Rosalie Craig, Charles Edwards, Mark Gatiss, Mark Benton and Paul Chahidi have joined the line-up of stars set to take to the National Theatre’s stages this autumn.
As previously rumoured, The Light Princess and City Of Angels star Craig will replace Andrea Riseborough as Rosalind in As You Like It following the Birdman actress’ withdrawal from the production.
Playing in the Olivier Theatre from 26 October until 5 March, the Shakespeare comedy of love and change will see Craig joined by Early Doors’ Benton (Hobson’s Choice, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Olivier Award nominated actor Chahidi (The Vote, Donmar Warehouse) and Critics’ Circle Award winner Patsy Ferran (Treasure Island, NT).
Edwards will lead the cast of Harley Granville Barker’s controversial 20th century tale Waste from 3 November in the Lyttelton Theatre.
The Downton Abbey actor, who will star as the titular monarch in Richard II at Shakespeare’s Globe later this month, will play visionary Independent MP Henry Trebell. Co-opted by the Tories to push through a controversial bill, Trebell is threatened by public scandal when the married woman he’s been seeing suffers a lethal backstreet abortion.
Roger Michell’s production of the famously banned play will see Edwards reunited with his forthcoming Richard II co-star William Chubb.
Sherlock’s Gatiss, last seen on the London stage in election drama The Vote, will join the previously announced John Simm in Three Days In The Country from 21 July in the Lyttelton Theatre.
The new version of Ivan Turgenev’s A Month In The Country, which tells the story of a handsome new tutor who brings reckless romantic desire to an eccentric household, will feature a cast that also includes Olivier Award nominee John Light (Taken At Midnight, West End), Amanda Drew (The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, West End) and Gawn Grainger (A Small Family Business, NT).
Also in the Olivier Theatre, the previously announced Paul Kaye, Ashley McGuire and Jodie McNee will be joined by Midsomer Murders’ Jason Hughes in Timberlake Wertenbaker’s story of hope, redemption and art Our Country’s Good from 19 August.
Anne-Marie Duff’s fellow cast members have been announced for Marianne Elliott’s production of Husbands And Sons, which runs in the Dorfman Theatre from 19 January. The Strange Interlude actress will be joined by Constellations duo Joe Armstrong and Louise Brealey, Martin Marquez (From Here To Eternity) and NT regular Lloyd Hutchinson.
Prior to the DH Lawrence adaptation’s run in the newly refurbished auditorium, Critics’ Circle Award winner Denise Gough will lead Duncan Macmillan’s new play People Places And Things, a co-production with Headlong, from 25 August.
Dates have also been announced for Wallace Shawn’s Evening At The Talk House and Caryl Churchill’s Here We Go. Sinead Matthews (Wasp, Hampstead Theatre) will lead the cast of the former, a tale of a reunion at the most legendary of clubs, when it plays in the Dorfman Theatre from 17 November, while Here We Go will run in the Lyttelton Theatre from 25 November.
Joining the bumper season at the acclaimed South Bank venue are two new shows for younger theatregoers. Bijan Sheibani returns following his acclaimed take on Romeo And Juliet to present The Comedy Of Errors in the Temporary Theatre from 21 October to 6 November. The fast-paced retelling the Shakespeare’s hilarious and moving farce is suitable for children aged eight to 12.
It will be followed in the iconic red venue by page to stage adaptation I Want My Hat Back, which is suitable for ages three and older, and brings Jon Klassen’s much-loved story to life with humour, music and lots of surprises from 12 November.