Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre today release first look production images for Twelfth Night, Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities directed by Owen Horsley and set against the heat of the Mediterranean sun. The production runs until 8 June 2024 (Press Night: Thursday 9 May).
Horsley directs Raphael Bushay (Orsino), Richard Cant (Malvolio), Sally Cheng (Querelle), Andro Cowperthwaite (Sebastian), Anna Francolini (Olivia), Nicholas Karami (Antonio/Captain), Julie Legrand (Feste), Michael Matus (Toby Belch), Evelyn Miller (Viola), Anita Reynolds (Maria), Matthew Spencer (Andrew Aguecheek), Katherine Toy (Valentine/Priest), Jon Trenchard (Fabian/Musical Director), and Harry Waller (Curio/Officer).
The production marks the first production of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s summer season, and features new original songs in addition to the numerous songs in the text of Twelfth Night or What You Will.
The creative team includes: Basia Binkowska (Set Designer); Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown for Rc-Annie (Fight and Intimacy Directors); Ryan Dawson Laight (Costume Designer); Kate Godfrey (Voice and Text Director); James Hassett Associate Sound Designer); Daniel Hay-Gordon (Movement Director); Lotte Hines (Casting Director); Cory Hippolyte (Associate Director); Owen Horsley (Director); Sam Kenyon (Composer & Musical Supervisor); Aideen Malone (Lighting Designer); Max Pappenheim (Sound Designer)
‘What country, friends, is this?’
At a moonlit cafe surrounded by the sea, Olivia sings a lament to her lost brother, watched on by faded crowd.
When a shipwreck catapults Viola into their world of abandoned festivities, a web of disguise and deception begins. This new injection of life rocks this melancholic community to the core, but can she finally shake them from their languor and get the party started again?
Set against the heat of the Mediterranean sun, Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities is a glorious celebration of love. Directed by Owen Horsley (Henry VI: Rebellion, Wars of the Roses, Royal Shakespeare Company) in a marriage of happiness, nostalgia and riotous partying.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 2024 Summer season also includes: The new musical version of Roald Dahl’s picture book, The Enormous Crocodile in the daytime for those aged 4+ and their families (17 May – 8 June). This is followed by the stage adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic story, The Secret Garden (15 June – 20 July) in a new version by Holly Robinson and Anna Himali Howard, and directed by Howard. The season concludes with Fiddler on the Roof (27 July – 21 September) in a new production directed by Jordan Fein with book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar is currently on a UK tour until August 2024; and the musical version of Dodie Smith’s classic book 101 Dalmatians reimagined from the 2022 Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production embarks on a UK tour from June 2024 starring Kym Marsh.
Tickets for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre 2024 are available from: www.openairtheatre.com.
