Gemma Arterton, the RADA graduate who plays the Head Girl in the forthcoming St Trinian's film, will leave the glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival behind to take to the stage of Shakespeare's Globe this summer. She is one of a youthful cast assembled by the venue's Artistic Director Dominic Dromgoole to perform Love's Labour's Lost, which runs between 1 July and 7 October.
With film and television work behind her – Arterton has also filmed Stephen Poliakoff's Capturing Mary opposite Maggie Smith, David Walliams and Ruth Wilson – Arterton has a little more professional experience than recent graduates Oona Chaplin and David Oakes, who join her in the cast.
The collection of youthful talent also contains recent Ian Charleson Award nominee Trystan Gravelle, Michelle Terry, who worked with the RSC in 2006, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who has previously performed at the Tricycle and Manchester Royal Exchange.
Experience is brought to the cast by Globe veterans William Mannering and John Bett, both of whom performed in Antony And Cleopatra in 2006, Timothy Walker, who has previously starred in Twelfth Night at the Bankside venue, and Christopher Godwin. The cast also includes Joe Caffrey, Seroca Davis, Cush Jumbo, Rhiannon Oliver, Paul Rider and Andrew Vincent.
Love's Labour's Lost, which is performed for the first time at Shakespeare's Globe this summer, begins with the King of Navarre and three of his courtiers swearing to give up all of life's pleasures in favour of study. Their timing, however, is terrible, as before long the Princess of France and her enchanting entourage arrive with other plans for the studious quartet.
Love's Labour's Lost is performed at Shakespeare's Globe as part of this summer's Renaissance And Revolution season that also includes Othello, The Merchant Of Venice, Holding Fire! and We The People.
MA