Shakespeare’s Globe is delighted to announce casting for The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest in Dominic Dromgoole’s quartet of late plays for his final season. Tim McMullan will play Prospero and Pippa Nixon will play Ariel in Dominic’s production of The Tempest from 17 February, his last as Artistic Director. John Light (King Leontes), Rachael Stirling (Hermione) and Niamh Cusack (Paulina) will star in Michael Longhurst’s The Winter’s Tale from 28 January.
Tim McMullan will play Prospero, having last performed at the Globe as Jacques in the 2009 As You Like It. Tim’s recent stage credits include Tom Stoppard’s Hapgood (Hampstead Theatre), Man and Superman (National Theatre), King Charles III (Sonia Friedman Productions), Father and Sons (Donmar Warehouse), The Master and the Margarita (Complicité), A Flea in her Ear (Old Vic) and The Misanthrope (West End). In film, credits include The Woman in Black, The Queen, Shakespeare in Love, The Fifth Element and Caught in the Act. Television includes The Go-Between, The Hollow Crown (BBC 2), Parade’s End, Sense and Sensibility (BBC), Foyle’s War, Endeavour (ITV) and Elementary (ABC).
Pippa Nixon will take the role of the spirit Ariel, having last delighted Globe audiences with her portrayal of Hermia in the 2008 A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Recent theatre includes Therese Raquin (Theatre Royal Bath), As You Like It, Hamlet, King John, Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC) and Bea (Soho Theatre). Pippa’s screen credits include Unforgotten (ITV), Containment, Hero, John Carter of Mars, Cuffs (BBC) and Grantchester (ITV).
Boasting the most famous stage direction in history, ‘Exit, pursued by a bear’, The Winter’s Tale shares themes of loss, redemption and magical transformation with the other three works in Shakespeare’s quartet of late, great plays.
John Light makes his Playhouse debut as the troubled King Leontes, having delighted Globe audiences in 2013 as Oberon/Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other recent credits include Three Days in the Country, The Night Season (National Theatre), Carmen Disruption, The Master Builder, Certain Young Men, The Tower (Almeida), Luise Millar (Donmar Warehouse), Julius Caesar, The Tempest, The Seagull, In The Company of Men and A Patriot for Me (RSC). His television credits include Vera, Endeavour, Silk, North and South and Band of Brothers.
The role of Hermione, Leontes’ long-suffering wife, will be played by two-time Olivier award nominee Rachael Stirling. Rachael’s recent theatre credits include Medea (Headlong), The Recruiting Officer (Donmar Warehouse), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rose Theatre) and The Priory (Royal Court). Screen credits include Snow White and the Huntsmen, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Centurion and The Young Victoria. She is well-known for her television roles, in shows such as Capital (BBC One), Detectorists, The Bletchley Circle, Women in Love, Doctor Who and Tipping the Velvet.
Award-winning actress Niamh Cusack will take the role of Paulina. Niamh’s recent theatre credits include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (Apollo Theatre), The Rehearsal (Chichester), Playboy of the Western World, Dancing at Lughnasa, Cause Celebre, The Tutor (Old Vic), The Enchantment, His Dark Materials (National Theatre), Breathing Corpses (Royal Court), As You Like It, Mary After the Queen, Romeo and Juliet, The Art of Success (RSC), Juno and the Paycock (Bristol Old Vic) and The Maids (Donmar Warehouse). Her screen credits include Testament of Youth and The Hollow Crown (BBC 2).
Director Michael Longhurst returns to the Playhouse after his critically acclaimed 2014 production of John Ford’s ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore. His recent credits include Linda (Royal Court), Constellations which enjoyed a Broadway run starring Jake Gyllenhall and Ruth Wilson (Royal Court, UK and US tour), Carmen Disruption (Almeida), A Number (Young Vic), Remembrance Day and The Art of Dying (Royal Court). He was nominated for a South Bank Theatre Award for his work on Constellations, longlisted for the Evening Standard Award for Best New Play for Remembrance Day, and was nominated with special commendation for the John Whiting Award.
The full cast of The Winter’s Tale comprises Simon Armstrong, Jessica Baglow, Tia Bannon, Sam Cox, Niamh Cusack, Steffan Donnelly, James Garnon, Dennis Herdman, Tom Kanji, John Light, Fergal McElherron, Ryan McKen, Daniel Rabin, Rachael Stirling, Kirsty Woodward and David Yelland.
