Designs are by Jenny Tiramani and music is by Claire van Kampen who along with Tim Carroll are the creative team behind the Globe’s original 2002 version of Twelfth Night. The productions, which will be designed using original Shakespearian practices, will run at the Apollo Theatre from 2 November 2012 – 3 February 2013. Press day will be on Saturday 17 November 2012 (Richard III at 1.30pm, Twelfth Night at 7pm).
Sonia Friedman Productions in association with Shakespeare Road, 1001 Nights and Tulchin/ Bartner Productions present Shakespeare’s Globe productions of Richard III and Twelfth Night.
Richard III
The cast for Richard III includes Mark Rylance (Richard III), Samuel Barnett (Elizabeth), Liam Brennan (Clarence), Johnny Flynn (Lady Anne), Colin Hurley (King Edward) and Peter Hamilton Dyer.
Richard Duke of Gloucester (Mark Rylance) is determined that he should wear the crown of England. He has already despatched one king and that king’s son; now all that stand in his way are two credulous brothers and two helpless nephews – the Princes in the Tower. And woe betide those – the women he wrongs, the henchmen he betrays – who dare to raise a voice against him. Monstrous, but theatrically electric, Richard is Shakespeare’s most charismatic, self-delighting villain, revelling at every moment in his homicidal, hypocritical journey to absolute power.
Richard III will be performed in an all-male Original Practices production, exploring clothing, music, dance and settings possible circa 1593.
Twelfth Night
The cast for Twelfth Night includes Mark Rylance (Olivia), Samuel Barnett (Sebastian), Liam Brennan (Orsino), Johnny Flynn (Viola), Stephen Fry (Malvolio), Peter Hamilton Dyer (Feste) and Colin Hurley (Sir Toby Belch).
In the household of Olivia (Mark Rylance), two campaigns are being quietly waged – one by the lovelorn Duke Orsino against the heart of the indifferent Olivia; the other by an alliance of servants and hangers-on against the high-handedness of her steward, the pompous Malvolio (Stephen Fry). When Orsino engages the cross-dressed Viola to plead with Olivia on his behalf, a bittersweet chain of events follows. Filled with a cast of unforgettable characters, Twelfth Night combines cruelty with high comedy and the pangs of unrequited love with some of the subtlest poetry and most exquisite songs Shakespeare ever wrote.
This revival of the Globe’s 2002 award-winning Twelfth Night will performed in an all-male Original Practices production, exploring clothing, music, dance and settings possible circa 1601.
Multi award-winning actor Mark Rylance was last in the West End at the Apollo Theatre playing John ‘Rooster’ Byron in the critically acclaimed production of Jerusalem, a role he also played at the Royal Court and on Broadway. Previously in the West End he played Valere in La Bête, Hamm in Samuel Beckett’s Endgame and Robert in Boeing-Boeing. His other theatre work includes many productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and the Glasgow Citizens. During his time as Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe his work as an actor included the title roles in Henry V and Hamlet as well as Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra and Olivia in Twelfth Night, a role he will now recreate ten years on. His film and television work includes The Other Boleyn Girl, Prospero’s Books, Angels and Insects, Leonardo and David Kelly in C4’s The Government Inspector for which he won the BAFTA Best Actor Award.
Samuel Barnett created the role of Posner in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, performing in the original production at the National Theatre, on Broadway and on the international tour. Barnett recently played opposite Jamie Parker in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Chichester Festival Theatre and the Theatre Royal Haymarket. His other National Theatre credits include Women Beware Women and His Dark Materials. He was also seen in Dealers’ Choice in the West End.
Liam Brennan, a member of the original, widely acclaimed 2002 Globe production of Twelfth Night, will recreate the lovelorn Duke Orsino. Brennan was a regular in Rylance’s Globe company where his credits include Measure for Measure, Edward II and Macbeth. His extensive credits at the Royal Lyceum in Edinburgh include A View From The Bridge, Othello and The Lieutenant of Inishmore.
Johnny Flynn has recently completed the West End run of Jerusalem playing Lee opposite Mark Rylance. He was a regular member of Edward Hall’s Propeller theatre company, acting in several productions including Twelfth Night. His other theatre credits include Richard Bean’s The Heretic for the Royal Court. Flynn is also a successful recording artist, whose albums include Been Listening and A Larum.
Stephen Fry will play Olivia’s steward, Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Fry’s screen credits include Sherlock Holmes II, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Gosford Park, Peter’s Friends and Wilde, in which his portrayal of Oscar Wilde earned him a Golden Globe Best Actor nomination. His many television drama and comedy credits include the BBC’s recent adaptation of The Borrowers, The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff, Kingdom, Jeeves and Wooster, Black Adder and several series of A Bit of Fry and Laurie. He has also appeared in many critically acclaimed and much loved documentaries.
Peter Hamilton Dyer’s theatre credits include Frontline and King Lear. His other stage credits include Richard II and The Moonstone at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Mansfield Park for Chichester Festival Theatre and The Bacchae for Shared Experience. His television credits include The Curse of Steptoe and Silent Witness.
Colin Hurley was in the original 2002 company of Twelfth Night. He will soon be seen again as Cardinal Wolsey in the Globe’s touring production of Anne Boleyn and previous credits for the Globe include All’s Well that Ends Well, Macbeth and Measure for Measure. His other theatre credits include Equus for Chichester Festival Theatre, The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre and Loot at the Lyric Hammersmith.
Richard III and Twelfth Night will run in repertoire at Shakespeare’s Globe from 14 July -14 October 2012 prior to their West End transfer.