Full Cast Announced For THE TWO POPES at the Rose Theatre

Joining the previously announced Anton Lesser (Pope Benedict XVI) and Nicholas Woodeson (Cardinal Bergoglio - the future Pope Francis) in the London premiere and tour of Anthony McCarten's The Two Popes, will be Lynsey Beauchamp as Sister Brigitta and Leaphia Darko as Sister Sophia, with Malcolm James and Angela Jones in the ensemble. The Two Popes will run at Rose Theatre from 9 to 23 September, with a press night on Tuesday 13 September 2022, after which, it will tour to Cambridge Arts Theatre, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham, Royal & Derngate Northampton, Oxford Playhouse and Theatre Royal Bath.

From the writer of the Academy Award-winning Bohemian Rhapsody, Darkest Hour and The Theory of Everything, comes the play that sparked a major motion picture.

Nine years ago, Pope Benedict XVI stunned the world by resigning, the first Pope in 700 years to do so. What drove this archconservative to break with sacred tradition and make way for a former tango club bouncer and football-loving reformer with the common touch, to become Pope Francis?

Starring Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, The Crown, Endeavour) and Nicholas Woodeson (Baptiste, The Death of Stalin, The Danish Girl), this gripping and entertaining new play from Anthony McCarten premiered at Royal & Derngate, Northampton in 2019 and was adapted into the multi-award-winning film, for which McCarten was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Awards. It now receives its London premiere at the Rose ahead of a UK tour.

Directed by James Dacre (2020 Olivier Award-nominated Our Lady of Kibeho), with original music by Grammy and BRIT Award-winning composer Anne Dudley, the production is designed by Jonathan Fensom, with lighting design by Charles Balfour, sound design by David Gregory and video & projection design by Duncan McLean. The Associate Director is Sarah Stacey, the Associate Lighting Designer is Ric Mountjoy, and original casting was by Annelie Powell CDG and Stuart Burt CDG.

A Royal & Derngate Northampton and Anthology Theatre co-production in association with Tara Finney Productions, The Two Popes is presented by Rose Theatre in association with Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Oxford Playhouse.

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