Antipodean actress Tamsin Carroll, who last wowed London with her Oom Pah Pah-ing as Nancy in Oliver!, is to star in the Regent’s Park Open Air theatre double bill of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ragtime The Musical.
The leading Australian performer, whose credits down under include Measure For Measure, Hair, A Little Night Music and Into The Woods, is joined in both casts by former Monty Python’s Spamalot star David Birrell and Harry Hepple, who took the title role in the >Menier Chocolate Factory production of Pippin.
Also appearing in both productions are musical theatre regular Stephane Anelli, former Spring Awakening cast member Hayley Gallivan and The Harder They Come’s Rolan Bell.
Chris Colquhoun, best known for playing Simon Kaminski in Casualty and Holby City, joins the cast to play Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The Regent’s Park Open Air theatre, which attracts more than 130,000 theatregoers each summer season, has broken with tradition for 2012, offering two shows in its alfresco setting rather than the usual four.
As usual, London’s leafiest theatre will offer a series of one-off shows on Sunday evenings, including comedy from Eddie Kadi, the Comedy Store Players, Jimmy Carr and Daniel Kitson, music from Stacey Kent and film screenings of Pans’ Labyrinth, Moulin Rouge and Edward Scissorhands.
Speaking about the season, the theatre’s Artistic Director, Timothy Sheader, said: “What has proved exciting at Regent’s Park over the past few years are productions that embrace scale, both physically and in their narrative. The titles for 2012, each with their own particular ambition, are united in their exploration of space, light and the changing atmosphere of theatre in the open air.”
Also new for 2012 is a specially priced ticket for during the Olympic Games. Between 25 July and 12 August all tickets will cost just £20.12.