FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR IVANOV | London Theatre Direct

Director: Michael Grandage
Designer: Christopher Oram
Lighting Designer: Paule Constable
Composer & Sound Designer: Adam Cork

Kenneth Branagh will be joined by John Atterbury, Lucy Briers, Linda Broughton, Lorcan Cranitch, Tom Hiddleston, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Gina McKee, Kevin R McNally, Andrea Riseborough, Malcolm Sinclair and James Tucker in Ivanov, the first production in the Donmar’s West End year-long residency at the Wyndham’s Theatre. The production opens on 17 September with previews from 12 September and runs until 29 November. As previously announced, the season will play on Tuesdays through to Sundays.

Tom Stoppard is acknowledged as one of the world's greatest living playwrights. In 2004 Michael Grandage directed his new version of Pirandello’s Henry IV at the Donmar. His plays include Rock ‘n’ Roll (2006 – Royal Court and West End. Winner of the Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Awards for Best New Play), The Coast of Utopia trilogy (2002 - National Theatre and Broadway. Winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Play) , The Invention of Love (1997), Arcadia (1993), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1991), Jumpers (1972), The Real Inspector Hound (1968), and The Real Thing (1982) – revived to great success at the Donmar and on Broadway. His screenplays include Empire of the Sun, The Russia House, Enigma, Shakespeare in Love (Academy Award) and The Bourne Ultimatum.

John Atterbury plays Yegorushka/Pyotr. He previously appeared in The Wild Duck for the Donmar. His other theatre credits include Macbeth, Two Princes and Arcadia (Theatr Clywd). For television, his work includes The Jump, The Changeling and Blind Justice; and for film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Gosford Park.

Kenneth Branagh plays Ivanov continuing his collaboration with Michael Grandage following Richard III at the Sheffield Crucible. His other stage work includes Edmond (National Theatre). For television his credits include the Warm Springs, Conspiracy, Shackleton and the forthcoming Wallander; and for film, the forthcoming Valkyrie, Five Children and It, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Celebrity, Theory of Flight, Hamlet, Othello, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Much Ado About Nothing and Henry V. Branagh is Artistic Associate of the Donmar West End Season.

Lucy Briers plays Babakina. Her theatre credits include Some Kind of Bliss (Trafalgar Studios & New York), Sexual Perversity in Chicago (Norwich Theatre Royal), Ship of Fools (Theatre 503), Catch (Royal Court) and The Voysey Inheritance (National Theatre). Her television work includes Ashes to Ashes, Einstein and Eddington, The Green Green Grass, Genie in the House and Rough Crossings; and for film, Children of Men.

Linda Broughton plays Avdotya. Broughton is currently appearing in Michael Grandage’s production of The Chalk Garden at the Donmar Warehouse. Her other theatre work includes Snowbound (Trafalgar Studios), Hamlet (The Factory) and I Like Mine With a Kiss (Bush Theatre). For television, her credits include Silent Witness, Carrie & Barry and Waking the Dead; and for film, Babel, Bridget Jones Diary and Sliding Doors.

Lorcan Cranitch plays Borkin. His theatre credits include Three Sisters (Abbey Theatre, Dublin), The Field (Tricycle Theatre), The Gigli Concert (Assembly Theatre), The Price (Gate Theatre, Dublin), and The Burial at Thebes and The Cherry Orchard (Abbey Theatre, Dublin). His television work includes The Palace, The Street, Rome, Shackleton, McCready & Daughter, My Fragile Heart and Ballykissangel; and for film, Omagh, Titanic Town and Dancing at Lughnasa.

Tom Hiddleston returns to the Donmar to play Lvov – he previously played Cassio in Michael Grandage’s recent production of Othello. His theatre credits include Cymbeline (Olivier Award for Best Newcomer) and The Changeling (Cheek by Jowl). For television, his work includes Victoria Cross Heroes, The Gathering Storm, Armadillo, Conspiracy, Nicholas Nickleby and the forthcoming Wallander with Kenneth Branagh; and for film, Unrelated.

