Aidan McArdle, Tara Fitzgerald, and More to Star in THE SECRET THEATRE at Shakespeare's Globe; Full Cast Announced

Shakespeare's Globe is delighted to announce the full cast for the world premiere of Anders Lustgarten's The Secret Theatre in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse directed by Matthew Dunster. As the nation's relationship with Europe deteriorates and civil unrest grows, Elizabeth I's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, adopts extreme tactics to keep his queen and country safe. Set in a world of espionage, double-crossing and blackmail, The Secret Theatre asks what we are prepared to sacrifice to ensure our safety.

Aidan McArdle will play Sir Francis Walsingham. Previous theatre work includes School for Scandal (Barbican), The White Devil (Menier Chocolate Factory), There Came a Gypsy Riding (Almeida), Great Expectations (Bristol Old Vic) and Anthony and Cleopatra (RSC). Television credits include The Fall (BBC), Humans (Channel 4), Sense 8 (Netflix), Mr Selfridge (ITV) and Quirke (BBC). Film credits include The Duchess, Me and Orson Welles, Killing Bono and Late Bloomers.

TAra Fitzgerald will play Elizabeth I, returning to the Globe after appearing as Lady Macbeth in 2016. Tara's recent stage credits include Gaslight (Northampton Royal),The Winter's Tale (RSC), Broken Glass (West End), and A Doll's House (Donmar). Screen credits include Churchill's Secret (ITV), The Musketeers (BBC), Legend, Child 44 and Exodus: Gods and Kings. She recently played the role of Selyse Baratheon in HBO's Game of Thrones.

Abraham Popoola will play John Ballard, having appeared as Badvoc in the Globe's production of Boudica this summer. He also won Best Actor in The Stage Debut Awards last month. Previous theatre work includes Othello (English Touring Theatre) and The Crossings Plays (Royal Court). The role of Pooley will be played by Edmund Kingsley. Edmund's previous stage work includes Seven Acts of Mercy, Hecuba (RSC), The Keepers of Infinite Space (Park Theatre) and Dangerous Corner (Salisbury Playhouse). Television work includes Jekyll & Hyde, Breathless (ITV) and Life in Squares (BBC). Film credits include Madness in the Method, Interlude in Prague, Hernalsian Elysium and An Ordinary Man.

Cassie Layton will play Frances. Cassie's credits include Persuasion (Royal Exchange), Macbeth (Young Vic), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare's Globe), and Lovesick (Netflix). Radio work for the BBC includes Home Front, Cassandra at the Wedding, Pilgrim, Chiwawa, Clayton Grange and The Pursued. Colin Ryan will play the role of Phelippes. Colin's recent theatre credits include Snow in Midsummer, Volpone, Love's Sacrifice, The Jew of Malta (RSC), Macbeth, The Lightning Child(Shakespeare's Globe). Television work includes Doctor Who (BBC). Ian Redford will play Sir William Cecil, Topcliffe and Palmer. He last appeared at the Globe in 2010's Romeo & Juliet. Other theatre credits include Antigone (Royal Exchange), Branded (Old Vic) and All My Sons (Leicester Curve). His screen credits include King Charles III (BBC), New Tricks (BBC), Party Animals (BBC) and Coronation Street (ITV).

The full cast comprises TAra Fitzgerald, Edmund Kingsley, Cassie Layton, Sam Marks, Aidan McArdle, David Partridge, Abraham Popoola, Ian Redford, Colin Ryan.

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