Further Casting Announced for QUEEN ANNE at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Romola Garai will star as Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough alongside Emma Cunniffe as the eponymous monarch in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Queen Anne.

Completing the cast will be Daisy Ashford as Lady Clarendon, Sheena Bhattessa as Lady Somerset, Gabrielle Brooks as Jezebel and Lady Russell, Dave Fishley as King William III and Groom, Jonny Glynn as Jonathan Swift, Chu Omambala as John Churchill and Sid Sagar as Samuel Masham and Inns of Court Singer.

They join the previously announced Jonathan Christie (Arthur Maynwaring), Michael Fenton Stevens (Dr John Radcliffe), James Garnon (Robert Harley), Richard Hope (Sidney Godolphin), Hywel Morgan (Prince George), Beth Park (Abigail Hill) and Carl Prekopp (Daniel Defoe).

Queen Anne originally opened at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2015. It will transfer to Theatre Royal Haymarket for a thirteen week limited run from 30 June until 30 September, with a press night on 10 July. Tickets are now on sale at www.RSCQueenAnne.com.

Written by Helen Edmundson (The Heresy of Love, RSC) and directed by Natalie Abrahami (Happy Days, Young Vic), this gripping new play explores the life of one of England's little-known sovereigns and her intimate friendship with her childhood confidante Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. A timely production for turbulent political climes, the reign of Queen Anne saw the rise of the free press as well as the Act of Union between England and Scotland.

Daisy Ashford will play Lady Clarendon. Daisy trained at LAMDA and her theatre credits include Love for Love, Queen Anne (both RSC), The Middlemarch Trilogy, Adam Bede, The Twelve Pound Look, The Skin Game, Diana of Dobson's, Playgoers and The Beggars Opera (all Orange Tree Theatre), The Rivals (Theatre Royal Bath/ No1 UK Tour), All You Ever Needed (Hampstead/Royal Court), Quality Street (Finborough), Antigone (Southwark Playhouse) and The Norman Conquests (Sherringham). In addition to her work on stage, Daisy's television credits include Wallander, Spotless, Bonekickers and Like Father Like Son and her film appearances include Jack Ryan, Captain America and The Sweeter Side of Life. In addition to this, Daisy has appeared on radio in Ruth and Love Lessons (Radio 4), and several Doctor Who audio plays (Big Finish).

Sheena Bhattessa will play Lady Somerset. Sheena's theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet (National Theatre), My Generation (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Great Game: Afghanistan (The Tricycle - Olivier Award Nomination), Lotus Beauty (The Gate) and The Lemon Tree (The World's End Theatre). Sheena has appeared on screen in films including Canaries, Love Aaj Kal, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Take 2. Her television credits include Ransom, Midsomer Murders, Doctors, EastEnders, Whitechapel and The Fixer.

Gabrielle Brooks will play Jezebel and Lady Russell. Gabrielle's theatre credits include Lazarus (Kings Cross Theatre), Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), Red Snapper (Belgrade Theatre), The Strangers Case (Liverpool Everyman), The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales), I Can't Sing (London Palladium), Hairspray (UK No 1 Tour/ Stage Entertainment), Our House (Savoy), Avenue Q (UK No 1 Tour/ Cameron Mackintosh). Gabrielle has also appeared in workshops for Synergy Play (Theatre 503), Perfect Pitch (St James Theatre), Becoming Nancy (Playful Productions), Big Fish (ATG), Love Me Tender (Adam Spiegel). Gabrielle has appeared on screen in the film Notes on a Scandal, as well as Paul O'Grady Show and Coming Down The Mountain.

