Casting Complete for Tricycle Theatre's RED VELVET

Simon Chandler (Bernard/Terence), Rachel Finnegan (Halina/Betty/Margaret), Natasha Gordon (Connie), Ryan Kiggell (Charles), Ferdinand Kingsley (Casmir/Henry), Charlotte Lucas (Ellen), and Eugene O'Hare (Pierre) join the previously announced Adrian Lester (Ira Aldridge) to complete the cast for Red Velvet. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti, and directed by the Tricycle's Artistic Director, Indhu Rubasingham, Red Velvet runs from 11 October – 24 November, with press night on 16 October.

Design is by Tom Piper, lighting by Oliver Fenwick, sound by Paul Arditti, with assistant direction from Titas Halder.

Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, 1833. Edmund Kean, the greatest actor of his generation, has collapsed on stage whilst playing Othello. A young black American actor has been asked to take over the role. But, as the public riot in the streets over the abolition of slavery, how will the cast, critics and audience react to the revolution taking place in the theatre?

Imagined experiences based on the true story of Ira Aldridge.

Simon Chandler has previously been on stage at the Tricycle Theatre in The Letter of Last Resort, part of the season, The Bomb, and in The Panel, The Lioness and Bloody Wimmin as part of the Women, Power and Politics season. Other theatre credits include Cause Celebre at the Old Vic, All Mouth at the Menier Chocolate Factory, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest at the Garrick Theatre and Democracy at the Wyndham's Theatre. Simon's screen credits include The Politician's Husband, Vera, Land Girls, Judge John Deed, Fast Girls, The Iron Lady and The King's Speech.

Rachel Finnegan's previous stage credits include Tartuffe and The Oresteia at York Theatre Royal, The Trial at Southwark Playhouse, Bensalem B&B for Punchdrunk and Volpone at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Natasha Gordon's stage credits include Mules at the Young Vic Studio, The Exception and the Rule at the Young Vic, As You Like It, The Tamer Tamed and Cymbeline all for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Inside Out at the Arcola Theatre, Clubland at The Royal Court Theatre and Arabian Nights at the Young Vic/Tour. Natasha's screen credits include Secrets and Words, Little Miss Jocelyn and The Bill.

Ryan Kiggell's stage credits include Kaspar at Southwark Playhouse, Voyage Around My Father at Salisbury Playhouse, Macbeth for Cheek by Jowl, The Importance of Being Earnest at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, Troilus & Cressida for Cheek by Jowel/Tour/Barbican, Amy's View and You Can Never Tell at Theatre Royal, Bath and the Garrick Theatre and King Lear at Stratford Upon Avon and the Young Vic. Ryan's screen credits include Atonement, Glorious 39, and Trial & Retribution – Series XI, XIII and XV.

Ferdinand Kingsley's theatre credits include The York Mystery Plays at York Theatre Royal, King James Bible, Hamlet and Welcome To Thebes all at The National Theatre, The Winter's Tale for Headlong and Troilus and Cressida, Little Eyolf and Romeo and Juliet all for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His screen work includes Ripper St, Richard II and The Last Legion.

Charlotte Lucas was previously at the Tricycle Theatre in Called to Account, Darfur: How Long is Never? and Fabulation. Her other theatre credits include Posh at the Duke of York's Theatre, The Changeling at the Young Vic, Yes Prime Minister and World's End at Trafalgar Studios, Fast Labour at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Hampstead Theatre and. Charlotte's screen credits include Not Going Out, Down to Earth, Clean Skin, Harmony, These Foolish Things and Bad Girls.

Eugene O'Hare's stage credits include Our Private Life at the Royal Court, Translations at The National Theatre, Talent at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Observe The Sons of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme at Abbey Theatre and Hampstead Theatre, Riff Raff at the Arcola Theatre and A Moon For The Misbegotten at the Old Vic and on Broadway. Eugene's screen credits include The Fall, Black Mirror, Nothing Personal, Prometheus and Waking The Dead.

Adrian Lester is best known for playing Michael Stone in hit BBC1 series Hustle. Other screen credits include When Romeo Met Juliet, BBC2; Merlin, BBC1; Sleep with Me, ITV; Ghost Squad, Channel 4; Being Human, BBC1; Ballet Shoes, BBC1; Bonekickers, BBC1; Empire's Children, Channel 4 and award-winning drama Storm Damage for BBC1. Adrian was last on stage in the award-winning Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at the Novello Theatre. Other theatre credits include Hamlet for Peter Brook at the Bouffes du Nord/Young Vic; Sweeney Todd at The National Theatre (Olivier Award Nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role); Company at the Donmar Warehouse (Olivier Award for Best Actor); Six Degrees of Separation (Time Out Award) at the Royal Court/Comedy Theatre; As You Like It at the Lyric Hammersmith/Noel Coward Theatre/National Tour; and Henry V at The National Theatre. Adrian will be playing the title role in Othello at The National Theatre in 2013. His film credits include Primary Colours; The Day After Tomorrow; Born Romantic; Love's Labour's Lost; Starting Out in the Evening; Dust; Final Curtain; Scenes of a Sexual Nature; As You Like It; Doomsday; Best; and Case 39. All is By My Side will be released in 2013.

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