Skip to main content

Rehearsals Begin for Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company

tumblr_inline_ntr64sIjlZ1rgiv1h_500Rehearsals are now underway for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s Plays at the Garrick season. The Winter’s Tale will play in repertory alongside the Rattigan double-bill of Harlequinade / All On Her Own from 17 October 2015 until 16 January 2016.

The Winter’s Tale, Shakespeareʼs timeless tragicomedy of obsession and redemption, is reimagined in a new production co-directed by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh following their triumphant staging of Macbeth in Manchester and Manhattan. Judi Dench will play Paulina opposite Kenneth Branagh as Leontes. Judi Dench will not be appearing in Harlequinade / All On Her Own.

The full cast for The Winter’s Tale includes: Pierre Atri (Mamillius), Jaygann Ayeh (Archidamus & The Old Shepherd’s Servant), Tom Bateman (Florizel), Jessie Buckley (Perdita), Vera Chok (Dorcas & First Lady), Jack Colgrave Hirst (Clown), John Dagleish (Autolycus),Hadley Fraser (Polixenes), Adam Garcia (Amadis), Rudi Goodman (Mamillius), Matthew Hawksley (Aegeum), Taylor James (Capnio), Pip Jordan (Shepherdess), Ansu Kabia (Cleomenes), Stuart Neal (Dion), Michael Pennington (Antigonus), Zoë Rainey (Emilia), Miranda Raison(Hermione), Michael Rouse (Gaoler & Mariner), John Shrapnel (Camillo), Kathryn Wilder (Mopsa) and Jimmy Yuill (The Shepherd).

In addition to playing Dame Maud in Harlequinade, Zoë Wanamaker will also perform Terence Rattigan’s dramatic monologue All On Her Own, which has never before played in the West End. In this brief but powerfully atmospheric play, which will be staged every evening prior to Harlequinade, a woman with a secret, alone at midnight in London has a burden to share that is at times both heart-breaking and sinister. Zoё Wanamaker will not appear in The Winter’s Tale.

In the rarely seen comic gem Harlequinade, a classical theatre company attempts to produce The Winter’s Tale and Romeo and Juliet, while the intrigues and dalliances of the company members are accidently revealed with increasingly chaotic and hysterical consequences. Kenneth Branagh will play Harlequinade’s actor-manager Arthur Gosport in addition to co-directing the production with Rob Ashford.

The full cast for Harlequinade includes: Jaygann Ayeh (Second Halberdier), Tom Bateman (Jack Wakefield), Jessie Buckley (Muriel Palmer), Vera Chok (Miss Fishlock), Jack Colgrave Hirst (Tom Palmer), John Dagleish (Policeman), Hadley Fraser (First Halberdier), Ansu Kabia (Johnny), Stuart Neal (Fred Ingram), Zoë Rainey (Wardrobe Mistress), Miranda Raison (Edna Selby), Michael Rouse (Rehearsal Pianist), John Shrapnel (George Chudleigh), Kathryn Wilder (Joyce Langland) and Jimmy Yuill (Mr Burton).

The Winter’s Tale, Harlequinade / All On Her Own, The Painkiller, Romeo and Juliet and The Entertainer make up the inaugural season of work for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Certain games you look to, maybe against like the likes of Cardiff or Sheffield or Nottingham" - Josh Roach looks to the season ahead for the Belfast Giants

With player announcements in full flow, CHL fixtures next month and the Elite League season hot on its heels what better time to get back to chatting with players on what they are up to and their thoughts on the season ahead. Fresh off announcing his return to the  Belfast Giants we caught up with Josh Roach . “We're starting to get close to that pre-pre-season time, so I’m enjoying a little bit more relaxing before we get back into it… it won't be long.” Roach tells us, before sharing how he has spent his summer. “I was home for a quick visit right at the end of the season and then we went on a little holiday, but other than that I've just been on the island. It's kind of nice to have some downtime in Belfast and explore around here a bit more.” “You don't really get the opportunity many times to stay for summer in the place you play, so you get comfortable. This is year five for me, so it is really is like a second home and honestly, it feels more weird t...

Building for the new season in Belfast

With Adam Keefe's testimonial and their HospICE Hockey fundraising game in the rear-view mirror, it's time for Belfast Giants to set their sights on the season ahead and their first announcement, late last week, was a belter as they confirmed Keefe would return for another season as head coach. In addition to Keefe's return the first player signing of the new season has been announced, with the return of fan-favourite forward Scott Conway. The team's top scorer last season, is beloved by Giants fans and the sort of character this league needs more of. His ability to wind up the opposition means opposing fans love to hate him and he does a brilliant job of finding motivation for his teammates and weak spots in the opposing team's armour. Conway may have been the first returnee to be announced, but the news is coming thick and fast now, with Scott's linemates David Goodwin and JJ Piccinich back for more and Ben Lake committing to his sixth season at the SSE Arena....

"I'm just focused on getting that third trophy and enjoying the rest of my time with the guys here." David Goodwin on preparing for Playoff Finals Weekend

photo courtesy of William Cherry, Press Eye It’s EIHL playoff final weekend! After eight months of toil, four teams will face off for the chance to lift the last silverware of the season. First up Belfast Giants take on Cardiff Devils so I caught up with David Goodwin to see how the team are feeling after a battle against Dundee Stars and how ready they are for the games ahead. It was, I suggest, an intense weekend for the team. “Yeah, I mean it was. It always is. The quarterfinals… you never know what you're going to get.” Goodwin replies. “On one hand, you have us, the Giants, who are coming off a league title win, so we're on a high. But then you got Dundee, who don't want to go away quietly. They were fighting and scratching and clawing for every inch and it lead to two feisty games. “I give Dundee a lot of credit. They threw everything they had at us. But ultimately, I think our consistent play, maybe some of our higher skill was able to shine through and get the...