Jessica Brown Findlay and Luke Thompson join the previously announced Andrew Scott and Juliet Stevenson in the Almeida Theatre’s production of Hamlet. Directed by Olivier Award winner Robert Ike, Hamlet will open in February 2017.
Jessica Brown Findlay will play Ophelia, who has previously appeared in Uncle Vanya at the Almeida and Oresteia at both the Almeida and Trafalgar Studios. Jessica starred in Downton Abbey playing Lady Sybil Crawley and was nominated for 2012 British Independent Film Awards and the Evening Standard Film Awards for her performance in Albatross.
Luke Thompson will play Laertes. He appeared alongside Jessica in Oresteia and his other theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (shortlisted for the Evening Standard Outstanding Newcomer award), Blue Stockings, Julius Caesar and The Broken Heart at Shakespeare’s Globe; Tiger Country at Hampstead Theatre.
The Almeida has also announced that Rudi Dharmalingam will join Juliet and Lia Williams in Mary Stuart. Rudi previously appeared in 1984 at the Playhouse Theatre and the National Theatre’s productions of Dara, England People Very Nice and Playing with Fire. Playing both Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart, Juliet and Lia will trade the play’s central roles, decided at each performance by the toss of a coin.
Mary Stuart will begin its run at the Islington venue on Friday 2 December with Hamlet running from 17 February 2017.