RSC announce full casting for The Tempest

Kenneth Branagh plays Prospero. Photo (C) the artist.

The Tempest by William Shakespeare, directed by Richard Eyre, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from Wednesday 13 May – Saturday 20 June.

Preview

 Full casting is today announced for the RSC’s forthcoming production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, directed by Richard Eyre marking his first time directing in Stratford-upon-Avon following an esteemed career as a director, writer and former Artistic Director of the National Theatre.

The production sees Kenneth Branagh making a return to Stratford-upon-Avon for the first time in over 30 years to take up the role of Prospero for the first time, having worked on thirty-five productions of Shakespeare across his career.   

Ruby Stokes plays Miranda. Photo (c) Joseph Sinclair.

Joining Kenneth is Ruby Stokes who will make her RSC debut as Miranda. Ruby has just finished playing a leading role in the New York transfer of The Other Place, Alexander Zeldin’s hit play that debuted at the National Theatre last year.

Ruby will play opposite Fred Woodley Evans as Ferdinand. He was last with the RSC in Jonathan Munby’s Wendy & Peter Pan at the Barbican Theatre last Autumn.

Fred Woodley-Evans plays Ferdinand. Photo (c) the artist.

Amara Okereke will make her RSC debut as Ariel. Amara is currently touring the UK in the lead role in Top Hat and has recently starred in the Nicholas Hytner film The Choral opposite Ralph Fiennes. In the West End she played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum.

Also making his RSC debut is Ashley Zhangazha as Caliban. Ashley’s West End theatre credits include MJ The Musical, Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, Henry V and Fences.

Amara Okereke plays Ariel. Image (c) the artist.

David Bark-Jones will play Alonso, Keir Charles will play Trinculo, Guy Henry returns to the RSC as Stephano, RSC Associate Artist Paul Jesson will play Gonzalo, Mark Meadows and Henry Pettigrew also return to the RSC to play Antonio and  Sebastian respectively.

On announcing the cast, Director Richard Eyre said: “This is the first time I have directed a Shakespeare play at Stratford, and I am thrilled to be bringing The Tempest to life for the RSC with a remarkable cast led by Kenneth Branagh and exceptional creative team including design by Bob Crowley.

Ashley Zhangazha plays Caliban. Photo (c) Joseph Sinclair.

The play remains endlessly fascinating — I see it as Shakespeare’s autobiography, a meditation on art and freedom. Of course, there are themes of power, belonging, and colonisation that have long invited new readings and responses. The Tempest is a story shaped by encounters between cultures and systems of power, a story of revenge and magic, and I am thrilled to be working with such an incredible company to tell this story.”

For further details and to book tickets visit: www.rsc.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01789 331111