Shakespeare's Globe Announces Casting For The Winter Season

Shakespeare's Globe has announced casting for the Winter Season 2018, its plans for a year-long cycle of history plays from February 2019, and Globe Associates, to include Sean Holmes, who is to become Associate Artistic Director.

Michelle Terry, Artistic Director, said: "As the UK approaches its exit of the EU, our theatre will present a cycle of history plays, providing a unique opportunity to rediscover how Shakespeare perceived 'this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England'. Richard II in this year's Winter Season begins a year-long exploration of what our sceptered isle looks like now, presenting a journey through history via Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, and Richard III.

I am so proud to announce my core team of Associate Artists who will help guide and deliver on the season, as well as support the development and continuing exploration of The Globe Ensemble. The Ensemble allows us to truly explore the DNA of Shakespeare's plays, all of which were written bespoke for a company of players and made for the architecture of our unique play houses. Most of the artists have worked with us in some capacity this season and I am so excited to welcome Sean Holmes to the Globe family. Sean's unprecedented experience on Secret Theatre will provide invaluable insight into a process and a practice that is so important to me and to the work that we are experimenting with at Shakespeare's Globe."

Sean Holmes said: "Michelle's vision for the Globe is exciting, inclusive and bold - focused on the centrality of ensemble and the honest and open relationship between actors and audience that it engenders. It's an honour and a privilege to be invited to join Michelle's team and to help deliver this vision in all its surprising, dynamic and enjoyable glory."

Sean Holmes will join the Globe as Associate Artistic Director. He recently announced his departure from the Lyric Hammersmith after almost a decade as Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive. Sean's tenure at the Lyric included programming game-changing shows such as Three Kingdoms, directing 22 productions, including the Olivier Award-winning Blasted, the world-wide hit Ghost Stories, the ground-breaking Secret Theatre project, and the first stage version of Bugsy Malone in over a decade. He introduced Pantomime to the Lyric, and, through its ground-breaking work with young people, ensured the Lyric was accessible, welcoming and inclusive. Ticket prices remained affordable over his tenure, with a programme of Free First Nights welcoming more than 25,000 people living and working locally. Sean also jointly oversaw the Lyric's capital development project, beginning in 2012, reopening the theatre in 2015.

Artists joining Sean as Associates will include: Athena Stevens, Brendan O'Hea, Federay Holmes, and Siân Williams, as well as all members of the Hamlet / As You Like It Ensemble: Catrin Aaron, Yarit D'Or, James Garnon, Colin Hurley, Bettrys Jones, Richard Katz, Jack Laskey, Deb Machin, Nadia Nadarajah, Mary O'Hanlon, Ellan Parry, Pearce Quigley, Shubham Saraf, Helen Schlesinger, Rob Walker, Elle While, and Tanika Yearwood. Actor, writer, comedian, and director, Athena Stevens, most recently wrote and starred in Schism (Finborough Theatre and Park Theatre), she is also a spokesperson for the Women's Equality Party. Federay Holmes co-directed this year's Hamlet and As You Like It, and most recently Sonnet Sunday. She directed 'Shakespeare in the Abbey', a Globe co-production with Mark Rylance. Brendan O'Hea has most recently directed this year's touring shows The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. A director, actor, and education practitioner, Brendan has previously performed in a number of productions at the Globe including Cymbeline (2015), Measure for Measure (2015), and Henry V (2012). Choreographer, Siân Williams has choreographed at the Globe for nearly two decades, including productions such as The Knight of the Burning Pestle, The Tempest, Globe to Globe Hamlet, and Twelfth Night, Richard III (West End, Broadway). Siân founded The Kosh dance theatre company with Michael Merwitzer and has performed in all its productions.

Opening the Winter Season 2018, Macbeth, directed by Robert Hastie, will include Catrin Aaron, Philip Cumbus, Marc Elliott, Joseph Marcell, Anna-Maria Nabirye, Kirsty Rider, Philippine Velge, Kit Young, and real-life husband and wife, Paul Ready and Michelle Terry as fictional husband and wife, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Taking the role of Macbeth, Paul is currently appearing as the Home Secretary's aide in the BBC's hit-show Bodyguard. His other screen credits include The Terror (AMC / BT TV), Witness for the Prosecution, Cuffs, Motherland (BBC), Utopia (Channel 4), and Armando Iannucci's The Death of Stalin. His most recent theatre credits include Measure for Measure (Young Vic), In the Republic of Happiness (Royal Court), Noises Off (The Old Vic), and multiple productions at the National Theatre. Michelle will play Lady Macbeth, and has most recently appeared as Hamlet on the Globe stage, and as Adam and other characters in As You Like It. Her other recent stage credits include Katie Mitchell's Cleansed (National Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing and Love's Labour's Lost (RSC) and In the Republic of Happiness (Royal Court). She won an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for Tribes at the Royal Court.

