A fairytale cast for Branagh’s Romeo and Juliet

Lily James and Richard Madden in Romeo and Juliet. Photo: Johan Persson The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company has revealed the full cast for Romeo and Juliet, the fifth production in the inaugural Plays at the Garrick season.

Joining Lily James as Juliet, Richard Madden as Romeo and Derek Jacobi as Mercutio is Meera Syal as the Nurse. Meera Syal said: "I'm so looking forward to joining such an exciting and prestigious company, and to be performing Shakespeare with them in this, his 400th anniversary year."

Lily James is an actress of stage and screen who came to international prominence in Downton Abbey as Lady Rose and who has recently won acclaim for her role in Kenneth Branagh’s 2015 production of Cinderella in which she played the title character.

Reuniting the stars of his celebrated film Cinderella, Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford will direct Shakespeareʼs heartbreaking tale of forbidden love.

Derek Jacobi. Photo: Johan Persson

Derek Jacobi’s stage credits include Heartbreak House, King Lear, two productions of Twelfth Night (Olivier Award; Best Actor), The Tempest, Macbeth, Richard III and Richard II, Much Ado About Nothing (Olivier Award; Best Actor), Cyrano De Bergerac (London Critics Circle Theatre Award; Best Actor), Ivanov, Antony and Cleopatra and three productions of Hamlet (also directed).

The full cast includes Marisa Berenson (Lady Capulet), Jack Colgrave Hirst (Benvolio), Tom Hanson (Paris), Matthew Hawksley (Anthony), Ansu Kabia (Tybalt), Sam Valentine (Friar Laurence) and Kathryn Wilder (Peta/Apothecary).

The cinema broadcast of Romeo and Juliet will be directed by Benjamin Caron, who has also recently directed the broadcast of The Winter’s Tale and collaborated with Kenneth Branagh on the forthcoming series of Wallander, due to be broadcast on the BBC in 2016.

Meera Syal plays Nurse in Romeo and Juliet.

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company, in partnership with Picturehouse Entertainment, will broadcast three productions of its year-long Plays at the Garrick season live to cinemas worldwide. Participating cinemas and screening dates can be found at branaghtheatrelive.com

Romeo and Juliet will play at the Garrick Theatre from 12 May until 13 August 2016. The production will be broadcast live to cinemas on 7 July.

BOOK TICKETS FOR ROMEO AND JULIET AT THE GARRICK THEATRE