FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE RSC'S SWAN THEATRE PRODUCTION OF DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE
DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE
By Christopher Marlowe
Directed by Kimberley Sykes
Swan Theatre: 15 September – 28 October 2017
Press performance: Thursday 21 September, 1pm
Full casting is announced for Dido, Queen of Carthage, Marlowe’s dark tale of sacrifice and passion. Directed by Kimberley Sykes this untold story of one of history’s greatest female leaders begins previews in the Swan Theatre on the 15 September. The press performance is on Thursday 21 September as part of a double press day with Coriolanus, marking the culmination of the RSC’s Rome Season in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Playing Dido, the founder and first Queen of Carthage, is Chipo Chung. Most recently Chipo has been at the Sheffield Crucible in Robert Hastie’s production of Julius Caesar playing Portia/Octavius. Other theatre credits include Boys will be boys (Headlong/Bush Theatre) and The Haunting of Hill House (Liverpool Everyman). Her TV credits include Thirteen (BBC), From Darkness (BBC) and Fortitude (Sky Atlantic).
Sandy Grierson returns to the RSC following the 2016 production of Doctor Faustus to play Aeneas. His other theatre credits include the critically acclaimed Anything that gives off light, which was part of the Edinburgh international Festival.
Aeneas is a refugee in exile, fleeing a war-torn Troy and seeking new roots in Europe. Shipwrecked in Carthage, the meddling gods intervene; they fill Queen Dido with all-consuming love for Aeneas. The lovers must decide whether to follow their hearts or fulfil their political destinies. Dido, overwhelmed with passion, is propelled to her terrifying final act.
Director Kimberley Sykes said: ‘Dido is a play about a successful woman, powerful, in control, independent and foreign. She was a threat to the future of Rome, of the West, so she had to be destroyed, erased from history. It is an extraordinary story rarely told. And in our current climate of shutting down borders, fear of the 'other' and distrust of the people in power, I want to explore the play’s potent themes of human behaviour and political agendas.’
Casting also includes: Ellie Beaven (Venus); Will Bliss (Hermes); Andro Cowperthwaite (Ganymede); Nicholas Day (Jupiter); Waleed Elgadi (Sergestus); Ben Goffe (Cupid); Kim Hartman (The Nurse); Amber James (Anna); Laura Kirman (Dido’s Train); Tom Lorcan (Illioneus); Tom McCall (Achates); Miles Mitchell (Trojan); Lucy Phelps (Cloanthus); Bridgitta Roy (Juno); Johnson Willis (Lord/Carthaginian/Dido’s Train) and Daniel York (Iarbus).
Dido, Queen of Carthage is directed by Kimberley Sykes and designed by Ti Green with lighting by Ciaran Bagnall. Music is by Mike Fletcher and sound by Claire Windsor. Movement is by Ayse Tashkiran.
Notes to Editors
For further information, please contact: amy.belson@rsc.org.uk 01789 412622
For Midlands press enquiries and press tickets, please contact: dean.asker@rsc.org.uk, 01789 412660
To book tickets call 01789 403493 or online at www.rsc.org.uk
The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION and THE KOVNER FOUNDATION
BP £5 tickets and BP Shakespeare Pass for 16-25s
The BP £5 tickets and BP Shakespeare Pass for 16 – 25 year olds gives access to £5 tickets for all RSC productions whether we are performing in Stratford-upon-Avon, London or on tour. The pass enables 16-25 year olds to see five shows in Stratford-upon-Avon for £20 – the cheapest way to enjoy shows at the RSC. Tickets can be booked in advance on the phone, online or in person with some available for sale on the day of the performance. The scheme is supported by Project Partner, BP.
The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world. We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context, alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers.
Everyone at the RSC - from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians - plays a part in creating the world you see on stage. All our productions begin life at our Stratford workshops and theatres and we bring them to the widest possible audience through our touring, residencies, live broadcasts and online activity. So wherever you experience the RSC, you experience work made in Shakespeare’s home town.
We have trained generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future. We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre. We reach 530,000 children and young people annually through our education work, transforming their experiences in the classroom, in performance and online. Registered charity no. 212481 www.rsc.org.uk.