We’re not sure what poses more of a challenge; originating stage roles first made famous on screen by Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes or being tasked with taking over from the pair who successfully did just that, putting their own stamp on Shakespeare In Love’s Viola and Will when it first opened at the Noël Coward Theatre to critical acclaim this summer.
As we sit at home scoffing the last of the selection packs and lonely mince pies, this is exactly what Eve Ponsonby and Orlando James are busy preparing to do. With a entirely new cast for the hugely successful romantic comedy Shakespeare In Love set to take over from 12 January, the massive company – all 28 of them – are busy rehearsing with director Declan Donnellan.
Photographer Helen Maybanks snuck into rehearsals to see how things are shaping up. Take a look at her photos in the gallery above for a peek as to what the next Viola and Will are set to bring to the much-loved tale of a case of writer’s block and an unlikely muse.
You can book tickets to see Shakespeare In Love through us here or, for performances from 1 January to 13 February, through our discount ticket promotion Get Into London Theatre.