Shakespeare's Globe Announces Full Casting for Globe on Tour Summer 2020

Shakespeare's Globe has announced the full cast for Globe on Tour, directed by Brendan O'Hea. The company of eight actors will once again offer audiences around the world a trio of plays, which this year explore the relationship between humankind and Mother Nature. Audiences will cast their votes for either A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It or The Tempest, each of which explores the natural world and its great potential for abundance and transformation.

A director, actor, and education practitioner, Brendan has directed Globe on Tour for the past three years as well as Tom Stuart's new play After Edward in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in 2019. He has also performed in a number of Globe productions, including Cymbeline (2015), Measure for Measure (2015) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (2014).

Brendan O'Hea says, "I'm so pleased to be back on the road with the Touring Ensemble, transporting the spirit of the Globe around the world with simple, clear storytelling which brings Shakespeare to all. This year we will be performing three plays that explore themes of nature, the city and the places beyond. Storytelling and theatre must play a crucial role in offering ways of reimagining the world, creating conditions on stage and off for renewal, belonging, empathy, kindness and an experience that embodies our place in the interconnected web of life. And, like the Elizabethan touring players before us, we will leave the choice of play to the most powerful voice in the room: the audience"

This year, Globe on Tour want to encourage audiences to reconnect with nature and their local community. From the forest of Sherwood to the shores of Guernsey, all venues will be offered a workshop that will give their audiences the chance to learn more about the plays and the natural world. The Globe will also be collaborating with the RSPB, who are making their birdsong radio available to venues as part of their Let Nature Sing campaign that aims to promote environmental awareness.

Matt Howard, Cultural Campaigner for RSPB says, "Nature is in crisis and one of the biggest threats it faces is our disconnection from it. The Let Nature Sing campaign is shining a light on the threat to the natural world whilst celebrating just how important it is to our cultural and imaginative lives. The richness of Shakespeare's work shows the central importance of nature to our inspiration and creativity."

The full cast will comprise:

Stephenson Ardern-Sodje will play Lysander/Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Orlando in As You Like It and Caliban/Antonio in The Tempest. Stephenson joins the Globe after performing in the ensemble of Hamilton (Victoria Palace) where he also covered the roles of Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens/Philip Hamilton.

Tom Chapman will play Demetrius/Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Oliver/Amiens/Sir Oliver Martext in As You Like It and Ferdinand in The Tempest. Tom returns to the Globe having performed in Voices in the Dark last year. His other recent theatre work includes Macbeth (The Shakespeare Project), For All The Women Who Thought They Were Mad (Hackney Showrooms), Twelfth Night (Chichester Festival Theatre), and Lights! Camera! Improvise! (Mischief Theatre).

Anna Crichlow will play Hermia/Snug in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Celia/Adam in As You Like It and Alonso in The Tempest. Anna's recent theatre work includes The Last Noël (Touring), The Worst Witch (Royal & Derngate), Confidence (Southwark Playhouse), Common (National Theatre) and Pride & Prejudice (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre).

Mark Desebrock will play Egeus/Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Silvius/Audrey/Le Beau in As You Like It and Prospero in The Tempest. Mark returns to Globe on Tour after performing in last year's Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors and Pericles. His other recent theatre work includes Hamlet (Almeida/West End), Cis and Barbiche (Agelink/York Theatre Royal/UK and Australian tour) and Beauty and the Beast (National Theatre). Television includes Hamlet (BBC) and Fungus the Bogeyman (Sky TV).

Emma Ernest will play Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Rosalind in As You Like It and Ariel in The Tempest. Emma is making her professional debut after graduating from RADA last year. Theatre credits while training include After the Peace, Into the Woods and Romeo and Juliet (RADA).

Sara Lessore will play Helena/Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Duke Senior/Duke Frederick/Corin in As You Like It and Miranda in The Tempest. Sara's recent theatre credits include The Last of the Pelican Daughters (The Pleasance, Edinburgh), Beauty and the Beast (New Victory Theatre/Tobacco Factory Theatres) and Peter Pan (Mercury Theatre).

Katy Secombe will play Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Touchstone/Phoebe in As You Like It and Stephano/Sebastian in The Tempest. Katy's theatre credits include Hay Fever (Rose Theatre), Mamma Mia (Prince Of Wales Theatre) and Chicago (Live Nation Tour). Katy has also starred as Madame Thénardier in Les Miserables, a role she first played in 2012 opposite Matt Lucas, then in 2015 as part of the 30th anniversary cast, continued to play at the Queen's Theatre until June 2018 and reprised the role in last year's 2019 concert production at the Gielgud Theatre.

Deka Walmsley will play Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Jaques/Charles/William in As You Like It and Trinculo/Gonzalo in The Tempest. Recent theatre credits include Macbeth, Playing with Fire (National Theatre), Wonderland (Nottingham Playhouse), The Pitmen Painters (National Theatre/Broadway) and Billy Elliot (West End). Television includes Vera (ITV) and Three Girls (BBC).

Vanessa-Faye Stanley will also join Brendan this year as Associate Director. Vanessa-Faye studied on the Globe's Shakespeare Studies MA programme, and is artistic director of Boileroom. She received the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Award for innovative theatre, with The Terrific Electric (Barbican, 2007) and was associate movement director on the all-female site-specific Richard III (Wales Millennium Centre, 2015). She has also performed with theatres such as The National Theatre and the Royal Exchange.

To post a comment, you must register and login.