Martin Freeman To Play Richard III
Posted on 4 April 2014
Martin Freeman (Sherlock, The Hobbit Trilogy, The Office) will play Richard III, in the first production of Jamie Lloyd’s second season for Trafalgar Transformed, at Trafalgar Studios. Running from the 1 July to 27 September 2014, Shakespeare’s Richard III follows Jamie Lloyd’s critically acclaimed first season for Trafalgar Transformed, which launched with Macbeth starring James McAvoy, The Hothouse, starring John Simm and Simon Russell Beale and The Pride, starring Hayley Atwell and Mathew Horne.
Freeman follows in the footsteps of his Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch, who was confirmed to play Hamlet on the London stage earlier this month.
Jamie Lloyd, Artistic Director of Trafalgar Transformed, said “I am thrilled to be returning to our transformed space at Trafalgar Studios and am delighted to kick off our second season with Shakespeare's astonishing power play, Richard III. I have wanted to work with Martin for many years and am sure he will bring something unexpected and unique to this iconic role”.
Martin Freeman was last on stage in 2010 in the critically acclaimed Clybourne Park at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Dominic Cooke. Other stage credits include Kathy Burke’s Kosher Harry, also at the Royal Court Theatre and Blue Eyes and Heels by Toby Whithouse at Soho Theatre. On television Martin Played Tim in the original UK Comedy The Office for the BBC. He went on to play Dr Watson in the multi award winning global smash hit series Sherlock also for the BBC. Later this month Martin will play the lead role of Lester Nygaard, alongside Billy Bob Thornton, in the Coen brothers television adaptation of Fargo. On film Martin has most recently played Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy for Peter Jackson and was also in last year’s highly successful Worlds End for Edgar Wright and Sean Pegg. Other film credits include; Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Richard Curtis’ world-wide hit, Love Actually.
