adaptation.