Full Cast Set for RSC’s The Cherry Orchard The Royal Shakespeare Company has finalized the cast for its upcoming production of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, directed by co-artistic director Tamara Harvey. The new adaptation, written by playwright Laura Wade, will run at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 10 July to 29 August. The cast includes established actors and newcomers, with several performers making their RSC debuts. Leading the ensemble are Kenneth Branagh as Lopakhin, Helen Hunt as Madame Ranyevskaya, and Bill Pullman as Gaev. Branagh, returning to the RSC for the first time in over 30 years, will reprise his role as the ambitious landowner. Helen Hunt, a veteran stage and screen actress, will portray the grieving mother of the estate, while Bill Pullman, known for his stage work, will play the aging patriarch. Joining them are Chumisa Dornford-May as Anya, Alfred Enoch as Trofimov, Esther Smith as Varya, and Sophie Stone as Sharlotta. Harvey praised the cast’s diversity and talent, highlighting the debutantes and returning collaborators. She noted that Chumisa Dornford-May, who previously starred in Into the Woods, brings “incredible energy” to the role of Anya. Esther Smith, a longtime admirer of Harvey’s work, will play Varya, while Sophie Stone, whose career Harvey has followed since their RADA days, will portray Sharlotta. Enoch, who previously worked with Harvey on Henry V and Pericles, will play Trofimov, the idealistic young intellectual. The full cast includes Rob Alexander-Adams as the servant Passer By, Michael Elwyn as Firs, Amber Gadd as Dunyasha, Guy Henry as Pishchik, Erin Siobhan Hutching as an offstage understudy, Julian Moore-Cook as Yasha, and Andy Rush as Yepikhodov.#royal_shakespeare_company #swan_theatre #tamara_harvey #laura_wade #the_cherry_orchard
Royal Shakespeare Company Announces Full Cast for Laura Wade's Adaptation of The Cherry Orchard The Royal Shakespeare Company has officially unveiled the full cast for Laura Wade’s new adaptation of The Cherry Orchard, the final play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov. The production, set to debut at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, marks a significant expansion of the previously announced cast, with additional actors joining established performers in the lead roles. The adaptation, which reimagines Chekhov’s classic work, is directed by RSC co-Artistic Director Tamara Harvey and will run from July 10 to August 29, with its official opening scheduled for July 21. Joining the previously announced Kenneth Branagh as Lopakhin, Helen Hunt as Madame Ranyevskaya, and Bill Pullman as Gaev are Chumisa Dornford-May as Anya, Alfred Enoch as Trofimov, Esther Smith as Varya, and Sophie Stone as Sharlotta. The casting brings together a mix of seasoned actors and emerging talent, reflecting the RSC’s commitment to both artistic innovation and theatrical tradition. Branagh, known for his work with the RSC, will reprise his role as the ambitious Lopakhin, a character central to the play’s exploration of change and societal upheaval. Hunt, a veteran stage and screen actress, will portray Madame Ranyevskaya, the matriarch whose emotional journey anchors the narrative. Pullman, a frequent collaborator with the RSC, will play Gaev, the family patriarch grappling with the encroaching modernity of the 20th century. The production is the latest in a series of adaptations by Wade, who has previously worked on plays such as The Constant Wife and Home, I’m Darling.#royal_shakespeare_company #laura_wade #anton_chekhov #swan_theatre #tamara_harvey
