Casting has been announced for the Almeida theatre’s forthcoming play Rope, with Bertie Carvel, Emma Dewhurst, Michael Elwyn, Henry Lloyd Hughes, Blake Ritson, Alex Waldmann and Phoebe Waller-Bridge all set to star in Patrick Hamilton’s classic thriller.
Allegedly inspired by the murder of a young boy by two college students in 1920, Rope is set in a Mayfair apartment where Wyndham Brandon and Charles Granillo have murdered fellow student Ronald Kentley. Disposing of his body in a chest, they invite Kentley’s father, aunt and friends over for tea served on the incriminating piece of furniture in an attempt to prove they are above suspicion and common morality.
The roles of the arrogant killers will be played by Ritson and Waldmann. Ritson, who can currently be seen in the BBC adaptation of Emma, is most well known for his television credits which also include the BBC period drama Mansfield Park, Red Cap, The League Of Gentlemen and A Touch Of Frost. On stage he appeared in Macbeth and White Chameleon at the National Theatre. His partner in crime Waldmann was most recently seen on stage in Hamlet and Twelfth Night at the Wyndham’s theatre as part of the Donmar West End season.
Carvel, who takes on the role of professor Rupert Cadell, starred in last year’s The Pride at the Royal Court theatre. His other theatre credits include Parade at the Donmar Warehouse and Never So Good, The Man Of Mode and The Life Of Galileo at the National theatre. On TV he has appeared on long-running series Midsummer Murders, Waking The Dead and Doctor Who. Elwyn, who also appeared in Doctor Who alongside Tom Baker, is best known for his role in the recent BBC series Robin Hood. His other television credits include Rosemary & Thyme, Heartbeat and Bad Girls and he appeared on the London stage last year in the The Long Road at the Soho theatre.
Lloyd Hughes was recently seen in the Lyric Hammersmith’s Punk Rock, but is possibly best known for playing bully Mark Donovan in teenage comedy The Inbetweeners. His co-star Waller-Bridge has just completed a run in the political drama 2nd May 1997 at the Bush theatre. Her other credits include Roaring Trade at the Soho theatre and Paines Plough’s Crazy Love. Finally, joining the other unsuspecting guests is Dewhurst who has been seen in The Palace, Doctors and Ruth Rendell Mysteries.
Rope opens on 16 December (with previews from 10 December) and is booking until 6 February. Before Rope, the Almeida theatre is staging Mrs Klein which begins previews on 22 October and opens on 29 October.
CM