Georgia Bruce, Nicholas Finerty, and Full Cast Announced for CALLISTO: A QUEER EPIC

Following a sell-out run last year, Forward Arena today announces the full cast for Hal Coase's Callisto: a queer epic, which returns to Arcola Theatre as their final production this year. Thomas Bailey directs returning cast members, Georgia Bruce (Amy/Melissa), Nicholas Finerty (Cal/Harold/Hart), Mary Higgins (Katherine/Lola), Phoebe Hames (Isobel Morcom/Aunty/Nurse) and Marilyn Nadebe (Arabella); joined by Jonathan Purkiss (Lorn/Richard/Killigrew), Darren Siah (Alan/Blake/Dryden) and Francesca Zoutewelle (Tammy). Callisto: a queer epic opens at Arcola Theatre on 8 December, with previews from 5 December and runs until 23 December.

Callisto: a queer epic is a swirling constellation of remarkable queer stories. In London, 1680, opera star Arabella Hunt has secretly entered into the first recorded gay marriage in UK history. In Worcester, 1936, Alan Turing pays one final visit to Isobel Morcom, mother of his lost first love, Christopher. In the San Fernando Valley, 1979, Tammy Frazer arrives at Callisto Pornographic Studios, searching for the love of her life. And on the Moon, 2223, Lorn is building a paradise to sleep in, but Cal, his A.I. companion, is determined to keep him awake.

Hal Coase's work has been performed at Camden People's Theatre, Arcola Theatre, Pleasance Theatre, Ashmolean and North Wall Arts Centre. He has just finished work on a stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway for the National Youth Theatre which plays at the Ambassadors Theatre in November and December.

Georgia Bruce plays Amy/Melissa. Her credits include ArtsLab: Comedy Troll (North Wall Arts Centre), and The Oxford Revue: Hello You (Edinburgh Fringe).

Nicholas Finerty plays Cal/Harold/Hart. Theatre credits include Children and Animals (North Wall Arts Centre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Romeo and Juliet (Southwark Playhouse, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre) and Grimm (Edinburgh Festival Fringe).

Mary Higgins plays Lola. Her credits include The Norman Conquests Trilogy (Oxford Playhouse), Circleville, Circlevalley (Edinburgh Festival Fringe). She also co-wrote Hotter (Edinburgh Festival Fringe) which will play at Clapham Omnibus in February.

Phoebe Hames returns to the Arcola to play Isobel Morcom/Aunty/Nurse and previously appeared in Alice in Wonderland. Other hteatre credits include Romeo and Juliet and (Southwark Playhouse, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre).

Marilyn Nadebe reprises the role of Arabella. Recent theatre credits include Titus Andronicus (Edinburgh Fringe), Orlando: The Queer Element (Hanbury Hall).

Jonathan Purkiss plays Lorn/Richard/Killigrew. Recent theatre credits include The Pillowman (Oxford Playhouse) and Romeo and Juliet (Southwark Playhouse).

Darren Siah plays Alan/Blake/Dydren. Recent theatre credits include Sketch! (Soho Theatre Downstairs), Rent (Exeter Phoenix Theatre), August Osage County (Exeter Northcott Theatre), On Hold (Edinburgh Festival Fringe & White Bear Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Petersfield Shakespeare Festival). For film her credits include Four Quartets and The Origami Crane.

Francesca Zoutewelle plays Tammy. Her theatre credits include Twelfth Night (Flute Theatre), Hamlet (Trafalgar Studios, Park Theatre and European Tour),) Into the Woods, Britannia Wave the Rules (Royal Exchange, Manchester), The Last Days of Troy (Shakespeare's Globe and Royal Exchange, Manchester) and Merlin (Royal & Derngate Northampton). For film her credits include Mr Turner.

Thomas Bailey directs. His credits include The Games We Played (Theatre503) and Roost (North Wall Arts Centre). He is currently directing Mrs Dalloway as part of National Youth Theatre's West End season. He is also Joint Artistic Director of Forward Arena.

Emma D'Arcy is Artistic Director. Her theatre credits include Against (Almeida Theatre), A Girl in School Uniform (Walks Into A Bar) (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Clickbait (Theatre503). She is also Joint Artistic Director of Forward Arena and was the Artistic Director on The Games We Played (Theatre503).

ABOUT FORWARD ARENA

Forward Arena makes theatre that is culturally and politically awake, without ever forgetting theatre's responsibility to be an impressive and stimulating feast of liveness. The company was formed in 2016 by co-Artistic Directors Emma D'Arcy and Thomas Bailey and Executive Director Ellie Keel.

ABOUT ARCOLA THEATRE

Arcola Theatre is one of London's leading off-West End theatres. Locally engaged and internationally minded, Arcola stages a diverse programme of plays, operas and musicals. World-class productions from major artists appear alongside cutting-edge work from the most exciting emerging companies. Arcola delivers one of London's most extensive community engagement programmes, creating over 11,000 opportunities every year. By providing research and development space to diverse artists, Arcola champions theatre that's more engaging and representative. Its pioneering environmental initiatives are internationally renowned, and aim to make Arcola the world's first carbon-neutral theatre.

For more information visit www.arcolatheatre.com.

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