Peter de Jersey roared as the eponymous King, Alexandra Gilbreath schemed as the wicked stepmother and Jamie Wilkes brought both evil and laughs as the lying Iachimo.

An actor, playing Jupiter, wearing a golden Greek-style mask, sits in a hoop bathed in gold light
Ellie Kurttz © RSC Browse and license our images

A dark fairytale comes to life…

Cymbeline tumbles from Rome to the hills of Wales, and teems with extraordinary fairytale characters: a wicked stepmother, a girl who flees in disguise, a faithful servant, lost brothers and even a headless corpse. As Jupiter descends on an eagle to resolve this beguiling tangle of tales, Cymbeline rises to a breathtaking crescendo, the giddiest climax in the entire canon.

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio in 2023, our Artistic Director Emeritus Gregory Doran directed the last play in that miraculous volume. This production of Cymbeline was a chance to see this rare late romance in the most special year. 

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Cast

Jeff Alexander - Soothsayer
Adam Baker - Roman
Tom Chapman - Second Lord
Peter De Jersey - Cymbeline
Alexandra Gilbreath - The Queen
Conor Glean - Cloten
Scott Gutteridge - Guiderius
Mark Hadfield - Pisanio
Amber James - Imogen
Marcia Lecky - 1st Gent/Lady/Mother
Jake Mann - Cornelius
Theo Ogundipe - Caius Lucius
Keith Osborn - Philario/Sicilius
Christian Patterson - Belarius
Ed Sayer - Posthumus
Daf Thomas - Arviragus
Barnaby Tobias - First Lord
Cat White - 2nd Gent/Helen
Jamie Wilkes - Iachimo


Creatives

Director - Gregory Doran
Design - Stephen Brimson-Lewis
Lighting - Matt Daw
Music - Paul Englishby
Sound - Jonathan Ruddick
Movement and Intimacy - Sian Williams
Puppetry Direction - Rachel Leonard
Music Direction - Ben McQuigg
Text and Voice Work - Emma Woodvine
Assistant Direction - Josh Parr
Casting - Helena Palmer CDG

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