King Lear: More cast members announced to join Sir Ian McKellen

Further casting has been revealed for the West End transfer of Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Jonathan Munby.

Starring the previously announced Sir Ian McKellen, King Lear will run at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London for 100 performances, from 11th July to 3rd November.

Reprising their roles at the Duke of York’s Theatre, following a sold-out season at Chichester Festival Theatre last year, will be Kirsty Bushell as Regan, Sinéad Cusack as Kent, Michael Matus as Oswald, and Danny Webb as Gloucester.

They will be joined in the West End by actors including James Corrigan, Anthony Howell, Lloyd Hutchinson, Jessica Murrain and Claire Price.

Synopsis

King Lear follows the story of two ageing fathers, one a king, one his courtier, who reject the children who truly love them.

Audiences will watch their blindness unleash a ‘tornado of pitiless ambition and treachery’ as family and state are plunged into a violent power struggle with shocking ends.

King Lear is considered by many to be one of the greatest tragedies ever written.

Cast and creatives

Sir Ian McKellen returns to the Duke of York’s Theatre where he made his West End debut in the 1964 production of A Scent of Flowers. He has since enjoyed an illustrious career on stage and screen taking on some of Shakespeare’s most iconic roles including Hamlet, Macbeth, Iago, Richard II and III.

Kirsty Bushell is known for roles in EastEnders and Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee; Sinéad Cusack for Our Lady of Sligo and Our Few And Evil Days; and Danny Webb for roles in Alien 3 and Henry VIII.

Director Jonathan Munby’s credits include his new production of Bryony Lavery’s Frozen in the West End; First Light for Chichester Festival Theatre; All the Angels, The Merchant of Venice and Antony and Cleopatra for Shakespeare’s Globe; and Wendy & Peter Pan for the RSC.

Booking information

Group booking enquiries can be made by visiting www.atgtickets.com/groups.

For further information visit KingLearWestEnd.com

(Photo credit: Manuel Harlan).