Catrin Aaron will play Lennox. She most recently appeared on the Globe stage as Horatio in Hamlet and Phoebe in As You Like It. Catrin's credits include Henry V (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Sex and the Three Day Week (Liverpool Playhouse), The Indian Doctor and Casualty (BBC). Philip Cumbus will play Banquo, and has appeared in multiple productions at the Globe, most recently in Lucy Bailey's Comus (2016). His other credits include Girlfriends (ITV), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Donmar Warehouse), and Jamie Lloyd's Richard III (Trafalgar Studios). Marc Elliott will play Ross, and his recent credits include Sweet Charity (Nottingham Playhouse), Othello (Liverpool Everyman), City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse), and Urinetown (St James Theatre and West End). Joseph Marcell will play Duncan and Porter, he has appeared in multiple productions at the Globe, most recently in Dominic Dromgoole's The Tempest. His other credits include Lady Windermere's Fan (West End), Antony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night's Dream (RSC), Peer Gynt (National Theatre), and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Anna-Maria Nabirye will play Macduff. She most recently appeared on the Globe stage in Boudica (2017), her other credits include Macbeth, Les Blancs (National Theatre), They Drink it in the Congo (Almeida), Collateral (BBC2), Waterloo Road (BBC), and Misfits (E4). Kirsty Rider will play Lady Macduff, her credits include Machinal (Almeida), The Great Wave, Saint George and the Dragon (National Theatre), and Pride and Prejudice (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre). Philippine Velge will play Donalbain, she has just graduated from RADA. Kit Young will play Malcolm, he most recently appeared in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Donmar Warehouse) and Julius Caesar (Bridge Theatre). Robert Hastie is the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, he most recently directed Michelle Terry in the titular role of Henry V at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2016).

Doctor Faustus, directed by Paulette Randall, will star Pauline McLynn as Mephistopheles. Pauline returns to the Globe having previously played the Queen in Cymbeline as part of Dominic Dromgoole's final season (2015), and in her critically-acclaimed starring role in The Knight of The Burning Pestle (2014 and 2015). Pauline is best-known for her role as Mrs Doyle in the long-running comedy TV series Father Ted. Her other screen credits include Dave Allen at Peace (BBC / RTÉ), Transformers: The Last Knight, Iris, Angela's Ashes, Shameless (Channel 4), and EastEnders (BBC). Her stage credits include Daisy Pulls It Off (Park Theatre), East is East (Trafalgar Studios) Happy Days (Sheffield Crucible), Greener (Gaiety Theatre, Dublin) and Sixty-Six Books (Bush Theatre).

Richard II, co-directed by Adjoa Andoh and Lynette Linton, will star Adjoa in the titular role. Adjoa and Lynette will co-direct the first ever company of women of colour in a Shakespeare play on a major UK stage, in a post-Empire reflection on what it means to be British in the light of the Windrush anniversary and as we leave the European Union. Adjoa Andoh is currently rehearsing as Ulysses in the RSC's Troilus and Cressida opening next month. She most recently appeared in Leave Taking at the Bush Theatre and Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre. Her other theatre credits include Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Donmar Warehouse), Julius Caesar, Tamburlaine, The Odyssey (RSC), Or You Could Kiss Me, His Dark Materials, Stuff Happens, The Revenger's Tragedy (National Theatre), Joe Turner's Come and Gone, In the Red And Brown Water (Young Vic). Her screen credits include Death in Paradise, New Tricks, River (BBC), Liar (ITV / AMC), Line of Duty (BBC2), Cucumber (Channel 4), Broadchurch (ITV), and Brotherhood. Director and writer, Lynette Linton, is soon to direct the UK premiere Sweat at The Donmar Warehouse, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play from Lynn Nottage. Lynette was Associate Director of The Gate Theatre from 2016 to 2017 and was most recently the Resident Assistant Director at The Donmar Warehouse. In September 2017, she was nominated for Best Director at the Stage Debut Awards. She is also a co-founder of Production Company Black Apron Entertainment. This will be the second time Lynette and Adjoa have teamed up, following their Offie-nominated Assata Taught Me at The Gate Theatre (2017).

The upcoming The Winter's Tale live cinema broadcast is booked into over 400 cinemas, the largest theatrical footprint the Globe has achieved so far. Bankside audience numbers remain high, whilst the touring productions reached over 16,000 people outside of London. Globe Player continues to provide international audiences with access to over 60 filmed Shakespeare plays, and expanding its digital content, the Globe most recently launched a podcast, Such Stuff.

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