Further casting has been announced for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Queen Anne, which will transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket this summer.
Romola Garai (recent credits including Amazing Grace, Atonement) will star as Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, alongside Emma Cunniffe (The Crucible) as the eponymous monarch. They will be joined by Jonathan Christie (Love For Love), Michael Fenton-Stevens (Love For Love), James Garnon (Richard III), Richard Hope (The History Boys), Hywel Morgan (This May Hurt A Bit), Beth Park (Revolt, She Said, Revolt Again) and Carl Prekopp (Bug), with further casting to be announced soon.
1702. William III is on the throne and England is on the verge of war. Princess Anne is soon to become Queen, and her advisors vie for influence over the future monarch. Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, a close friend with whom Anne has an intensely personal relationship, begins to exert increasing pressure as she pursues her own designs on power.
Contending with deceit and blackmail, Anne must decide where her allegiances lie, and whether to sacrifice her closest relationships for the sake of the country.
Written by Helen Edmundson (The Heresy Of Love, RSC) and directed by Natalie Abrahami (Happy Days, Young Vic), this gripping new play explores the life of one of England’s little-known sovereigns and her intimate friendship with her childhood confidante Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough.
After originally opening at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2015, Queen Anne will transfer to Theatre Royal Haymarket for a thirteen week limited run from 30 June until 30 September, with a press night on 10 July.