The Donmar Warehouse has announced full casting for their forthcoming show Life Is A Dream, with Rupert Evans, Kate Fleetwood, David Horovitch, Lloyd Hutchinson, Sharon Small, David Smith, Malcolm Storry and Dylan Turner joining the previously announced Dominic West.
Helen Edmunson’s new version of Pedro Calderon de la Barca’s epic play explores illusion, reality, fate and destiny, set against the background of a mythical kingdom, where Segismundo (played by West) has been condemned for all eternity by his father Basilio, the King of Poland. Banished to a secret world high in the mountains and cut off from the sun, he can only dream of a life reversed; of palaces, empires, freedom and revenge.
West is joined on stage by Evans, who will take on the role of Astolfo. Evans previously appeared on the Donmar Warehouse stage in Manuel Puig’s Kiss Of The Spider Woman in 2007. His other stage credits include the Broken Space Season at the Bush Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre’s Breathing Corpes and Sweet Panic at the Duke of York’s Theatre. He has also appeared in television dramas including Emma, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sons And Lovers and The Palace.
Tony Award-nominee Fleetwood appeared as Lady Macbeth in the Laurence Olivier Award winning production, directed by Rupert Goold, at Chichester Festival Theatre, before it transferred to the Gielgud Theatre and later to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Taking on the role of Rosaura in Life Is A Dream, she has previously appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in 2004’s production of Hecuba. Her numerous theatre credits also include Love’s Labour’s Lost at the National Theatre and The Winter’s Tale and Pericles for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Fleetwood has appeared in films including Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Vanity Affair.
Horovitch, who will take on the role of Clotaldo, previously performed at the Donmar Warehouse in Mary Stuart, which then transferred to the Apollo Theatre. He can currently be seen in Ronald Harwood’s double-bill Collaboration and Taking Sides, which runs at the Duchess Theatre until 22 August, and recently appeared in the Royal Court’s Seven Jewish Children. His television credits include Miss Marple, Donovan, Goodbye Mr Chips and Foyle’s War.
In the role of Estrella is Small, who has previously appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in The Threepenny Opera. Arguably best known for her television work in shows including BBC dramas Mistresses and Cutting It, Inspector Lynley Mysteries and No Child Of Mine, Small has also appeared on the London stage in The Exonerated at the Riverside Studios and When Harry Met Sally at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Acting alongside her as Estrella’s servant Clarion is Hutchinson who can currently be seen in the National Theatre’s The Observer and appeared recently in Twelfth Night as part of the Donmar Warehouse West End season.
Storry, playing against West in the role of his father Basilio, has worked extensively with the National Theatre in productions including Oedipus, The Royal Hunt Of The Sun and Cyrano De Bergerac. He appeared in West End musical Lord Of The Rings at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and in The Tempest at the Almeida Theatre, as well as boasting numerous credits for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Turner’s previous work includes an appearance in last year’s family hit High School Musical at the Apollo Theatre and West End musical Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Smith’s London stage credits include appearances at the Unicorn Theatre in Twelfth Night, The Cat Who Ran and Sleeping Beauty.
As previously announced, Life Is A Dream will be directed by Jonathan Munby and plays from 8 October to 28 November (press night 13 October). Currently playing at the Donmar Warehouse is A Streetcar Named Desire which runs until 3 October.
CM