Sylvestra Le Touzel plays Zinaida. Le Touzel’s theatre credits include Topless Mum (Tricycle Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Almeida Theatre), An Inspector Calls (Aldwych Theatre), Henry IV Part I, Les Enfant du Paradis and My Heart’s a Suitcase (RSC), Ourselves Alone (Royal Court) and The Drowning (Hampstead Theatre). Her television work includes Beast, Hearts & Bones, Kiss Me Kate and Vanity Fair.

Gina McKee plays Anna Petrovna. She previously appeared at the Donmar in Old Times. Her other stage work includes The Lover & The Collection (Comedy Theatre), The Exonerated (Riverside Studios) and Aristocrats (National Theatre). For television her work includes The Old Curiosity Shop, The Street, Aftermath, The Lost Prince, The Forsyte Saga, The Passion and Our Friends in the North (BAFTA Award for Best Actress & Broadcasting Press Guild Award); and for film, And When Did You Last See Your Father?, Atonement, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Wonderland, Notting Hill and The Croupier.

Kevin R McNally returns to the Donmar, where he appeared in World Music, to play Lebedev. His other theatre credits include Boeing Boeing (Comedy Theatre), The Lady in the Van (Queen’s Theatre) and Naked (Almeida and Playhouse Theatre). For television, his work includes The Last Van Helsing, The Murder of Princess Diana, Life on Mars, Dunkirk, Bedtime, Shackleton and Conspiracy; and for film, the forthcoming Valkyrie, Scoop, Pirates of the Caribbean, Johnny English, Entrapment, Sliding Doors, Enigma and Cry Freedom.

Andrea Riseborough plays Sasha. Her theatre credits include The Pain and the Itch (Royal Court), Miss Julie/Measure for Measure (Theatre Royal Bath, Ian Charleson Award), Citizen/Burn/Chatroom (National Theatre), A Couple of Poor Polish Speaking Romanians and A Brief History of Helen of Troy (Soho Theatre). For television, her credits include the forthcoming The Devil’s Whore, Being Human, The Long Walk to Finchley, Party Animals and A Very Social Secretary; and for film, Love You More, Mad Bad & Sad, Happy Go Lucky, Magicians and Venus.

Malcolm Sinclair returns to the Donmar to play Count Shabelsky – he previously appeared in Privates on Parade. Sinclair’s other theatre credits include Rosmersholm (Almeida Theatre), Dealer’s Choice (Menier Chocolate Factory and Trafalgar Studios), The History Boys (National Theatre, West End and worldwide), What the Butler Saw (Hampstead Theatre and Criterion Theatre) and Journey’s End (Playhouse Theatre). For television, his work includes Daphne, Hustle, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and Life Begins; and for film, the forthcoming The Young Victoria, Casino Royale, V for Vendetta and The Statement.

James Tucker plays Kosykh. His extensive work for the RSC includes Henry VI (Part 3), Richard II and Richard III. Other theatre credits include Ninagawa’s Hamlet (UK tour) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Sheffield Crucible).

Donmar Artistic Director Michael Grandage directs. Previous work for the Donmar includes The Chalk Garden, Othello, John Gabriel Borkman, Don Juan in Soho, Frost/Nixon (also West End and Broadway), The Cut, The Wild Duck (Critics’ Circle Award for Best Director), Guys and Dolls (Donmar in the West End – Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production), Grand Hotel (Evening Standard Award for Best Director, Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production), Henry IV, After Miss Julie, Caligula (Olivier Award for Best Director) and The Vortex. Other West End work includes Evita. He was the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres 1999 – 2005, where his work included Don Carlos (Evening Standard Award for Best Director).

Designs are by Christopher Oram (Othello, Parade, Frost/Nixon – all Donmar; King Lear – RSC) with lighting by Paule Constable (The Chalk Garden, Othello, Absurdia, The Cut, Proof – all Donmar; St Joan, War Horse and Women of Troy – National Theatre) and music and sound design by Adam Cork (The Chalk Garden, Othello, Frost/Nixon, John Gabriel Borkman, Don Juan in Soho and Caligula – all Donmar).