Hamlet cast announced!

It's been an exciting wait but September marks the major announcement of just who will be joining Billy Howle in the Autumn blockbuster production of Hamlet. There are a few familiar faces you may recognise. Gather round...

1. Billy Howle

Your main man. 

Playing the title role of Hamlet, Billy Howle has made quite a name for himself over the last few years.

Billy started his career at BOV after graduating from drama school. He was electrifying to watch even in the early days. 

He broke onto our TV screens in E4's drama Glue, before going onto star in everything from BBC's The Serpent to the Britbox thriller series The Beast Must Die. This year alone he's starred in BBC drama series Chloe with Erin Doherty and Under the Banner of Heaven with Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones. Films you may have seen: On Chesil Beach with Saoirse Ronan, The Seagull with Annette Benning and Outlaw King with Chris Pine and Florence Pugh. Welcome back Billy!

2. Niamh Cusack

Niamh is back on stage at BOV playing Hamlet's mother, Gertrude.

Born into an acting family, she has performed in almost every major stage production since the mid 80s (ok, we are exaggerating but..) She was in the original cast of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (National Theatre and West End), and His Dark Materials (National Theatre). You may remember her on stage here in the 2019 production Juno and the Paycock.  TV roles recently are Channel 4's The Virtues alongside Stephen Graham, ITVs The Tower or the long-running role of Dr Kate Rowan in 90s series Heartbeat which made her a household name. (Mega-sad TV moment when she died  - find it on YouTube if you don't believe me)

3. Mirren Mack

Mirren Mack plays Ophelia. She was first seen on TV screens as Florence in Sex Education, before taking the lead role of Kaya in the BBC Drama The Nest. Mirren is due to appear as Merwyn in the upcoming Netflix miniseries The Witcher: Blood Origin alongside Lenny Henry and Michelle Yeoh. Keep your eyes peeled!

4. Finbar Lynch

The role of Claudius is played by Finbar Lynch. Finbar returns to Bristol Old Vic after his lead role in Faith Healer in 2011. His films include Child 44, Proof and Sufragette and he was nominated for a Tony award in 1999 for his performance as Canary Jim in the Broadway run of Not About Nightingales. TV work includes recurring appearances in Glenroe, Breathless, The Hollow Crown and the mini-series Treadstone, along with appearances in Waking the Dead and Game of Thrones. 

5. Taheen Modak

Taheen Modak takes the roles of Laertes and Rosencrantz. You might recognize that face from two series of the ITV crime drama The Bay as DC ‘Med’ Kharim, (we've almost forgiven them for bumping him off). Most recently seen in the comedy drama Two Weeks to Live opposite Maisie Williams and Sian Clifford (Sky One/HBO Max).

6. Isabel Adomakoh Young

Isabel Adomakoh Young plays Horatio. Isabel describes herself as "an actor, writer and troublemaker" which makes us love her just that little bit more. She's worked at the RSC, Royal Court and played Juliet in Regents Park Open Air Theatre, winning the Best Lead Actress award at the BBTAs. She has just completed filming Foundation for Apple TV+ so keep your eyes open for that one. 

She's also responsible for co-writing the bestselling children's book trilogy Lionboy (written with her mother under the pseudonym Zizou Corder) - the stage show toured the World in 2014, adapted by Complicité. In 2019, Isabel was nominated for the h100 Award for Rising Stars Under 30 (we're feeling a little inadequate..)

7. Firdous Bamji

Firdous Bamji is an Indian-born American actor and takes the roles of the Ghost, Player King and Gravedigger. He has played leading roles in world and American premieres of plays by everyone from Tom Stoppard to Naomi Wallace and won an Obie award in 2015 for his 'outstanding performance' in Stoppard's Indian Ink. In 2007 he was invited to co-write and perform in a new play with the world-renowned theatre company, Complicite. The result was A Disappearing Number which won the Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics Circle Awards for Best New Play. He has also appeared in classic films such as The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Analyse That and The War Within.

8. Jason Barnett

Jason Barnett plays Polonius. His recent stage work includes Instructions for Correct Assembly, Emil and the Detectives, The Winter's Tale, Pericles, War Horse, The Visit, Life of Galileo,Mogadishu and The Seagull. He is well-known for his roles in TV series Porridge, Agatha Raisin, Lee and Dean and Bridgerton as "Jeffries". He has also made guest appearances in well-known series including Jonathan Creek and Death in Paradise.

9. Catrin Stewart

Catrin Stewart plays Guildenstern/Reynaldo/Player Queen. She is a Welsh actress who played Emma in Sky1 comedy drama series Stella alongside Ruth Jones  and is well known amongst Doctor Who fans as Jenny Flint. She won the award for Best Performance in a British Feature at the Edinburgh Film Festival for her role in The Library Suicides. She also played Juliet in Headlong's Romeo and Juliet and Julia in the West End production of 1984.

Hamlet opens on 13 October - see you there!