Tom Riley will star alongside the previously announced Tracey Ullman in Stephen Poliakoff’s My City at the Almeida theatre this September.
David Troughton, Sorcha Cusack, Sîan Brooke and Hannah Arterton, who will make her theatrical debut in the production, complete the cast.
My City, which is Poliakoff’s first play in 12 years, opens at the Islington venue on 15 September (previews from 8 September) and runs to 5 November. Riley will star as Richard Kenton, who discovers his former headmistress (Ullman) lying on a park bench in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral. As he becomes reacquainted with her and his other teachers, he finds himself once again inspired by their imaginative lessons and tales of London.
Riley was last on stage starring in Arcadia on Broadway. The actor has worked extensively at the Royal Court appearing in Paradise Regained, The Vertical Hour, Posh and Censorship. On screen he appeared in ITV dramas Monroe, A Bouquet Of Barbed Wire and Lost In Austen, and films including St Trinian’s 2 and I Want Candy.
Troughton is best known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, which includes the title roles in Richard III and Henry IV. His numerous other theatre credits include Season’s Greetings, Playing With Fire and Measure For Measure at the National Theatre, Enjoy at the Gielgud theatre and Inherit The Wind at the Old Vic.
Cusack is a fellow RSC veteran having appeared in Romeo And Juliet, King John and Antony And Cleopatra for the company. The actress has also appeared in A Miracle at the Royal Court and in the National Theatre’s Peer Gynt and Playboy Of The Western World. Well known for her television work, Cusack’s numerous screen credits include White Heat, Mrs Brown’s Boys, Jane Eyre and Judge John Deed.
Brooke returns to the London stage after appearing in Hampstead theatre’s successful revival of Ecstasy which transferred into the West End for a limited run this April. The actress also boasts theatre credits in Dido, Queen Of Carthage at the National Theatre, Wanderlust at the Royal Court and The Birthday Party at the Lyric Hammersmith, as well as appearing in the RSC’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo And Juliet and King Lear.
My City follows the Almeida theatre’s annual summer festival which this year includes productions from Belarus Free Theatre and Greyscale Theatre Company.
CM