Jermyn Street Theatre Announces Casting For 15 HEROINES Casting

Following the announcement last month that Jermyn Street Theatre has joined forces with Digital Theatre to present the major production, 15 Heroines, today the theatre reveals the full casting for this groundbreaking project.

Amongst the actors who will take part in the specially commissioned works re-telling the stories of the women of classical myth by 15 female and non-binary playwrights, will be Olivia Williams, Nadine Marshall, Jemima Rooper, Martina Laird and Gemma Whelan. They will be part of a cast of 15 who will perform the works in the empty Jermyn Street Theatre auditorium to be filmed and streamed online to audiences from 9 - 14 November.

It has also been revealed that acclaimed actor and director Adjoa Andoh will join Jermyn Street Theatre artistic director Tom Littler and deputy director Cat Robey as part of the team of three directors on the project, with camera direction by Anke Lueddecke.

Inspired by Ovid's The Heroines (Heroides), a collection of fifteen fictional letters written in the first century BCE, 15 Heroines comprises fifteen new plays be performed in three productions: The War, The Desert, and The Labyrinth. The writers comprise April De Angelis, Stella Duffy, Samantha Ellis, Lorna French, Juliet Gilkes Romero, Natalie Haynes, Charlotte Jones, Hannah Khalil, Bryony Lavery, Isley Lynn, Lettie Precious, Sabrina Mahfouz, Chinonyerem Odimba, Timberlake Wertenbaker and Abi Zakarian.

Full casting comprises Gemma Whelan, Jemima Rooper, Ann Ogbomo, Rebekah Murrell and Sophia Eleni in The War, Indra Ové, Rosalind Eleazar, Nicholle Cherrie, Eleanor Tomlinson and Martina Laird in The Desert and Olivia Williams, Nadine Marshall, Doña Croll, Nathalie Armin and Patsy Ferran in The Labyrinth.

Costume and props are designed by Jessie McKenzie, Emily Stuart and Louie Whitemore. Lighting is by Johanna Town, assisted by Simisola Majekodunmi. Sound and music is by Nicola Chang and Max Pappenheim. Assistant direction is by Gabriella Bird and Khadifa Wong.

Tom Littler says: "We are delighted to assemble this remarkable cast, supported by a wonderful creative team including directors Adjoa Andoh and Cat Robey. These fifteen plays are more exciting than we could have dreamed - inventive, funny, angry and moving responses to Ovid's originals. They are proof of the enduring power of classical myths, and the constant renewal and reinvention of how we tell stories."

There will be three performances of each work with a limited online audience capacity of 250 people for each with tickets at £20. https://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/show/15-heroines/

15 Heroines is supported by Arts Council England, the Backstage Trust and the City Bridge Trust.

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