Dave Fishley will play King William III and Groom. Dave's theatre credits include Macbeth (Theatre Severn), Treasure Island and Of Mice And Men (Birmingham Rep), Hamlet, As You Like It and All's Well That Ends Well (all RSC), Taming of the Shrew (Southwark Playhouse), Rough Crossings (UK Tour), The Odyssey (Lyric Hammersmith/Bristol Old Vic/Tour), Macbeth (Out of Joint), Paradise Lost (RNT Studio), The Special Relationship (UK Tour), Dido, Queen of Carthage (The Globe), Crime and Punishment in Dalston (Arcola), Caledonia Road (Almeida), The Nativity (Young Vic), Twelfth Night (Nuffield Southampton), Eritrea The Other War (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Marat/Sade (RNT), Silver Face and Ballad of Wolves (Gate), Now You Know (Hampstead), The Tempest (Battersea Arts Centre), Asylum! Asylum! (Abbey Theatre Dublin), Smoke (Royal Exchange), Macbeth and The Tempest (ESC). In addition to his work in theatre, Dave has also appeared on film in Bridget Jones' Diary, The Man with Rain in His Shoes, The Fifth Element and Solitaire for Two. His television credits include Moses Jones, Casualty, Judge John Deed, Macbeth, Between the Lines (BBC), See How They Run (KEO Films), Buried (World), The Bill (Thames TV), A Touch of Frost (Yorkshire TV).

Jonny Glynn will play Jonathan Swift. Jonny trained at The Drama Centre and his credits for the RSC include Henry IV Parts I & II, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, The Blue Angel, Measure for Measure and King John. Jonny's further theatre credits include Richard II, (Shakespeare's Globe), Coriolan/Us (National Theatre Wales), Lucky Seven (Hampstead Theatre), Pera Palas (The Gate), Arcadia and Amy's View (Manchester Library Theatre), Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo (Lyric Hammersmith), Lady Windermere's Fan (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Rivals, I Have Been Here Before, Tartuffe, The Count of Monte Cristo and Crimes of the Heart (all Royal Exchange), Hamlet (Birmingham Rep), The Taming of the Shrew (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Merchant of Venice (English Shakespeare Company), Gawaine and the Green Knight (Royal Opera House), The Broken Heart (Arts Threshold) and The New Apartment (Waterman Arts Centre). In addition to his work on stage, Jonny's television credits include The Fixer, Clocking Off, The Bill, Heartbeat and Moll Flanders, he has also appeared on film in Submarine and in the Video Game The Witcher.

Chu Omambala will play John Churchill. Chu trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and his theatre credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hecuba, The Canterbury Tales (all RSC), Intimate Apparel (Theatre Royal Bath/Park Theatre), King Lear (Chichester Festival Theatre/BAM New York), Sunset Baby (Gate Theatre), Danton's Death, Women Beware Women, Statement of Regret, Candide, The Darker Face of the Earth, The Merchant of Venice, Troilus and Cressida (all National Theatre), Twelfth Night (Liverpool Playhouse), Bedroom Farce (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Macbeth (Out of Joint), Edward II, Richard II, Macbeth (all The Globe) and Arabian Nights (Young Vic). In addition to his work on stage, Chu's television credits include Midsomer Murders, Liar, Houdini & Doyle, Lucky Man, Common, Wolfblood, Treasure Island, Spooks, Casualty, Doctors, The Bill, Whistleblower, Doctor Who, Judge John Deed, Holby City, Richard II, White Teeth, Doomwatch. Chu has also appeared on film in The Merchant of Venice and The Seventh Scroll and his radio credits include Troilus and Cressida, The Duel, Arabian Nights and Old Letters.

Sid Sagar will play Samuel Masham and Inns of Court Singer. Sid trained with the National Youth Theatre and Identity School of Acting and read History at the University of Bristol. Sid's theatre credits include The Invisible Hand (Tricycle Theatre), The Tempest, Cymbeline, The Oresteia, The Taming of the Shrew (all Shakespeare's Globe), Treasure (Finborough Theatre), The History Boys (UK Tour), True Brits (HighTide/Edinburgh/Bush Theatre), Eternal Love (English Touring Theatre/Shakespeare's Globe) and Orpheus and Eurydice (National Youth Theatre). Sid's short play, Raj, was produced by Little Pieces of Gold at the Southwark Playhouse in 2016. In addition to his work in theatre, Sid has also appeared on screen in EastEnders, Career of Evil, The Hollow Crown and The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies. His film credits include Murder on the Orient Express, Ready Player One and Karma Magnet and Sid has also appeared on radio in ECCo (BBC Radio 4).

Photo credit: Darren Bell