RSC announces casting for THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced full casting for its family summer production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona which runs in The Other Place from 4-31 August.

This summer holidays, The Two Gentlemen of Verona comes to life in an accessible, 80-minute production at the intimate venue of The Other Place. Featuring a talented cast of actor-musicians and a charming furry companion, the show brings a fresh and heartwarming take on the ultimate love triangle.

Director Joanna Bowman said: “The Two Gentlemen of Verona is an exuberant celebration of the joys, discoveries and contradictions of youth. Two Gents has it all: a love triangle, gender disguise, a forest outside the city walls where love can be declared and wrongs settled, and a band of outlaws.

“I am thrilled by the cast we have discovered for this production. Perhaps Shakespeare’s first comedy, Two Gents fizzes with vitality and ambition, exploding off the page and onto the stage. Finding a company of actors to match the energy of the play has been a pleasure – a number of the company are making RSC and professional debuts, capturing a sense of the ecstasies and delights of youth that lies at the heart of the play. The four lovers are ridiculously talented young actors at the start of their professional lives, much like the characters in the play. Coupled with an ensemble cast of brilliantly talented actor-musos, featuring some fiercely funny servants and, of course, Crab the dog (the only dog in Shakespeare!), I cannot wait to get into the text.

“To make my RSC debut with this production, a little-known play that contains so many of the innovations that will go onto define his best-known works, is tremendously exciting. I am so looking forward to sharing it with audiences.”

The full cast includes Tom Babbage as Speed/Thurio/Outlaw, Darrell Brockis as The Duke/Outlaw, Fred Double as Outlaw, Aisha Goodman as Julia, Jonny Khan as Valentine, Stuart McLoughlin as Launce/Eglamour/Outlaw, Siân Stephens as Sylvia, Katherine Toy as Antonia/Lucetta/Host/Outlaw, and Lance West as Proteus.

Valentine and Proteus are best friends. That is, until they meet Silvia, and their lifelong friendship is put in serious jeopardy. Can they all find their happily-ever-after?

A love triangle, a forest, disguises, and a dog – The Two Gentlemen of Verona has it all. Shakespeare’s gloriously silly story of love, friendship and growing up bursts on to the stage of The Other Place in a new 80-minute edit that’s the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for families.

This joyous new adaptation is directed by Joanna Bowman, with set and co-costume design by Francis O’Connor, lighting by Derek Anderson, music by John Patrick Elliott, sound by Khalil Madovi, movement direction by Jennifer Jackson, casting by Matthew Dewsbury CDG, and dramaturgy by Zoe Cooper.

For more info on The Two Gentlemen of Verona, please click here.

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