Jessica Brown Findlay, Vanessa Kirby and Tobias Menzies will star in the Almeida Theatre’s production of Uncle Vanya next February.
The trio will join the previously announced Paul Rhys alongside Richard Lumsden, Hilton McRae and Ann Queensberry in the Chekhov classic from 5 February to 26 March.
Arguably best known as Downton Abbey’s Lady Sybil, Brown Findlay returns to the Almeida Theatre to play Sonya following her recent performance in the critically acclaimed Oresteia at the venue and, later, in the West End.
The production, which is adapted and directed by Robert Icke, marks Kirby’s first London stage performance since the Young Vic’s hugely successful Gillian Anderson-led production of A Streetcar Named Desire. The Great Expectations actress will take on the role of Elena.
Playing Astrov, Menzies reunites with Almeida Associate Director Icke following their work together on The Fever earlier this year. His other theatre credits include 2012’s The Recruiting Officer at the Donmar Warehouse.
Lumsden also makes his Almeida Theatre return in the 19th century classic, having appeared in Our Town in 2014. Queensberry reunites with Kirby following their performances together in the Young Vic’s Three Sisters, while McRae returns to the London stage following recent credits including Timon Of Athens at the National Theatre.
The Almeida Theatre’s production of Uncle Vanya, which examines human behaviour in all of its beautiful, terrible, laughable contradiction, will be the latest version of the Chekhov classic to open in the capital following 2014’s St James Theatre version and the 2012 West End production, which starred Downton Abbey’s Laura Carmichael.
Uncle Vanya opens at the Islington venue following the current run of Little Eyolf starring Lydia Leonard, which plays until 9 January.