Celebrated actor and director Kenneth Branagh has unveiled a series of five plays, starring some of the biggest names in acting, at the Garrick Theatre in London
Kenneth Branagh’s five-play season includes a starry line-up
Kenneth Branagh is making a dramatic return to the West End with a year-long season at the Garrick Theatre, directing and performing in five plays put together by his own theatre company, the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company.
The season is simply titled ‘Plays’ and will see Branagh perform in four of the five plays.
Now Sir Kenneth Branagh, the acclaimed actor and director is the latest in a long line of great theatre personalities to create their own season of work.
The season of five plays will star some of the country’s finest acting talent, including Dame Judi Dench, Rob Brydon, Richard Madden and Lily James.
The Winter’s Tale starring Dame Judi Dench
The Branagh season will kick start with Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, which will open at the Garrick Theatre in October and will co-star Judi Dench as Paulina. The Winter’s Tale will run from 7 November 2015 until 16 January 2016 and will star Branagh himself as Leontes.
Working alongside Dench in The Winter’s Tale marks Branagh’s 30-year working relationship with the iconic British actress.
Harlequinade
Branagh’s adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play will run alongside a rarely-seen production of Terence Rattigan’s Harlequinade. The one-act comedy is centred on a theatre company desperately trying to stage a production of Romeo and Juliet whilst battling with hectic personal lives.
The Painkiller with Rob Brydon
From 17 March until 30 April 2016, the Garrick Theatre’s stage will be home to a revival of The Painkiller. Directed by Sean Foley, the production will star Rob Brydon and Kenneth Branagh, who reprise their roles from The Painkiller’s highly acclaimed run at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, Branagh’s birth city.
Lily James and Richard Madden reunite in Romeo and Juliet
From May through until August, Romeo and Juliet will take centre stage at the Garrick. The play will reunite Lily James and Richard Madden, who recently starred together in the film Cinderella, which Branagh also directed.
The Entertainer
Rob Ashford’s production of The Entertainer that traces the life of a fading music hall performer who is struggling to adapt in a changing post-war world, will round up the season. Kenneth Branagh take the role of Archie Rice in The Entertainer.
The 12-month season will see Branagh working alongside the Olivier Award-winning designer Christopher Oram.
